String Quartet no. 5

Date:

September 27, 2024

Location:

Malling Abbey, West Malling, Kent

for soprano and string quartet

New work setting new version of 6 existing madrigals – five sonnets by Petrarch and one by Laura Battiferri

Performers:

Else Torp, soprano

The Smith Quartet: Ian Humphries, first violin; Rick Koster, second violin; Charles Mutter, viola; Sophie Harris, cello

I have worked with the Smith Quartet for many years and my Fourth String Quartet was written for them and premiered by the quartet in Pisa in January 2020, just before lockdown. The end of lockdown saw a change to the long-standing personnel with only first and second violins remaining. However, my initial sadness was alleviated by the re-formed quartet including my dear friend, cellist Sophie Harris who played in my ensemble for many years and for whom I have written solo works.

I have worked on a number of occasions with soprano Else Torp: Paul Hillier’s Theatre of Voices (The Stones of the Arch, 2006), Ars Nova (Psalm 141, 2012), Nordic Voices (Fourth Book of Madrigals no. 3: Chi รจ fermato di menar sua vita, 2016). It is a pleasure to work with her as a soloist

The title takes its ‘permission’ from the once controversial second string quartet by Arnold Schoenberg which introduces a soprano voice into the previously sacrosanct quartet – by definition 2 violins, viola, cello. My ensemble, which has at its heart a group of strings but which, being 2 violas, cello and double bass, I would never call a ‘string quartet- – a ‘quartet of strings’ yes, but not a string quartet. But I was moved to this heterodox title after spending some time with Schoenberg’s daughter Nura (and widow of Luigi Nono) when recording with myself son Yuri at Cosmo, on the Giudecca, Venice, next door to her foundation in February 2024…

Gavin Bryars