The Passage of Time
Matt Carlson
About this work:
My string quartet, "The Passage of Time", has been a challenging and rewarding project. The original idea was to write a piece in the way one might write for percussion: with rhythm as both the starting point and the most structurally signifigant property. I began my sketching out different rhythmic ideas and arranging them in 3 or 4 layers. Then I sketched out some harmonic movements I liked and began overlaying the harmonies onto the rhythms and arranging them for the ensemble. Some worked better than others and I simply kept the ones that worked best. The resulting 3 movements are both the most tonal music I've ever composed, and present some of the most challenging ensemble playing issues of anything I've done.
Year composed: 2004
Duration: 09:55:60
Ensemble type: Chamber or Jazz Ensemble, Without Voice:String Quartet
Instrumentation: 2 Violin, 1 Viola, 1 Cello
Instrumentation notes: 3 Sibelius files for each of the three movements