When the duo Erik Bosgraaf and Izhar Elias commissioned me to write a new work, we decided that the composition would not use any definitive pitch. As a result, the piece turned out to be quite noisy and particularly rhythmic. The recorder player hisses and roars into two recorder tubes created from bass and tenor recorders, with the mouthpieces removed and the finger holes sealed with tape.

The four upper strings of the guitar are tuned to a dissonant scordatura and are played throughout the piece using a slide, ensuring that no distinct pitch is produced. The two lowest strings are wound together and played in a percussive manner. Additionally, both players create various percussive effects using their feet, hands, and voices.

The title 'Stheno' refers to one of the Gorgon sisters from Greek mythology; the other two were named Medusa and Euryale. The most famous ability of the Gorgons was to turn men into stone. In this composition, there are a couple of static moments when the constantly changing rhythmic patterns settle, and the sounds from the tape part "freeze" the music. TR, 2007