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Hmmm. I've only just finished writing my first composition for String Quartet, so I'm not hugely qualified to review this, but having listened to this the whole way through I think it's fair that I make some comments.
Like Nicola, I'm not quite sure what to say about this. It's certainly not unpleasant, and I enjoyed it. Unlike Nicola however, I'm not convinced by the harmonic movement at all. In fact, I think that was by far its weakest aspect - the slow, interweaving melodies are crying out for harmonic pivots and suspensions. I kept hoping that the bassline would break its fetters and move into a new key. . . but it didn't. The lovely chromatic moment you expose in the first few systems was never exploited, despite being by far the most memorable moment in the piece, and the wonderful scalic passages were frequently weakened by having conjunct bass movement.
I think perhaps I've been listening to too much Corelli. Certainly, reading this, I think I've been too harsh. It would be a beautiful second movement, or Adagio, but I think it needs a little more contrast. Yes. I think that's it - it's beautiful, relaxing and transcendent, but too monochrome. Then again, I have a poor attention span.
The title was utterly appropriate, and I wish you all the best with the competition.
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