Bobby Ge - Panes of Grisaille, for string quartet (JACK Quartet) [Score Follow]
Completed September 11, 2023
Premiered November 29, 2023 by JACK Quartet in Taplin Auditorium, Princeton University
The grisaille technique has always interested me for the challenges posed to its practitioners: the technique limits painters to monochromatic palettes. Beginning as underpainting for stained glass, grisaille eventually flourished as an entire form of its own in the 16th century. Today, art historians depict it as a singularly rigorous exercise that forced artists to more carefully consider their brushstrokes and composition in the absence of color.
Many of my teachers spoke similarly about writing for string quartet: a practice that forced artists to write with economy and intention within a limited color palette. This piece, Panes of Grisaille, is a study in timbre, seeking to pull as much depth and energy from its homogeneous instrumentation as possible. The music leans heavily into sounds and tunings that are only possible on strings, ricocheting through as many techniques as possible while barreling forward with incessant momentum.
I owe much thanks to the astounding musicians of JACK Quartet, to whom this piece is dedicated. I only dared write something so frankly demanding knowing it would be in their hands.
Пікірлер: 11
Quite ingeniously written...I love the forward motion and the tonal shifts...quite inspiring.
This is so unbelievably mesmerizing 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Beautiful. In the beginning I was reminded of Gubaidulina's "Stimmen… Verstummen”, but by the end I was convinced it was the final, drawn-out tonic chord of a triumphal Romantic masterwork.
@bobbycge
3 ай бұрын
that's a really fun connection! i do love the way she treats major triads in that piece - super innovative, though i admit i wasn't particularly thinking of that piece as i wrote this one. glad the ending came off strong !
Your Music is so Crazy... I LOVE IT !!!!!
Thrilling!
based ge
@bobbycge
3 ай бұрын
no u
i studied composition at the late 90's and decided to get a career as a clarinet player later on as after my PhD I needed to support myself and couldn't quite make living off composing... so please read these as friendly comments and not trolling of some sort... I thought that a couple of pauses for more drama and breath won't harm...these full textures are only effective in relation to thinner ones... I also have a feeling upon lookin at your work that you compose directly into the notation software... no sketching by hand, am I wrong? I say that because when one writes by hand they immediately reflect on their work and don't compose endless streams rather "maniacally"... it's not bad just not a sighn for maturity... the difficult thing in composition is to make it light, not full...to emphasize the chamberness of those smaller ensembles...not to create bombastic textures... what do you think?
@bobbycge
3 күн бұрын
those are really good takes! thanks for the thoughts! i will say when i began this piece that i wanted to write something short, forward-moving, and intense - though because of that, it definitely comes off a bit maniacal hahaha. i admit that i'm generally very attracted to pulling as large a sound as possible out of chamber ensembles i write for, though i agree that transparency and lightness can be signs of patience and maturity (lol things i lack)! thanks again for your thoughts - i'm currently working on another string quartet, and i'm hoping to try something a bit different from this one!
@OdeToTruth
3 күн бұрын
@bobbycge I believe that among the advanced contemporary music lovers, those bigger sounds can only become significant due their context and what preceeded them, not due to their inherent glimmer or thrill... that is the true challenge of composing... to convince the audience that nothing is extra and all that there is could only be organized in a particular way, rather thoughtfully and not only craftfully...