The first complete performance of Kristoffer To's String Quartet No.1 Translucent Or Opaque was given by the Kreutzer Quartet in York, UK on 2 June 2012. It received its World Première on 28 September 2013 in Kiev, Ukraine as part of the Orient/Occident 2013 and the Festival of Contemporary Music KievMusicFest2013. The Hong Kong Première was given by Alfred Ng, Ryan Ho, Matthew Li and Kevin Lam at the Sheung Wan Civic Centre, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong, China at the Classics To Moderns Concert on 25 August 2016.
Composed in the first half of 2012 for the Kreutzer Quartet, this piece consists of five movements: each the mirror image of the opposite, and hence a central 3rd movement. At first sight, there seem to be a lot of notes on the page but I have been restrict in my palette of materials and processes deliberately. All of the material in the piece comes directly from a four-note-chord.
The opening movement closely follows the mirror-image structure. Although it begins with the traditional texture of tune and accompaniment, the intense quality of sound capture the mood instantly. After a pause, it runs into a quick-moving passage which reminds of Ligeti's 2nd quartet. Fourth comes the 'central' idea of the movement. This scherzo-like 2nd movement is vibrant. Based on hexachords, of which it shares same notes with the main material, the movement lasts for half a minute. The 3rd movement is marked Andante, the viola 'solo' is central to the work as a whole. Here, the use of two contrasting voices on viola represents somewhat of the dichotomy 'good and evil' in religion, ethics and philosophy. With cold harmonies provided softly by the other three instruments, the viola's message speaks directly to the audience. Another movement of quick-moving musical machinery. It features a folk-like melody played by 1st violin (with echos from the 2nd violin). The finale Allegro uses all material from the previous movements.
Translucent Or Opaque is dedicated to the Kreutzer Quartet.
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Composed in the first half of 2012 for the Kreutzer Quartet, this piece consists of five movements: each the mirror image of the opposite, and hence a central 3rd movement. At first sight, there seem to be a lot of notes on the page but I have been restrict in my palette of materials and processes deliberately. All of the material in the piece comes directly from a four-note-chord.
The opening movement closely follows the mirror-image structure. Although it begins with the traditional texture of tune and accompaniment, the intense quality of sound capture the mood instantly. After a pause, it runs into a quick-moving passage which reminds of Ligeti's 2nd quartet. Fourth comes the 'central' idea of the movement. This scherzo-like 2nd movement is vibrant. Based on hexachords, of which it shares same notes with the main material, the movement lasts for half a minute. The 3rd movement is marked Andante, the viola 'solo' is central to the work as a whole. Here, the use of two contrasting voices on viola represents somewhat of the dichotomy 'good and evil' in religion, ethics and philosophy. With cold harmonies provided softly by the other three instruments, the viola's message speaks directly to the audience. Another movement of quick-moving musical machinery. It features a folk-like melody played by 1st violin (with echos from the 2nd violin). The finale Allegro uses all material from the previous movements.
Translucent Or Opaque is dedicated to the Kreutzer Quartet.
back
