String Quartet No. 2 (1992)

 

Premiere performance: Shanghai Quartet, Modlin Fine Arts Center, Richmond, VA, 1992

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Commissioned by Myra Daleng and University of Richmond Department of Theatre and Dance

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COMPOSER’S NOTE

String Quartet No. 2 was written as the second of three ballets commissioned by Myra Daleng and the University of Richmond (VA) Department of Theatre and Dance in the early 1990s. The ballet was premiered in 1992, the music performed live by the Shanghai Quartet (at that time, the Quartet-in-Residence at the university).

Revisiting this work in 2023 brought back vivid memories of how busy that period was for me, juggling several commissions at once. Having that much work required of me extraordinary energy and focus in my attempt to write music that was unique, and of acceptably high quality, for more than one work at the same time.

The 13-minute String Quartet No. 2 is cast in three movements. It is filled with motoric rhythms and broad melodies — two features important for dance interpretation.

Jonathan Romeo
January 2024