Piano Music by Robert Helps

In Retrospect (1977) [piano solo]

 — Helps himself writes: “This set of five pieces was slated for a children’s opus but quickly got out of hand. However, an original intention of ‘nostalgia’ (hence the title) and a pervasive ‘hanging-in’ around the tonality of E minor gives the work a somewhat simple (child-like?) quality.”

The five movements of the suite: Prelude, Dance (Ravel’s “Forlane” winks slyly in the background), Song, Pastorale, and Toccata (which unites the previous four in a steady flow).

Total duration: 10 minutes