This work is concerned with the investigation of two qualities inherent in the medium of the string quartet: the sonorous potential of the instruments when they are played "as one" (the homophonic aspect), and the melodic possibilities of each individual instrument (the contrapuntal element). The structure could be likened to a journey across a tornado, each ring of the spiral generating greater and greater contrapuntal energy, interspersed with areas of relative homophonic calm, until the perfectly still centre of the storm is reached; only to be followed by further troughs and peaks as the opposite side of the spiral is crossed. At points of maximum energy each instrument seems to be entirely independent of the others, flying through the musical space with almost suicidal abandon. At other times, all four participants rest within a single repeated sonority. There are also moments of transition, when a more balanced relationship is attained between the instruments.
As a young assistant lecturer at the School of Music, University of Canterbury, around 1968, I was responsible amongst other duties for stage-managing the concerts of a series of resident string quartets. Part of this job entailed my being at their disposal in the green room prior to their entrance on stage.
These were European quartets, amongst them the Prague and later the Czech. To me they were exotic creatures, with a temperament and sound – both individually and as ensembles – which sent shivers up my spine. Whether it was Mozart or Bartok, the sheer intensity of their sound was my first close-quarters experience of real music-making.
Their warm-ups usually entailed each player facing a separate corner of the room while they executed difficult passages from the impending programme. To my ears their tone at these times achieved an incredibly frontal intensity, full of character and expression. These dark, full blooded European sonorities, along with a complete (although unintended) contrapuntal abandon, compelled me to write this quartet.
Unfortunately my overwhelming passion for their sound did not ever persuade one of these ensembles to perform the work, and apart from a trial reading by a later resident quartet (American this time), to date it has yet to be properly rehearsed and performed.
