perhaps the piece which is most often heard today is the short fanfare "the unanswered question" (1908), written for the very unusual combination of trumpet, four flutes, and string orchestra. the strings, playing from behind the stage, play very slow, chorale-like music throughout the piece while several times the trumpet (playing from behind the audience) plays a short group of notes that ives described as "the eternal question of existence". each time the trumpet is answered with harsh outbursts from the flutes (onstage) — apart from the last one. that is the question that is left unanswered. musicians often have discussions about what the real meaning of the piece is.