I began writing this set of études sitting at Philip Glass’ piano one morning while staying at his home in New York City. Pencil shavings and piles of manuscript paper covered his writing table, his desk, and the piano itself, and Philip was very much in my thoughts composing Crossing No. 1.

One may be tempted to read some metaphysical meaning into the set from the title, which could be understood as a reference to a float down the River Styx, or Orpheus’ journey into the underworld—a “crossing over” into another place. While there are moments in the music where the textures become lighter after darker moments, evocative of a letting go of a great burden, in fact, the title is simply an allusion to Philip’s use of hand ‘crossing’ in his own piano music whereby, for example, the left hand will reach over the right to hit a note in the higher register of the instrument.

Crossing No. 5 is inspired by Ravel’s Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte, and the entire set is dedicated to Philip.