Canon a 4 for String Quartet in F minor.

Probably the shortest canon I have ever written in terms of duration, as I found most suitable to dedicate it as a gift to my mother both on account of this year's Mother's Day and her own birthday falling by the end of the month.

Enjoy!

YouTube video link: 

Wow
It sounds very intense and spectacular, with 4 voices...
The truth is that it catches you in a non-stop progression. I think the shortness of it benefits it given its textural intensity.
The sound of the strings sounds like it's a podo “dejado” (I don't know how to explain it.... in Spanish “dejado”). Is it some effect.

Greetings, and congratulations to your mother....

On 5/18/2025 at 1:01 PM, Luis Hernández said:

[...] The sound of the strings sounds like it's a podo “dejado” (I don't know how to explain it.... in Spanish “dejado”). Is it some effect.

I'm not entirely sure what kind of connotations you're asigning to such a term, which I am familiar with, though with a meaning which isn't exactly very positive, so to speak. To me, "dejado" means something on the lines of "lazy", "careless", "unattentive", etc., so I don't quite understand whether that's what you actually meant here or I might be misinterpreting your words.

In any case, thank you for your kind words. My mother ended up quite liking this little composition, so I'm quite glad dedicating it to her as a gift actually payed off this well.

Me refiero a que suena como con pequeños portamentos, nada que ver con eso otro.

5 hours ago, Luis Hernández said:

Me refiero a que suena como con pequeños portamentos, nada que ver con eso otro.

Comprendo, perdón por el malentendido. Gracias por todo, Luis.

Hey @Fugax Contrapunctus!

Great idea!  I really like how the canon starts on the dominant, making the F minor tonality only a later emergent property of the harmony arising from the counterpoint.  I think the Musesounds strings are a bit difficult to deal with to get them to sound as intended.  I wonder why you changed the articulation to staccato as each new voice enters when it wasn't staccato in the Cello?  It would make the entry of each voice more obvious I think if they entered on a fully held quarter note.  The beginning and ending of the canon, I think are the best parts.  But the middle could really have used some space/rests in the line to imo to give the ear an occasional break from the barrage of constant melodic material that demands to be digested by the ears.  Thanks for sharing!