String Quartet #1
Martin Halpern
About this work:
The first movement, called "Capriccio" because of its freewheeling contrasts in tempo, dynamics and articulations, is built around two main motifs: the fast, fortissimo opening motto, which recurs three times later, in altered form; and the slower, quieter motif introduced in Measure 3, which becomes the basis for a series of variations using frequent imitative patterns among the four voices. At the end, elements of both motifs are combined in a passage of fortissimo pizzicati in all the voices at once.
The "Fanstasy" section of the second movement begins with a slow, meditative canon which builds in volume and intensity to a climax and then winds down. There follows a passage marked "Grazioso," featuring lyrical solos passed from one instrument to the other, accompanied by dance-like figures in the other instruments. Then, after a reprise of the opening canon, the movement concludes with a fugal treatment of a subject freely derived from the canon motif.
Year composed: 1998
Duration: 00:13:00
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:String Quartet
Instrumentation: 2 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello