Divertimento for String Quartet

Some of these movements have been posted before but due to problems with broken links and revisions to a few of the movements, I am reposting the whole 4 movement work. This was the Fall 2009 semester project for our comp class - write a 4 mvmt string quartet. One of the best music classes I ever had taken!

I have decided to rename it a divertimento because it lacks the multimovement cohesion of a good string quartet. I'd prefer starting anew to achieve this goal at another time. What I think I have is a good divertimento - each movement with its own strengths and weaknesses. As always commentary welcomed.

Warning though - quite a bit of music -for a YC post between 15-20 minutes in total.

Divertimento for String Quartet

Note the order I suggest you listen is First movement/Adagietto/Capriccio/Finale

I'm not going to look at all right now, but I just listened to the Cappricio and I really enjoyed it. Who doesn't love portamento? This is the type of thing to submit in a grad school application because it's adventurous and shows that you know more advanced string techniques. My only question is why do you use ties between regular and tremolo notes in mm. 24-26, and why did you choose to divide and tie some notes together rather than create one duration (for example, on the 4th and 5th beats of 25 in the second violin, why are the notes split into one quarter and one half note instead of one dotted half note considering that the rest in the voice above is a dotted half - maybe this is tied to my first question)?

Thanks Black Orpheus. Much appreciate.

Notes tied to the tremelo is done so that the player does NOT lift the bow - rather keeps it on the string and applies the tremeli when I indicate. Will double check the subdivision - it was done to indicate what beats to apply sffz - therefore the reason for two quarters versus a whalf note. For example - quarter no tremelo, the p tremelo starting on beat two, sffz on beat three tied to say a half note where the tremelo is played dim to pp and then tied to another quarter non tremelo. I imagine there may be another notation but I prefer this one as when it was read as I indicated it sounded better than I thought it would.

Wow...I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially the capriccio. I know nothing about string technique, but from what I can see you appear to be very well versed. I really like the odd combinations of rhythms you string together. It's very effective, and I think this piece collection is great!

thanks whateverfin. do promiose to get to your piece before end of weekend

I really like this, Chris. I strongly feel you should reconsider reversing the name change back to the string quartet. This is a marvelous work - and I can see and hear the cohesion between movements nicely. I think some of your reservations may be on this rendering you have here. I'll pour over the score in more detail when I get home from my errands this afternoon. Thanks for sharing this!

Ah Tidemand then why the hell did you even put up such a useless post?

This work seems a lot more cohesive than the Wind Trio -- there's a lot of adventurous language, but it seems to have a goal in mind more so than the wind trio. It's like an acid-tripped out, Fantasia kind of thing

(I especially like the con fuoco part in the First Movement, and I enjoyed the Capricio -- the slides are a very nice effect)

I couldn't listen to it all at once (only the first movement and Capricio), but I liked what I heard -- it's different, but not overbearingly so. Thanks for sharing

Thanks serge, though I think the wind trio is very cohesive but in a totally different way. The trio has these cellular motives recurring against new ones or developing ones. The string quartet had parameters of varying specificity and aside from the Cappriccio and Movement using A Mighty Fortress Is our God as the source material the movements are not strongly related to each other (well except the Cappricio and Movement).

Now the harmonic language I would say for the Adagietto, Cappriccio and Movement is a bit conservative harmonically (and the latter part of the first movement) compared to the Wind trio.

But anyway chacun son gout and i am happy you enjoyed it, I think you'd like the "Movement".

Due to the recent bump I am looking at this now. Is it me or is the score for the adagietto missing, and the score for the Capriccio uploaded twice?

I like the capriccio chorale quote. The 2nd vln and violas add to the choralish feel by means of the double stops. nice

I found it difficult to get an overall sense of cohesion though...

Could be missing or double uploads ... I recall having some problem getting them all up. So sorry for the double posting of the Cappriccio. Yeah the Capriccio is supposed to be a bit schizoid...

Thanks for listening.