Pictures for String Quartet - I would like your thoughts and interpretation of each painting

I wrote Pictures for String Quartet today with the idea in my head that the listener is in a space occupied by different paintings.

This current work is called Gallery One. I will continue to write some more. Gallery Two, Three etc.

All feedback welcome. Whatever you say, I will consider it for the upcoming movements.

I really like the effects you achieved in the first violin part at m. 25! You seem pretty adept at playing with different textures in a string quartet setting.

My one question regards the harmonics in the first violin part - are these intended to be fingered harmonics? As an amateur violinist, these would be quite difficult to perform - beautiful non the less, but tricky!

This is lovely! The first movement gives me a quiet fantasy sort of a feel, which progresses towards (mov 2)  a more sombre place, almost giving the sense that something is wrong, or something wrong is coming. The third movement has more energy and feels whimsical at some parts, and overall has a duality of something wrong/something exciting, if that makes sense (a painting with many details and lightings, possibly describing lively activity - I really don't know much about visual art). The last is one I'm not sure of, it didn't feel very connected to the rest of the piece (possibly because this is much simpler in terms of everything as compared to the first three movements) and it didn't feel like an end to me, but perhaps it was like coming back to the first movement in a major, simpler tone.

Edit: Also, what software did you use for the audio? It sounds very good.

On 12/20/2023 at 12:29 AM, jwpianist said:

I really like the effects you achieved in the first violin part at m. 25! You seem pretty adept at playing with different textures in a string quartet setting.

My one question regards the harmonics in the first violin part - are these intended to be fingered harmonics? As an amateur violinist, these would be quite difficult to perform - beautiful non the less, but tricky!

 

Thank you very much. Yes the harmonics in the first violin part are4 intended to be fingered harmonics.

I am not really sure how harmonics works, although I have some idea.  What in particular would be difficult about the way I have written it? Is it impractical?

I'm happy you liked the music.

On 12/23/2023 at 5:10 AM, piajo said:

This is lovely! The first movement gives me a quiet fantasy sort of a feel, which progresses towards (mov 2)  a more sombre place, almost giving the sense that something is wrong, or something wrong is coming. The third movement has more energy and feels whimsical at some parts, and overall has a duality of something wrong/something exciting, if that makes sense (a painting with many details and lightings, possibly describing lively activity - I really don't know much about visual art). The last is one I'm not sure of, it didn't feel very connected to the rest of the piece (possibly because this is much simpler in terms of everything as compared to the first three movements) and it didn't feel like an end to me, but perhaps it was like coming back to the first movement in a major, simpler tone.

 

Edit: Also, what software did you use for the audio? It sounds very good.

 

Thank you very much for listening to all the movements. I agree with everything you have written. It is very interesting to read your thoughts on the music. You have a strong sense of imagination. 

Yes, the last movement is a little different from the rest whereby the music is less abstract and more overt.

For the audio, I used Musesounds.  Musescore is my trusted software for notation - and will forever be.

Hi @Symphonic!

Very unique harmonic and melodic approach in this quartet!  I love how the piece lulls you into a hypnotic trance.  I also love the modal exchanges.  The high violin ostinati are very interesting with the long lines underneath.  You say you used Musesounds for this - how did you achieve the portamento glissandi?  As far as I am aware portamento glissandi aren't possible in Musesounds at the moment.  Thanks for sharing this!

Peter

On 3/10/2024 at 7:26 AM, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

Hi @Symphonic!

Very unique harmonic and melodic approach in this quartet!  I love how the piece lulls you into a hypnotic trance.  I also love the modal exchanges.  The high violin ostinati are very interesting with the long lines underneath.  You say you used Musesounds for this - how did you achieve the portamento glissandi?  As far as I am aware portamento glissandi aren't possible in Musesounds at the moment.  Thanks for sharing this!

Peter

 

Hi @PeterthePapercomPoser 

Thank you for your kind words. It's a relief and a great compliment when I see someone use the 'unique' word. And a hypnotic trance is certainly the effect I was trying to achieve.

Yes, I used Musesounds. To achieve the portamento glisasandi, I went to the pallete, selected the guitar bending effect, and then applied it to the strings. 

Thank you for sharing. The I too really enjoyed the effects on the first part.

Very nice.

  Usually I don't care much for modern compositions, but this was very engaging.  A little Bartokian/Phillip Glass/soundtrackie...

  Of course,  Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" uses the same organizing  idea...