String Quartet No. 2 (Glass)
Encyclopedia
String Quartet No. 2, also known by its other title Company, is a string quartet
by American composer Philip Glass
. This composition was finished in January 1983 in New York City
, and was expected to be a piece of instrumental music for Fred Neumann's adaptation of Samuel Beckett
's novella with the same name.
quartet, to which he married JoAnne Akalaitis
, one of its members. Glass himself decided to extract his music he had written for Samuel Beckett's Company, and wrote a score thought to be a concert work on its own.
The main theme of this work is subjugated to arpeggios in minor keys all along the four movements. All of the movements of this monochrome work are highly and closely related to each other Besides, this composition is written for string quartet, but is most commonly performed by string orchestra
s.
String quartet
A string quartet is a musical ensemble of four string players – usually two violin players, a violist and a cellist – or a piece written to be performed by such a group...
by American composer Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
. This composition was finished in January 1983 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and was expected to be a piece of instrumental music for Fred Neumann's adaptation of Samuel Beckett
Samuel Beckett
Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet. He wrote both in English and French. His work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human nature, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour.Beckett is widely regarded as among the most...
's novella with the same name.
Composition
After withdrawing his first sketch of a string quartet in 1963, Philip Glass composed his String Quartet No. 2 seventeen years after his first quartet, even though it was not initially conceived as chamber music, but for theater. This work was composed as a result of Glass' colaboration with the Mabou MinesMabou Mines
Mabou Mines is an avant-garde theatre company founded in 1970 and based in New York City.-History:Mabou Mines is a collaborative, avant-garde theater company based in New York City...
quartet, to which he married JoAnne Akalaitis
JoAnne Akalaitis
JoAnne Akalaitis is an American theatre director and a writer and the winner of five Obie Awards for direction and founder of the critically acclaimed Mabou Mines in New York, from which she resigned after twenty years in June 1990.Akalaitis was pre-med and studied philosophy in college...
, one of its members. Glass himself decided to extract his music he had written for Samuel Beckett's Company, and wrote a score thought to be a concert work on its own.
Structure
This composition consists of four movements and lasts approximately nine minutes to perform. The movements are listed as follows:- I. ♩ = 96
- II. ♩ = 160
- III. ♩ = 96
- IV. ♩ = 160
The main theme of this work is subjugated to arpeggios in minor keys all along the four movements. All of the movements of this monochrome work are highly and closely related to each other Besides, this composition is written for string quartet, but is most commonly performed by string orchestra
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
s.
Notable recordings
Notable recordings of this composition include:| Orchestra | Conductor | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ulster Orchestra Ulster Orchestra The Ulster Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Belfast, the only full-time professional orchestra in Northern Ireland. The orchestra plays the majority of its concerts in Belfast's Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall... |
Takuo Yuasa Takuo Yuasa is a Japanese conductor. Yuasa has directed major orchestras in Japan and the UK, and recording on more than 50 CDs as an exclusive artist for Naxos Records.-Biography:Takuo Yuasa was born in Osaka, Japan, where he studied piano, cello, flute, and clarinet... |
Naxos Naxos Records Naxos Records is a record label specializing in classical music. Through a number of imprints, Naxos also releases genres including Chinese music, jazz, world music, and early rock & roll. The company was founded in 1987 by Klaus Heymann, a German-born resident of Hong Kong.Naxos is the largest... |
1999 | CD |