Works > Quartet

Quartet

for Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano   

My Quartet is an homage to Shostakovich, the inspiration for many a composer and not a few homages. Rather than base the piece on the infamous DSCH motive (though it does make a few brief appearances), I have tried to incorporate more general aspects of Shostakovich’s musical thinking into my own post-minimalist language. Thus the slow beginning in solo low strings (here, the cello), the dark mood, the triumphant ending. Hopefully, if I’ve done my job, the end result is something more than just an homage- I use this idea merely as a starting point, and have aimed to create something both fresh and understandable, exciting and accessible. Which is maybe all a composer does anyway.