"Stillness" (2000) was created as a homage to M.K.�iurlionis (1875-1911), the famous Lithuanian composer and painter, on the occasion of his 125th anniversary. The instrumentation was predetermined by the conditions set by the competition dedicated to this occasion. The music is based on the motifs and harmonic progressions from �iurlionis' piano preludes as well as on the particularly characteristic descending theme and introductory texture of the string section from the symphonic poem "In the Forest". The last section, based on the Lithuanian folk song "Run, run, the Furrows", emphasises the ties between �iurlionis and his native South-East Lithuania folk music. The title "Stillness" implies no direct reference to his paintings that bear the same title. It is only an attempt at rendering the state of nature and the human soul reflected by �iurlionis. Besides its resemblance to Feldman-like tranquility (not overcoming the volume scale boundaries of p), some musical analogies with the �urlionis' contemporary Erik Satie can even be observed in this composition. All those different inspirations and associations are linked to my favorite manner of constructing music and by the musical means which (even if distant enough to any of the aforementioned composers) aim to reflect a sensation of stillness 125 years after �iurlionis' birth. The work was awarded the second prize at the Lithuanian composers' competition devoted to the M.K.�iurlionis 125th anniversary.