Rands was born in Sheffield, England in 1934 and has frequently taught and worked in the United States. When he composed this music he was strongly concerned with the twelve-tone method, but was chaffing at some of the restrictions of Schoenberg's detailed rules (which, be it added, even Schoenberg did not consistently follow). Rands' solution at this time was to allow a little bit of aleatoric (change) procedure into the performance.

The central movement is about three and a half minutes long. It is precisely notated and is strictly in tempo. However, the tempo marking is "As fast as possible." This allows some leeway. The exact fast tempo is therefore somewhat variable, and within this area of variability the precise articulation of figurations in it will take on different character.

Of the other two movements, one is strictly composed, but the other has a proportional sort of notation that allows for some performer control over the rhythms in the piece. Rands allows the performer to play the outer movements in either order. That is, the piece might be played in order 1-2-3 or 3-2-1.

© Joseph Stevenson, All Music Guide