All movements begin with a descriptive theme, which, not coincidentally, contains as many notes as there are letters in the movement's title. The composer, using a personally developed system, assigned letters of the alphabet to musical pitches. During the unfolding of each narrative, the opening theme or motive is subsequently developed using techniques borrowed from the "serial method" of composition. Morning and Dusk are lyrical and generally quiet, the latter movement calling for use of a mute. Dayof Celebration, by contrast, is vigorous and, at times, fanfare-like. Night, which depicts the eerie and frightening aspects of nighttime, is the most dramatic and least tonal movement. It makes use of flutter-tonguing, half-valve glissandi, and harsh dynamic changes. It does, however, end softly and peacefully, bringing the work to a quiet conclusion. - the composer. --