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String quartet

Download 1st mvt  

Download 2nd mvt  

Download 3rd mvt  

Download 4th mvt  

Story behind the piece:

When I was introduced to the harmonic and melodic possibilities of the octatonic mode (ie the mode of limited transposition) I was immediately inspired to write this quartet, one of my most intense pieces and maybe even my best composition.

The instruments stay in the three keys available in the octatonic mode except in the third movement, where the viola strikes out into the Dorian mode and produces the most amazing results against the backdrop of octatonic shifting chords on the other

three instruments.

Although the overall effect is fairly intense, it is quite a lot more light hearted than you might expect from such an alternative mode.

There are even a few cheeky comments, including a weird rendition of hushabye baby in the 4th movement and the occasional cockney-style "have a banana" remark from the viola.

The work has been performed on at least two occasions,

but it still has to be officially recorded. . . .

Meanwhile, this rendition has been created using Superconductor.

 

Get scores and parts from:

MusicaNeo (downloadable pdf files)

or from

Da Capo Music Ltd (hard copy)