Scored For String Quartet. Commissioned by the New Arts String Quartet first performed in Tokyo November 1996.Quoting Tanaka: The title Metal Strings suggests speed metal rock music which I have been listening to a lotin recent years. I find an explosive energy in its music that people of today thirst for. Previously I have explored solid speedy and metallic sound in pieces such as 'Wave Mechanics' (1994) 'Wave Mechanics II' (1994) and'Metalic Crystal' (1994-95). This idea has been extended and developed in my string quartet Metal Strings.Score only edition separate parts are also available on sale.

John Luther Adams' Canticles Of The Sky for String Quartet. Composer's Note: In the Arctic sky the low angle of the sun and heavy ice crystals in the air often produce vivid halos arcs andsundogs (parhelia). Sometimes these phenomena create the illusion of multiple suns. 'Sky With Four Suns' is a musical evocation of such an apparition from sunrise to sunset. Similar visions also occur at night which isthe image behind 'Sky With Four Moons.' 'Sky With Nameless Colors' and 'Sky With Endless Stars' evoke the extraordinary depth and clarity of Sonoran Desert skies. This music is drawn from Canticles of the Holy Wind– a concert-length work for four choirs and vocal soloists. In this version sixteen separate choral parts have been condensed into the string quartet. String designations should be carefully observed. Frequent stringcrossings are employed to create as lush and continuous textures as possible. All sounds should be legato. Bowing is free and full throughout. Total performance duration is about 18:00