The Vier Romantische Klaviertücke (Four Romantic Piano Pieces) were composed at separate times between 1979 and 1991. They may be performed separately or as a "suite." At one time Ford considered the possibility of grouping them together as a single sonatina, but chose instead to apply that title only to the first piece.
The Sonatine is, indeed, in sonata form, but by focussing on a variant of the exposition's principal theme in the development section and proceeding directly to the exposition's subordinate theme (recast in E minor) in the recapitulation, the entire structure is compressed. Such concentration of emotionally charged materials within a relatively small structure intensifies the mood of Sturm und Drang which pervades this compositional study in early romantic style.