Piano Sonata No. 2 - "Steptoe"

Composer's Note:

Piano Sonata No. 2 was written for pianist and composer Roger Steptoe with the support of a Faculty Development Grant from the University of Texas at San Antonio. It was completed in Edinburgh, Scotland, in October of 2006. The three movements are all based on the same few melodic fragments which are introduced in the first movement, Theme and Three Variations. The variations are a microcosm of the entire sonata, hinting at the textures and emotional context of each movement to come. The second movement includes hints of blues and jazz harmonies, the third looks back at baroque counterpoint, and hints strongly of a two part invention, and all three movements contain the influence of Scottish dance melodies and rhythms.