Distill is a large-canvas version of my small sketch, “The Distillery,” which is one of the short scenes in Moving Pictures for piano and film. That short piece seemed to contain more possibilities than could be realized on piano alone, and so, with the addition of a horn, and some re-composing, I ended up with this larger work. The calm, lyrical opening, with its gentle watery accompaniment, is gradually transformed into more and more tumultuous ideas, opening up extended vistas before unimagined. When the lyrical melody returns, it is more serene than before, with the formerly flowing accompaniment distilled to the occasional spacious chord. The piece was written for Stacie Mickens, and I'm performing it with her here.
