string quartet #4

The seemingly playful and hocketing character of the main melody is constantly interrupted by sustained chords built off the intervals in Just Intonation. The main melody struck by these interruptions goes from a cheerful and open place to a dark and somber realm, eventually it is subsumed by the last sustained chord. The pitch material for this piece is based on the intervals in Just Intonation which comprise a 22-note scale. Going away from the equally tempered grid not only brings me satisfying sonorities but also symbolizes acceptance of the non-unified sounds and embraces individualities of the instruments. This piece was composed during the pandemic and, though unintentionally, reflects a small human facing the unavoidable.

Performers: Jack Quartet