1. Overview of Core Cycle and Complete Cycle

Transcendental Etudes for Piano is a cycle of ten etudes that present the creation, development and eventual collapse of a cosmos. The core conception of this cycle is that of an imaginary world emerging from chaos and strife, developing through a series of paradigmatic stages of growth and conflict, then, after a culminating conflict, returning to the chaos from which it emerged.

Each etude can be performed on its own or as part of the “Core Cycle” or the “Complete Cycle”; groups of etudes within the Complete Cycle may also be performed continuously.

Core cycle:
(performed as a group with a short pause between each piece)
Etude 1: Aer (or: Pyr gínetai Aer) (ca. 1’30”)
Etude 2: Hydor (or: Aer gínetai Hydor) (ca. 2’30”)
Etude 3: Gaia (ca. 3’30”)
Etude 4: Ekpyrosis (ca. 5’45”)

Complete cycle:
(performed continuously)
Etude 1: Aer (or: Pyr gínetai Aer) (ca. 1’30”)
Etude 1a’: Pneuma (ca. 1’20”)

Etude 2: Hydor (or: Aer gínetai Hydor) (ca. 2’30”)
Etude 2a: Re-birth (Agon) (ca. 3’45”)
Etude 2b: Repress (Archon) (ca. 5’20”)

Etude 3: Gaia (ca. 3’30”)
Etude 3a: Rebel (Stásis) (ca. 3’20”)
Etude 3b: Revolt (Exérgesis) (ca. 3’20”)
Etude 3c: React (Antídrasis) (ca. 6’20”)

Etude 4: Ekpyrosis (ca. 5’45”)