The title originally comes from a line from William Carlos Williams' poem January, which Johannes Maria Staud set to music for soprano and orchestra in Jittering Directions. Arranged for trumpet and piano as a dedication piece for the 65th birthday of his teacher Michael Jarrell, the title says it all here: Play louder! (the exclamation mark was added to the line from the poem by the composer) as a loudness duel between the two instruments. The piano pulsates and hammers tirelessly in constantly replenishing clusters, while the trumpet repeatedly works its way up to the high register and tries to establish itself there. Together they head for the big break at the end of the piece - and then remain united in silence for a few seconds until the final line.