is based on a famous repetitive passage by Ludwig van Beethoven (Symphony No.7, second movement). That music is unique in Beethoven's output because of a relentlessostinatothat continues, unvaried except for a long crescendo and added accompanimental voices, for over four minutes. Beethoven's near-minimalistic use of his material and my own desire to write a piece in which the performerisresponsible for decisions concerning the durations of...