Closer Than I Know

Written: 2018-19
Duration: ca. 25'
Commissioned by J.K. Billman
Premiere: Euclid Quartet, Mostly Modern Festival, Arthur Zankel Music Center, June 25, 2019
Publisher: Bill Holab Music: http://www.billholabmusic.com
For more info.: https://robertpaterson.com/string-quartet-no-2

PROGRAM NOTES
In some ways, String Quartet No. 2 is similar to my String Quartet No. 1: the five movements are stylistically diverse, I use a few snippets of pre-existing music, and the music, while idiomatic, is technically demanding. As with my first quartet, this work explores technical and aesthetic ideas I didn’t have a chance to explore in other works.

The first movement, Colored Fields, is inspired by abstract expressionist painters such as Mark Rothko, Kenneth Noland, and Barnett Newman, but also pointillist painters such as Georges Seurat and Paul Signac. There are textures that emerge and submerge using articulations that gradually shift from soft to loud, or short to long, and there are a few transitions that utilize a technique I call pitch phasing or phase modulation, as opposed to tempo phasing. In these transitions, two or more instruments gradually modulate (raise or lower) notes, motives, or phrases by gradual, very refined, microtonal, non-chromatic increments, settling on new pitch areas that directly reflect the previous areas, just modulated up or town. The movement ends softly with a virtual desaturation of the rhythmic material. I remove notes, one by one, until there’s nothing left.

The second movement, Rigor Mortis, is inspired by a comic strip by David Lynch that newspapers ran for many years. In this strip, Lynch sketched a stressed-out, pitch-black dog, looking very mean and almost buzzing with anger; it looked like it was about to explode. Every strip began with an accompanying paragraph that read, “The dog who is so angry he cannot move. He cannot eat. He cannot sleep. He can just barely growl. Bound so tightly with tension and anger, he approaches the state of rigor mortis.” This made me envision musicians playing with such ferocity and tension that the music seems to eventually cancel itself out, anger imploding in on itself.

The third movement, Dolente, is sad, lush, and mournful. The only request I had when writing this quartet was to incorporate a Norwegian fiddle tune or theme by Edvard Grieg, so I chose themes from Grieg’s String Quartet No. 1. The form of this movement mimics the form of a song by Edvard Grieg’s entitled Spillemaend (Minstrels, or Fiddlers). The poem that Grieg set in 1876 as the first of Six Ibsen Songs (Op. 25) is based on the Norwegian folktale of the fossegrim, a male water spirit who could teach the art of violin-playing, but often at the price of personal happiness. In some versions of the story, the poor violinist drowns in the end. Like the song, and echoing the second movement, this movement beginning with the protagonist’s longing, his desire for the beloved. Next, he encounters the fossegrim, who promises that becoming a master of music will allow the protagonist to become master of his beloved. In the final stanza, the protagonist becomes a master fiddler, but he is now a cursed, wandering musician deprived of earthly love, so he drowns himself.

The humorous fourth movement, Scherzando, capitalizes on effects that at times, often make the string players sound inebriated. I make use of copious glissandi and tempos that fluctuate between 3/4 and 6/8, giving a sense of unease.

The final movement, Collage, is similar to the first movement in that it is inspired by the visual arts, and specifically, collage painting and works by surrealists. Many themes from the first four movements are brought together in this odd-metered movement.

String Quartet No. 2 commissioned by J. K. Billman and is written for and dedicated to the Euclid Quartet.

The Indianapolis Quartet: Robert Paterson - String Quartets 1-3

String Quartet No. 2 - IV. Scherzando

First track preview from my 'debut ' album of collaborations coming soon featuring the voice  & lyric of Paul Campion formerly of cult scottish indie band 'ac acoustics' and co writer with Placebo on a number of songs including '20 years ' & 'Every you every me '. Additionally Ally Mcerlaine who requires no introduction . 
Written and performed by Campion , Mcerlaine & Paterson .
Recorded in Hampstead , London , Mixed in the Southside , Glasgow
Produced , arranged & mix by Kenny Paterson

'Heart Not A Lung' By Kenny Paterson with Paul Campion & Ally Z

1Month

I wanted to make a fun chinese music. I used 2 traditional instruments that I blended with bass and drums. The output is lively and hopely catchy. 🙂

Chinese Danse

Rock And Roll (remix)

A breakbeat Re-work of Ashema's track 'Urban Rampage'/

Mastered to -9 LUFS -2TBP

----------------------------------------------------

Ashema's 'Ldn 2 Trak' EP reworked.

Mastered to -9 LUFS and -3TBP

------------------------------------------------------------

AS ASHEMA

Spotify → open.spotify.com/artist/5yTCyimj6…P2QJ-U1NXAd4ENrA

Soundcloud → @ashemamusic

AS STONX MUSIC

Subscribe to our channel → youtube.stonx.co.uk
Merch → merch.stonx.co.uk
Spotify → spotify.stonx.co.uk
Official Website → stonx.co.uk
Subscribe to our mailing list! → news.stonx.co.uk
Soundcloud → @stonx_music
Instagram → instagram.com/stonx_music
Facebook → facebook.com/stonxmusic
Twitter → twitter.com/MusicStonx

Urban Rampage (Breakbeat Rework)

Extended version of Intertia Decays

Mastered to -9 LUFS -2TBP

----------------------------------------------------

Ashema's 'Ldn 2 Trak' EP reworked.

Mastered to -9 LUFS and -3TBP

------------------------------------------------------------

AS ASHEMA

Spotify → open.spotify.com/artist/5yTCyimj6…P2QJ-U1NXAd4ENrA

Soundcloud → @ashemamusic

AS STONX MUSIC

Subscribe to our channel → youtube.stonx.co.uk
Merch → merch.stonx.co.uk
Spotify → spotify.stonx.co.uk
Official Website → stonx.co.uk
Subscribe to our mailing list! → news.stonx.co.uk
Soundcloud → @stonx_music
Instagram → instagram.com/stonx_music
Facebook → facebook.com/stonxmusic
Twitter → twitter.com/MusicStonx

Ldn 2 Trak Rework

Intertia Decays (VIP)

Tiptop

this project is a story based on my past experiences with love

Out now on Spotify!

endlessly

Ambient but with tabla beats, the tune took on an other-wordly underwater quality which I ran with and added some jaques cousteau documentary samples to!

Now available as an NFT (only 100 created)
https://rarible.com/token/0xd07dc4262bcdbf85190c01c996b4c06a461d2430:360007

Tiptop

Mika

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