Lee Hyla (b. 1952) is one of the more adventurous contemporary composers active in the field today. His music is in the postwar American Expressionist tradition that derives from Stefan Wolpe and Elliott Carter, leavened with the urban flavors of Avant-Garde Jazz and contemporary popular music of the Rock persuasion. High in energy and rhythmically challenging, We Speak Etruscan will test the mettle of advanced players in several technical and expressive manners. Written in 1992, it is dedicated to the two players for whom it was composed, Tim Berne (saxophone) and Tim Smith (bass clarinet). It will be a challenging duet for the serious student or professional.