John Ritchie's String Quartet (1962) is another fine example of his writing style that is imbued with lyricism and traditional forms. Ritchie considers the work to be autobiographical with each movement reflecting a period of his life. this makes it an important work to study within the context of Ritchie's overall musical output.
John Ritchie was one of New Zealand’s senior composers. Throughout a long composing career, he elected to write in an accessible and traditional manner, often in stark contrast to much of the work being produced by his contemporaries in the style of the European avant garde. He created a body of work which, while less well-known than it deserves to be, is loved and enjoyed by performers and audiences alike for its deft craftsmanship and pleasing melodic grace.
