Kai Nieminen's music has been described as "often constructed according to a narrative logic, as fantasy journeys in imaginary or dream-like worlds". Most of his works have an extra-musical stimulus, alluded to in their titles.They are not, however, really programmatic music, being constructed according to their own musical laws. The titles do nevertheless reflect the original stimuls and provide something of a guideline to the listening experience. Theinitial inspiration may be in literature or art, or equally well in an urban streetscape or nature. Lyrical Elegy for horn and harp is dedicated to Philip Milton Roth the writer.