Readers of the January issue of Tempo may have come across an article of mine: the first of a series of articles by various writers on some general themes of interest to contemporary musicians. But the version you will have seen represents an early stage in the formative process of the piece. This unique snapshot of the author at work represents a first hurried response to a letter from David Johnson in the October 2002 Tempo before (somewhat provisional) emendations/extensions were made in order to create a (short) article.