Thoughts in C Minor

Thoughts in C minor by Gilbert DeWitte is a solo cello work composed in the Spring of 2025. As a cellist himself, DeWitte curated the work to express his own thoughts, using the key of c minor as a musical boundary for his expression.

The piece begins with an initial melody and harmony, establishing those by measure four. From there, the music takes a journey based on those motives, shaped by the several improvisations DeWitte performed during his composing process. The title of the work stems from this idea, as the thoughts evolve until they find resolution at the end of the piece. The variations of the melody explore a wide range of emotions, and the work enables both listeners and performers to contemplate these thoughts.