Impressions for Clarinet and Piano

Impressions was commissioned by Stanley Weinstein, then principal clarinetist of the New Orleans Symphony. He premiered this composition on September 8, 1975, in New Orleans. Impressions was recorded on LP on Orion Master Recordings, Inc., by clarinetist Jack Kreiselman and pianist Lawrence Ferrara, both professors at New York University.

Impressions is rhapsodic in character with changes of colors and moods. An abstract composition, it employs the various colors of the clarinet to create different moods. The piano also uses sound effects in order to highlight or project a mood. Throughout the piece, there is an interplay of consonance and dissonance.

The New York Times critic called it “dramatic” when the work received its New York premiere at Carnegie Recital Hall. The piece received its European premiere in Vienna at the International Conference of the College Music Society on July 3, 1997.