A short melodic piece, 'Aria' was written in 1982 as the middle movement of a Serenade for clarinet and string quartet. Its simplicity and lyricism have proved perfect for the cello.
This piece has to do with the way various images - or themes - are changed in the process of thinking. The first movement is concerned with two very distinct ideas that eventually interact and affect each other. The second movement is a set of six variations on a somewhat somber American colonial hymn, "God of my Justice". Each of the variations relates back to the original theme rather than to each other, as is traditional. The third movement begins with similar themes which diverge and eventually agree to a separation. It also contains hints of a Gershwin tune that reveals itself at the very end.
