Program Notes

“For one was composed in 1972 [sic] while I was in residence for a performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana. The prime content of the work is emotional in origin. I wanted to capture the attitude of a single extemporaneous outburst, as if improvised and yet with a sense of inevitable organic growth from idea to idea. In a phrase, the work is 'through composed,' much in the same manner as the 19th century abstraction known as Durchkompaniert. The ethos of the work then is Romantic, inspired by a Dionysian impulse, with Crocian expressionism. Paul Klee spoke of his desire to capture the totality of a painting in one gesture, without the influence of self criticism or the negative censorship of the conscious mind. I too wanted to ‘capture’ the same sensation, to create a virtuousic, melismatic, unending melodie, which never looks back, is never self critical, and always energized by an intuitive self propelled emotional-psychic fine. The work is dedicated ‘for one’ Richard Stoltzman and I had his personality and concept of performance always in the foreground of my musical thinking.”

—William Thomas McKinley (© 1994), from his notes.