String Quartet No. 6 "Dies Irae"

STRING QUARTET no. 6 “Dies Irae” (2020) is in three movements following the fast-slow-fast pattern.  All three movements are fantasia-like meditations on the medieval chant; primarily the opening phrase.

The first movement, Allegro furioso, develops various figures derived from the chant in a freely organic unfolding. The second movement is a tripartite form, with pitch materials derived from the chant as well as freely atonal figures. The third movement begins with several increasingly dissonant chorale-like statements of the opening phrase of the chant which leads to a rollicking Vivace in free form.