It was born out of pain and grief at a time of great spiritual crisis. The private situation is reflected in a series of encodings,… It was born out of pain and grief at a time of great spiritual crisis. The private situation is reflected in a series of encodings, similar to those used by Alban Berg in his pieces. Nevertheless, I believe that the composition is not a purely private expression. “From Pain and Mourning” describes the situation more than the pure content: it is by no means just music of mourning. More objective, generally understandable musical imagery, which I developed from dealing with folklore and working-class culture, is just as important for the selection of material. The composition technique of my last pieces, which is not based on fixed, unchanging dimensions, but rather constantly changing, reshaping and interleaving within easily recognizable expression and material characteristics (tone, melody/line, chord/multi-sound), is even further developed here. Composition becomes a flowing process, driven by contrasts and their mutual influence. (Nicolaus A. Huber, 1982)