Commissioned by the Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts Limited with funds provided by the Arts Council of Wales for premiere in August 2012 by the Carducci String Quartet in St. Andrew?s Church Presteigne.Composer's Note.'Some years ago I noted down the opening theme of what I anticipated would be a relatively Classical string quartet ?Classical? in the sense of the forms adopted plus perhaps a predominantly lyrical tone of voice. The commission for this work from the Presteigne Festival for their 30th anniversary in 2012 gave me the opportunity of putting into practice this long-held idea. It isdedicated to the Festival and to the Carducci Quartet whose career as much-admired friends and colleagues I have greatly enjoyed.The only break with ?classical? tradition is that there are five movements instead of four with two Scherzi as the second and third though both these are very short and contrasting. I found myself listening to Haydn?s string quartets a lot before and during the composition of this work and I hope the spirit of his delight in writing for this medium is echoed in my own music. The opening movement is in sonata form unusually for me and lyricism is I hope the basis of it though there is a good deal of activity at times. The Scherzo light and marked by frequently-changing rhythms is followed by an equally short but ferocious Perpetuum mobile marked Wild und rasch (one of my favourite German tempo markings). The fourth movement is an intense Adagio in which a single phrase uttered strongly in unison is gradually transformed into gentle diatonic chords before the close intermingled with cadenzas for cello for viola and for the two violins together. The finale (a Rondo) resumes the classical tone of the first movement but apart from one dance-like episode it builds up a fair head of steam towards a final Presto which however ascends slows and quietens towards a gentle summer sky at dusk.'

Thomas Simaku's String Quartet No.5 (2015). Score. Dedicated to Terry Holmes. Commissioned by the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. World Premiere: Quatuor Diotima 28 November 2015.

For string quartet. Published 1989. Commissioned by Almeida International Music Festival London. First performance: London (Almeida Festival) 1989 Arditti String Quartet.

For String Quartet.Published in 2002.Commissioned by the Vale of Glamorgan Festival.First performed by Chamber Domaine Museum of Welsh Life Cardiff as part of the Vale of Glamorgan Festival September2002.Score.

For piano and string quartet. Commissioned by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the Virginia International Arts Festival. Premiered by Andre Michel Schub and the Miami String Quartet in 2001 at the Virginia International Arts Festival. West Coast premiere Chamber Music Northwest 2002. New York premiere at Lincoln Center April 2003.

Commissioned by Kronos Quartet for the Celebrate Brooklyn Festival. Premiere 12th March 2009 at the MusicNOW Festival and 18th July 2009 in Prospect Park Brooklyn.Bryce Dessner is a composer/guitarist/curator based in NewYork City. He has received widespread acclaim as a composer and guitarist for the improvising new music quartet Clogs. Bryce has performed and/or recorded with some of the world’s most creative musicians including songwritersSufjan Stevens Bon Iver and Antony Hegarty Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo composers Steve Reich Philip Glass Nico Muhly and Michael Gordon the contemporary ensembles Kronos Quartet the Bang on a Can All-Stars andvisual artist Matthew Ritchie.