Version for String Quartet.Score available: KP00510The composer writes: 'In February 1987 I saw in the Tate Gallery in London a painting by the Victorian English painter John William Waterhouse. The painting kept haunting my memory and as I at the same time planned to write a piece for solo viola my ideas for the music and the memory of the painting fused more and more. I decided then to let my piece borrow the title of Waterhouse’s paint-ing: 'The Lady of Shalott'. The picture of a mad-like pale and perhaps singing woman alone in a boat without sculls which calmly slips out from the rush growth of the river is an illustration for the ending of Alfred Tennyson’s poemby the same title which again plaits into the old English legends about King Arthur. My piece tries to meander - like the river at Camelot - among these sources. As suggested above the piece was originally written for viola solo. The version for string quartet is from 1993.'

Kevin Volans' String Quartet No. 9: Shiva Dances was commissioned by BBC Radio 3 and first performed by the Smith Quartet at the 2004 Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.Kevin Volans (the composer) notes on the piece:In the past I have been interested in trying to go beyond historicism (1970s) beyond style(1980s) and beyond form (1990s) in my work. Looking back over the music of the twentiethcentury I was struck by the fact the nearlyall of it is extremely 'busy' almost cluttered. Italmost seemed that composers felt compelled to look industrious. In the new millennium Ithought it would be interesting to try and eliminate content. I also aspired to movingfrommusic (sound as art) to art (art as sound). This of course has already been done by a numberof composers (many from New York Phil Niblock and La Monte Young to name but two) butit was something I had never tried.AlthoughI found it annoying that the label 'minimalist' was given to my African-based work and fearing this would make the label stick I set out to write a piece which reflected my loveof minimal painting and architecture. The Japanesehave a term 'wabi' meaning 'voluntarypoverty' or 'emptiness' to describe their restrained minimal aesthetic an aesthetic which however pays greatest attention to the quality of material and fine detail. I like to think thatthelack of excessive pitch material in this piece reflects a kind of voluntary poverty.When Shiva is portrayed dancing (as Nataraj) He is depicted in a circle of flames crushing asmall figure the ego underfoot.You get theimpression He dances on the spot not movingaround at all. I like that.The piece is dedicated to Pablo Pascual Cilleruelo.

Favorite Carols arranged for Beginner String Quartets-Favourite carols and festive tunes have here been creatively arranged for the beginner quartet (Grade 1???2 ) by the ever-resourceful Mary Cohen. From the more solemn to the extremely boisterous these arrangements explore a wide range of musical styles as well as many interesting string effects (including simple harmonics col legno pizzicato and tremolo). Conscious of the limited rehearsal time available in the mad rush up to the annual carol service or Christmas concert Mary has also provided invaluable technique tips to help deal with problems which might otherwise disrupt the musical flow. There are plenty of opportunities for audience participation too for the more adventurous!

Contemporary adaptations of familiar American songs about travel the gold rush Underground Railroad and baseball serve as springboards for musical explorations--delighting in the sonorities the colors and the humor latent in the tunes. The movement

String quartet no. 3. Par ALAKOTILA TIMO. Timo Alakotila's La cantina (String quartet no. 3, 2013) was commissioned by a distinguished Finnish string quartet Kamus. The title of the quartet in four movements was inspired by the ongoing renovation in the composer's basement (ital. La cantina) after a water damage. The first movement leads from tentative dialogues to a powerful unison. The lyrical second movement (San Giovanni) is followed by a mysterious and wistful waltz. The finale (Fretta) rushes ahead all the way until the end. Composer, musician Timo Alakotila (b. 1959) is a distinguished, active and versatile talent in the Finnish music scene whose long career working with different genres of music - folk music in particular - has been ground-breaking. Alakotila's works showcase his versatility: he has produced highly acclaimed classical music compositions and arrangements for Pekka and Jaakko Kuusisto, the Meta4 quartet, the Kamus and Tempera quartets, Eeva Oksala, Dalia Stasevska and Jorma Hynninen, among others. / Date parution : 2023-01-24/ Répertoire / Quatuor à Cordes