# String Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 2



## Lukas K

Hey guys!

I would like to share with you my first string quartet I finished in february 2013.

It was premiered by one of the best string quartets in Slovakia Mucha Quartet in december 2013 at the Bratislava Conservatory.






Hope you enjoy it! 

Lukas


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## Lukas K

Sorry for bumping the thread after 2 years, but some feedback would be very appreciated 

Thanks!


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## Pugg

Lukas K said:


> Sorry for bumping the thread after 2 years, but some feedback would be very appreciated
> 
> Thanks!


Who's your favourite composer? Dvorak?


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## Lukas K

Pugg said:


> Who's your favourite composer? Dvorak?


It's not so easy to label a composer to be the favourite one. As I said on the other thread, one of my earliest influences was Shostakovich. Especially at the time of writing this piece (2011-2013). I got also inspired by Bartok, Ravel and Adams.

Later I've become a fan of Aaron Copland, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Arvo Part or Henryk Gorecki, but it all depends on particular pieces. I can't say it in general.


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## Pugg

Lukas K said:


> It's not so easy to label a composer to be the favourite one. As I said on the other thread, one of my earliest influences was Shostakovich. Especially at the time of writing this piece (2011-2013). I got also inspired by Bartok, Ravel and Adams.
> 
> Later I've become a fan of Aaron Copland, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Arvo Part or Henryk Gorecki, but it all depends on particular pieces. I can't say it in general.


It was not to criticise , just wondering, as I said before, keep up the good work.


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## Lukas K

Pugg said:


> It was not to criticise , just wondering, as I said before, keep up the good work.


I didn't take it as a criticism  Thanks!


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## EdwardBast

There is a lot of good music in this quarter, Lucas. The fugue movement reminds me of Shostakovich, though as much of his passacaglias as his fugues — Nice strettos at the end! I will listen to it again later because I hesitate to venture any general opinion on one hearing. The scherzo (with guest) works very well but it seems odd to have percussion in one movement. And what was he playing anyway? (I had a passing thought: Why not give the guy some crotales and wind chimes or something to play pianissimo during the finale  )

I'd be curious to hear what you think about the quartet after the intervening years. Is there anything you would do differently now? Did it worry you having the longest and least active movement for a finale? (Mr. Mucha and the first violinist conducting was interesting to watch.)

I guess if I had one general impression it is that the overall effect might be a bit diffuse — but it is possible I am missing some connections between the ideas of the different movements. The first movement had a great contrast between the opening theme and a secondary one and it was surprising to me that this contrast and the themes weren't developed more. Let me know if there is anything special I should listen for.


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## Lukas K

Thanks a lot Edward for listening the piece and sharing your insights!

Your idea about using percussion during the finale is truly valid. The same thing told me one of my professors after the premiere. I've never revisit any of my pieces after the years, but this might be worth the effort 

Honestly, I wouldn't change a note in this quartet. It doesn't mean it's perfect, but I respect my decisions I made while composing each bar. Regarding the last movement, I remember talking to my professor about it, when I was about to work on it. I had a feeling I didn't have much left to say for another movement. He then told me about a reversed golden section approach and I really liked the idea. Interesting thing is that almost whole movement was created as a one-take recorded improvisation, without carrying about what time signature it's in etc. I just let my imagination do it's thing  (Yes, the conducting part was quite unusual but necessary. The finale is more complicated than it might seem.)

Regarding the connections between the ideas, the piece, in fact, uses a single idée fixe. You can hear it for the first time in 0:35 (first violin) and it's present in each movement. The fugue in the second movement uses it as a subject, however, it starts at various other pitches of a C minor scale first. You can hear the same idea during the contrasting middle section of the scherzo (8:43) and later it's combined with the scherzo theme in 10:29 (viola), in 10:36 (first violin) etc.

The finale presents the idée fixe differently - as single individual notes, spread in various octaves and in a various order. It starts with the first notes of it (C, Eb, D, Bb) and later uses the rest of the notes, which creates some harmonic contrast between those slow harmonics/sul tasto sections of the movement. In the last tremolo section the very same notes (C, Eb, D, Bb) are used between all the instruments, even though they are covered in that tremolo mess. So the finale is rather decomposed as composed into basic elements or "atoms" of the whole piece 

There are some other thematic connections in the piece as well. For example the contrasting theme of the first movement (1:40) also appears in (2:30, 2:56, 8:10, 8:58, 10:02, 10:47) in various modifications.

Enough blabbing, hope you'll find it useful 

Thanks again!


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## EdwardBast

Thanks Lukas! I'll listen again with those connections in mind.


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## Samuel Kristopher

This is just fantastic. It will be on my "to listen again" playlist for sure


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## EdwardBast

Lukas K said:


> Enough blabbing, hope you'll find it useful
> 
> Thanks again!


I did! I was just missing some of the connections on the first hearing. It holds together really well. I liked it even better this time. Not sure about the finale … still having trouble with reverse golden sections I guess.

By the way, I've listened to and enjoyed Op. 4 as well.


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## Pugg

It grows on me to, fascinating stuff .


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## hreichgott

Beautiful. I like the range of styles here. I might like the trio fugue better just because it's so creative, but not every piece has to be written for the same reasons.
I can see why you are becoming a success as a film/tv composer  (did some research)

Is the score for those piano preludes available anywhere?


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## Lukas K

Samuel Kristopher said:


> This is just fantastic. It will be on my "to listen again" playlist for sure


Thanks Samuel! Their performance truly deserves another listen 

All the best!



EdwardBast said:


> I did! I was just missing some of the connections on the first hearing. It holds together really well. I liked it even better this time. Not sure about the finale … still having trouble with reverse golden sections I guess.
> 
> By the way, I've listened to and enjoyed Op. 4 as well.


I appreciate it Edward, that you took time to listen to it again!

Rondo Eversum, Op. 4 is an interesting approach too. As the title reveals, the "standard" rondo principal is reversed here - the rondo theme is much shorter (even though quite expressive) than the surrounding episodes. I guess I just like these slowly evolving moments more 



Pugg said:


> It grows on me to, fascinating stuff .


Thanks Pugg! Sometimes I don't know when you're serious. I like that!



hreichgott said:


> Beautiful. I like the range of styles here. I might like the trio fugue better just because it's so creative, but not every piece has to be written for the same reasons.
> I can see why you are becoming a success as a film/tv composer (did some research)


Thanks Heather! It's hard to compare a 16 minute piece to a 2 minute one - they both says something very different. However, good job Mrs. Fugue to beat this piece, that took me about 2 years of writing 

Haha, so the only visitor of my website were you! 



hreichgott said:


> Is the score for those piano preludes available anywhere?


You mean the Four Preludes for Piano, Op. 1? If so, I'll start a new thread today for that piece with the link to the score as well. Would be nice if you decided to play them some day


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## Pugg

> Thanks Pugg! Sometimes I don't know when you're serious. I like that!


 _If_ I should have heavy critics I let you know on P.B., so no worry.


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## Guest

I like the piece very much,many thanks for sharing it.:tiphat:


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## Guest

Thanks Pugg! Sometimes I don't know when you're serious. I like that! 


Pugg said:


> _If_ I should have heavy critics I let you know on P.B., so no worry.


Its called "double Dutch" dont worry.


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## Lukas K

Traverso said:


> I like the piece very much,many thanks for sharing it.:tiphat:


Even more thanks for listening it


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## hreichgott

Lukas K said:


> You mean the Four Preludes for Piano, Op. 1? If so, I'll start a new thread today for that piece with the link to the score as well. Would be nice if you decided to play them some day


excellent! thanks


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