String Quartet #4

by

Alan Belkin © Alan Belkin, 1996, minor revisions 2006, 2007.

My fourth string quartet was composed in 1996. It is in 4 movements, and lasts about 25 minutes. Like all my instrumental music, it refers to classical forms, which however take unexpected turns. Salient moments recur, but with unexpected new continuations. The work begins with a quiet, sustained introduction, over cello pizzicato. Shortly, a vigorous derivation of this idea arrives, and is developed in discussion among the members of the ensemble. A second, more singing theme, follows in the violin, and reaches a climax, leading to a short, intimate duet between cello and viola. This brings back the introductory material, three times: first accelerando, then rallentando, and finally, as it was at the start. A much abbreviated recapitulation follows, with the second theme now preceding the first one. Finally, a nervous coda ends the movement with a final climax. The second movement is a brutal scherzo. A very short interruption suggests another world, but is cut off by glissando chords, in the original, rude character. Another interlude shortly follows: a vision of another world, ethereal and quiet. When the scherzo theme returns, it starts subdued and ghostly, but then regains its energy. The two interruptions each return, much abbreviated, before a final, rough conclusion. The Adagio begins like the first movement, but now remains meditative and sad. After a short declamatory interruption, the viola and cello begin a limping motive, which gradually leads to a climax. The atmosphere of the beginning returns, and after some varied recapitulation, the movement ends with the descending pizzicato motive which started both the first and third movements. The final movement is light and good-natured. The first section, in rushing triplets, leads to a calmer, imitative episode. The main idea returns, and after a while is followed by a second lyrical episode. The work concludes with a final return of the main material, leading to a climax, and a rushing coda. © Alan Belkin, 2006.

Andante e=80

copyright Alan Belkin, 1996, minor revisions 2006, 2007

by Alan Belkin

String Quartet #4

I

pp

pp

pp

pizz.

pp

8

Allegro e=140

f

mf

f

mf

f

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arco

f

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15 rit. a tempo

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f

f

f

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f

21

p

p

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p

mf

p

p

mf

p

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26

rit.

f

p

f

p

f

p

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f

f

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q=8432

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f

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2

39

p

p

p

pizz.p

47

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pp p

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p

pp

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p

pp

p

55

cresc.

cresc.

cresc.

cresc.

3

61

q=55

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f

ff

f

p

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f

ff

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p

arcof

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p

67

p

p

72

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p

p

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p

p

4

molto accel.77 q.=70

a tempo q=75

,

q.=70

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f

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f

p

f

p

f

pp

rit.85 e=100

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p

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p

pizz.

pp

93

p

p

p

p

5

101

Allegro e=140

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f

f

arco

f

108

poco rit.

e=170

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pp

pp

f

pp

113

6

118

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p

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123

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p

f

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p

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f

f

128

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7

133

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137

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f

p

f

f

p

f

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f

f

p

f

p

f

f

p

f

p

f

poco allarg.

141

a tempo

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dim.

p

ff

dim.

p

ff

dim.

p

ff

8

146 poco rit.

q=100

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pp

ff

p

ff

pp

ff

arco

ff

Presto q=200

II

7

ff

3 3

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3 3

ff

ff

9

poco rit.

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3 3

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3

3

ff

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3

3

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3

3

9

17

Tempo 1

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ff

p

ff

p

ff

3 3

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ff

3 3

25

3 3

3

3

33

3 3

3 3

10

40

gliss.

3 3

48

q=160

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ff

pizz.

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3

3

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ff

pizz.

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arco

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3 3

ff

3 3

gliss.

gliss.

ff

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3 3

57

Tempo 1 q=200

arcof

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f

f

11

65

3 3 3 3

3 3

3

3 3

3

3 3

71

Meno mosso e=130

pizz.

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arco

p

3

3

3

3

pizz.

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arco

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3 3 3 3

pizz.

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arco

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pizz.

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3 3 3 3

80

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p pp

arco

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p

12

87

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p

pp

pp

pizz.

p

arco

94 rit.

q=185

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con sord. senza vibrato

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p

pizz.

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p

103

con vibrato

3 3 3

3

con sord.

ppp

3 3

arco

con sord.

ppp

pizz.con sord.

ppp

13

110

rit.

Presto q=200

con vibrato

senza sord.

ff

senza vibrato con vibrato senza sord.

ff

senza sord.ff

3

3

arco senza sord.ff

3

3

119

3 3

3 3

127

3 3

3

3

14

135

3 3

3 3

gliss.

3 3

143

Poco Meno Mosso

p

p

pizz.

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gliss.

arcop

152 rit.

molto rit.

Meno mosso

rit.

Tempo 1

p

pizz.

pizz.

p

arco

p

pp

pizz.

p

p

15

162

Poco Meno Mosso

arco

f

ff

f

ff

f

ff

arco

f

ff

Adagio e=80

III

pp

p

p

pizz.

p

8

p

16

15

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arco

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21

rit.

a tempo

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f

pizz.

p arco

p

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f

p

pp

f

p

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f

p

27

17

32

f

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a tempo

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f

pp

pizz.

p

f

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39

p

pp

p

45

pp

pp

arco

p

pp

p

pp

18

52

f

f

f

p

f

60

f

p

f

pizz.

p arco

f

f

68

f

p

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cresc.

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f

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cresc.

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cresc.

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f

p

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cresc.

19

74

78

f

f

f

f

84 rit.

p

pizz.p

pp

pp

pp

20

Allegro q=80

IV

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p

p

3 3 3 3

33 3 3 3 3

p

3 3

p pizz.

pizz. p

10

pp

p

3 3

3

3 3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3 3

(pizz.)

p

arco

pp

p

20

poco rit.

a tempo

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p 3

3 3

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pizz.

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p

pp arco

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pizz.

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21

27

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p

3 3

3 33

3 3

p

arco

pp

pp

36

p 3 3

33 3

3

3 3

pizz.

p arco

3 3 3 3 3

p 3

33 3 3 3

3

3 33

arco

p

pizz.

p 3 3

3

33

43

p

p

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3

3 33

33

3

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3

3

3

3

p

pizz.

arco

p

mf

p

mf

p

3

3 3

3

3 3

3

3 3

22

50

rit.

Meno mosso q =75

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p

p

33

3 3

p

3 3

3

arco

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p

pizz.

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3 3

61

p

p

p

arco

p

73poco rit. a tempo

p

cresc.

p

cresc.

3

mf

3

cresc.

23

accel.84

Tempo 1

p

subito

p

3

3 3 3 3 3

subitop

f

pizz.

3 3

p

subito

f

3

33 3

pizz.

p subito

arco

f

pizz.

3

33

92

Poco Meno Mosso

a tempo

p

p

3 3

33 3 3 3 3

3 3 3

3 3

arco

p

pizz.

p

3 3 3

3 33

p

p

p

3 3 3 3

p

pp

p

98

pp 3

3 3 3 3 3

arco

p

3 3 3 3 3

3 3

pp

p

24

107

p

subito

p

33 3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3

subitop

p

p

p

3 3 33

p subito

p

pizz. arco

p

3 3 3

p

arco

114

p

p

mf

3 3 3

3

3

3 3 3 3

pizz.

p

arco

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3 3 3

3 3

3

3 3

pizz.

mf

3

3 3

3

3

3

3

p

pizz.

p mf

3

3 3 33 3

120

p

p

mf

p

p

mf

3

3 3

p

arco

mf

3

p

arco

mf

25

131 rit. a tempo

p

p

3 3 3 3

f

p

mf

p

f

pp

3 3 3

f

p

mf

p

142

Più mosso q=95

pp

p

3

p

150

p

p

26

158

pp

p

pp

p

pp

p

pizz.

p

arco

pp

p

168

mf

dim.

mf

mf

mf

dim.

p

176

rit.

Tempo 1 e=160

p

p

3

p

senza vibrato

p

p

norm.

p

pizz.

p

27

184

p

3 3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3

p

3 3 3 3 3 3

p

33 3 3

3 3

p

191

p

p

cresc. poco a poco

33 3

3 3 33 3

p

p

p

3 3 3

p

p

199

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

cresc. poco a poco

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

3 3 3

cresc. poco a poco

3

3 3

3 33

cresc. poco a poco

arco

28

206

mf

f

3 3 3

f

p

3

3

3

3

33 3

p

3 3

3

3 3

3 3

3

f

3

3

213

p cresc. poco a poco

3

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

3 3 3

cresc. poco a poco

cresc. poco a poco

3

3 3

p

cresc. poco a poco

219

ff

3 3

3 33 3 3 3 3 3

ff

3 3 3

33

ff

33

ff

3

29

226 rit.

e=140

dim.

f

p

pppppp

pp

3

dim.

f

p

ppp

pizz.

pp

dim.

f

p

f

pizz.

p

pp

pp

arco

pp 3

234

Tempo 1 e=160

arco

p cresc.

3 3 3 3 3 3

pp

p cresc.

3

3

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

pizz.

pp

p

240

p cresc.

ff

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

ff

3 3

33

3

3 3 3

3

3

3

3

3

3 3

ff

3 3 3 3

3 3 3 3

3

3

3

3

3

3 3

f

arco

duration: about 23 minutes)

ff

30