Piano Suite is a collection of piano compositions that is ever changing. In 1993 I wrote three movements for the Suite, and as the years passed I added newly composed movements and removed some of the older movements. My intent is to continue exchanging pieces within the Suite, so that it will always be different, often reflecting some of my newer music.

The first movement, ‘Fanfare,’ was written initially as the theme music for Youngstown State University, and has been used in advertisement and promotion. This expanded version includes a reflective middle section, which leads back to the YSU theme for the conclusion. “Fanfare” also exists as a short, standalone piece for concert band.

‘Allemande’ was written for pianist and composer Norm Weston, my first composition teacher. The earliest of the movements, it reflects the fascination I had with twelve-tone serialism at the time, though the music is cast in a Bach-like dance suite movement.

The third movement, ‘Frottola,’ refers to a renaissance dance form that often uses hemiola and moves quickly. The main melody is manipulated using methods derived from twelve-tone technique; the musical language, however, is modal and tonal, not chromatic. The theme is played in retrograde, inversion, and other forms, and the rhythm is also altered separately from the tune to create multiple combinations. This perpetuum mobile movement is the only original portion of the suite.

The fourth movement, ‘Prelude and Fugue for Hannah Zapfe,’ begins with a prelude I wrote as a student, whereas the fugue is a short, fiery contrapuntal piece, styled in the manner of the Hindemith Ludus Tonalis fugues for piano. “Fugue” also exists as part of a clarinet and piano piece, but was originally written for a high school-age pianist in Cleveland, hence the title. The fugue theme contains Hannah’s name in notes.

The newest addition to Piano Suite is the final movement, ‘Purple Rag.’ The piece is pure ragtime reminiscent of Scott Joplin. Originally written as a clarinet and piano piece for my colleagues at Texas Christian University, Gary Whitman and Janet Pummill, it is included here mainly because I wanted to create a solo piano version of the duet. The work is a moderately grooving tonal piece in ternary form that should relieve the tension presented by prior movements. The school color at TCU is purple, which gave rise to the title.