String Quartet #7
PROGRAM NOTES
String Quartet #7 (1968)
Phillip Magnuson
Sonata
Romance
Scherzo
Coda
This string quartet is intended to be a parody of standard repertoire, isolating characteristics and transferring them into a contemporary language.
SONATA
Rather than two "themes" there are two "elements":
- Wide-banded gamelan texture
- Clusters
These two elements are manipulated, combined, and ultimately transformed into one another.
ROMANCE
Rather than a lyrical melody, this romance uses "planes" of sounds, which are distorted by musical interruptions.
SCHERZO
Parody of a scherzo:
- Section 1: Delicate, wispy strands of sound (Mendelssohn parody)
- Section 2: Jocular, rhythmic dances (Haydn parody)
Quotations come from string quartets of Beethoven.
CODA
Parody of a finale:
- Serves as da capo to scherzo
- Recaps material from preceding movements
- Builds to a climax, but fades away rather than resolving
- Emphasizes the lack of a concluding movement
BMI Student Composer Award (1970)