Reich, Steve: Triple Quartet (string quartet version) (1998) 20'
for string quartet (with pre-recorded tape)
Scoring
string quartet and pre-recorded tape (DA-88 tape playback and amplification required)
World Premiere
5/22/1999
Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
Kronos Quartet
World premiere of version
3/3/2001
Lincoln Theater , Miami Beach, Florida
New World Symphony / Bradley Lubman
Composer's Notes
Triple Quartet is for three string quartets. For Kronos (or any other single string quartet) to perform the piece they must pre-record quartets two and three and then play the quartet one part along with the pre-recorded tape. Alternatively, the piece can be played by 12 or more string players with no tape.
The piece is in three movements (fast-slow-fast) and is organized harmonically on four dominant chords in minor keys a minor third apart: E minor, G minor, B-flat minor, C-sharp, minor, and then returning to E minor to form a cycle. The first movement goes through this harmonic cycle twice with a section about one minute long on each of the four dominant chords. The result is a kind of variation form.
Rhythmically the first movement has the second and third quartet playing interlocking chords while the first quartet plays longer melodies in canon between the first violin and viola against the second violin and cello.
The slow movement is more completely contrapuntal with a long slow melody in canon eventually in all 12 voices. It stays in E minor throughout.
The third movement resumes the original fast tempo and maintains the harmonic chord cycle, but modulates back and forth between keys more rapidly. The final section of the movement is in the initial key of E minor, and there the piece finally cadences.
Triple Quartet was commissioned by and is dedicated to the Kronos Quartet.
Steve Reich, 1998
Steve Reich's Triple Quartet was commissioned for the Kronos Quartet with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, David A. and Evelyne T. Lennette, Patricia Unterman and Tim Savinar, and Meet the Composer/Arts Endowment Commissioning Music/USA, which is made possible by generous support from The Helen F. Whitaker Fund, and The Catherine Filene Shouse Foundation.
Reproduction Rights
This programme note can be reproduced free of charge in concert programmes with a credit to the composer
Recommended Recording
for string quartet (with pre-recorded tape)
Scoring
string quartet and pre-recorded tape (DA-88 tape playback and amplification required)
World Premiere
5/22/1999
Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
Kronos Quartet
World premiere of version
3/3/2001
Lincoln Theater , Miami Beach, Florida
New World Symphony / Bradley Lubman
Composer's Notes
Triple Quartet is for three string quartets. For Kronos (or any other single string quartet) to perform the piece they must pre-record quartets two and three and then play the quartet one part along with the pre-recorded tape. Alternatively, the piece can be played by 12 or more string players with no tape.
The piece is in three movements (fast-slow-fast) and is organized harmonically on four dominant chords in minor keys a minor third apart: E minor, G minor, B-flat minor, C-sharp, minor, and then returning to E minor to form a cycle. The first movement goes through this harmonic cycle twice with a section about one minute long on each of the four dominant chords. The result is a kind of variation form.
Rhythmically the first movement has the second and third quartet playing interlocking chords while the first quartet plays longer melodies in canon between the first violin and viola against the second violin and cello.
The slow movement is more completely contrapuntal with a long slow melody in canon eventually in all 12 voices. It stays in E minor throughout.
The third movement resumes the original fast tempo and maintains the harmonic chord cycle, but modulates back and forth between keys more rapidly. The final section of the movement is in the initial key of E minor, and there the piece finally cadences.
Triple Quartet was commissioned by and is dedicated to the Kronos Quartet.
Steve Reich, 1998
Steve Reich's Triple Quartet was commissioned for the Kronos Quartet with funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, David A. and Evelyne T. Lennette, Patricia Unterman and Tim Savinar, and Meet the Composer/Arts Endowment Commissioning Music/USA, which is made possible by generous support from The Helen F. Whitaker Fund, and The Catherine Filene Shouse Foundation.
Reproduction Rights
This programme note can be reproduced free of charge in concert programmes with a credit to the composer
Recommended Recording
Kronos Quartet
Nonesuch 79546
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