This collection was devised by Damian Barbeler, Barry Cockcroft, Stuart Greenbaum and Adam Pinto in haphazard fashion at a dinner party, in October of 1999. After several reds, the proposal emerged that we write solo piano pieces for Adam, entitled Fragments of Gratification.

This idea grew into a collection that now features 20 Australian composers. Each was invited to submit a miniature for solo piano, written on any single day between the new year’s eves of 1999 and 2000, capturing a personal response to the theme, Fragments of Gratification. Some of the fragments have been spread over two pages for ease of performance, but all were submitted on a single page.

The fragments are ordered chronologically in this edition, though the performer is encouraged to devise their own performance order. They may play all 20, or a smaller selection. Aesthetic clues (written by the composers) are printed at the top of each fragment. Corresponding Roman numerals can be cross referenced with the list of composers ‘by birthday’ and the full ‘date of birth’ listing at the back of this edition to help ‘solve’ the identity of the composer of any given fragment.

The aesthetic clues should appear in the concert program (with corresponding Roman numerals) in performance order. A separate list of composers, in alphabetical order, should also be included with a note encouraging the audience to speculate upon the matching of clues to composers. The audience can think about an aesthetic clue, while listening to the corresponding fragment. If circumstances permit, the audience may then be invited to submit their guesses at the conclusion of the concert - the winner being awarded a nominal or honorary prize…