| Piffle was written in the summer of 1997 for flutist Betsy
Feldman and pianist Timothy Vincent Clark, founding members of the St. Louis-based new
music ensemble Synchronia. The duo they formed earlier that year was called
"PfFl," a combination of the standard abbreviations for "pianoforte"
and "flute." A few extra vowels generated the work's title, and a dictionary
definition of the resulting word -- something that might be "regarded as
insignificant" -- suggested the general tone of the piece. Short and whimsical, Piffle
features sudden shifts of tempo and dynamic levels. The flute part is boldly virtuosic;
that the piano writing is decidedly simply is not a reflection on Clark's keyboard
abilities but, rather, a hint that someday the composer might like to play the part
himself.
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