The String Quartet No.4 is in three movements marked Unhurried, Scherzo and Boldly. I followed a method of what might be termed "continual development" throughout. Ideas, once presented and stated several times—in each instance in slightly altered form—are then subjected to development before the next subject is stated. That, too, follows a pattern of statement and quick development until all subject matter evolves into a state of seamless development. There is a feeling of continuity and flow that forces the listener to concentrate on the evolution of the musical material. The first movement is a typical example of this method. The opening statement by the first violin, the reply by the other three strings, the introduction of the triplet figures—all these are marked for development. It is a half-joking, half-sardonic scherzo wherein the two sometimes blend into one. The final movement is the most acerbic of the three, its grinding opening statement giving way to a certain bittersweet lyricism before returning to a landscape of shifting meters and turbulence. The String Quartet No.4, completed in December 1989, is dedicated to the Aurora String Quartet. The commissioning of this work was funded by Chamber Music America with funds from the Pew Charitable Trusts.
-Benjamin Lees
