The rising arpeggio that opens my Thirty-Second Quartet had come about somewhat by accident, the theme being derived from the melody of the minuet, which was itself a transcription of a much earlier stand-alone minuet for three double basses. When, at the beginning of September 1993, I embarked upon a more-or-less new quartet (schemes and sketches for the inner movements had an earlier origin, but without any very specific plan), I set myself to discover where a similar device might take me in the key of B minor. (About a fortnight later I found myself doing the same with F major, the ultimate result of which was the Quartet No. 31).

I began sketching it on the first of the month, and got down to serious business three days later upon hearing a BBC radio tribute to the seventy-year-old Donald Swann (who I was very sorry to learn in the course of the programme was seriously ill). My plan was that Mr Swann should have a gift of the B minor quartet (I wondered very briefly, upon the conception of the F major, whether he should have that one instead, but decided to stick with the plan). I worked on my new quartet over the following six months, most intensively in January and February, after which it dried up along with all my other musical projects when I became a full-time home-parent.

Besides the consequent shortage of time and energy, there was also in the case of the B minor quartet a certain loss of heart. A week or two ahead of an imminent posting abroad, I realised that I was not going to finish the work the right side of departure, so I took a trip to Battersea (complete with new baby daughter) to seek out Mr Swann at his own home in the hope of showing him the opening movement, which was almost complete. I was met at the door by an anxious but kindly woman (possibly his wife or daughter), who had a brief look herself at the music, and said that she would tell him about it but that he was no longer well enough to receive visitors. He died barely a month later, and for a while I could not have found it in myself to resume work on the quartet had I been at liberty to do so. It was, however, always my intention to return to it at some point, and when my second daughter Maria was born in 1997 I resolved one day to make her a gift of the work.

The first movement was finished in February 1994, and currently stands almost exactly as it was written back then. I had forgotten just how much of the Adagio also existed; when a box full of long-lost scores and sketches turned up in the loft in January 2021, I was gratified to discover that the outline of the movement was very nearly entire. It begins with a rather mysterious violin solo cantilena, the first instance of a technique of which I was to become rather fond (roughly similar examples can be found in the Twenty-Fifth and Twenty-Ninth quartets). The score travels flatwards through a complete enharmonic cycle, commencing in B major and finishing in C flat.

The scherzo is the oldest part of the work. It began with a figure taken from Haydn's Opus 64 No. 2 quartet and run with in a different direction; an experiment dating from October 1986, extensively developed in my head but never written down. In the final version of the movement, I have reserved the two harmonic surprises (originally in the second half of the main body) for the da capo. The 1994 sketch contains a number of bars in my ex-wife's hand, which she kindly took down for me in dictation while I was busy settling the baby. The trio is mostly new, but the theme dates from 1993-94 and is an audible tribute to the original projected dedicatee. The theme and initial exposition of the sonata-rondo finale originated some time in the late '80s or early '90s, but most of the working out is very recent.  Some of the slightly frantic circumstances of its composition may be found reflected in the development section.

The Thirty-Third Quartet was finished on October 9th 2021, and is dedicated to Maria with all my love.

String Quartet No. 33, in B minor (2021)

Wanja Belaga

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i am a russian pianist, based in Munich / Germany
i improvise on piano, i comprovise

recorded in march, 2021, Bayreuth
chamber hall, Steingraeber Klaviermanufaktur
The Concert Grand Piano · D-232 Steingraeber
recorded by etage music

Ballade der wundersamen Gefühlsverwirrung

A M Bell - String Quartet No 33 (I: Allegro tenebroso)

A.M.Bell - String Quartet No. 33 (II: Molto Adagio)

A.M.Bell - String Quartet No. 33 (III: Scherzo - Allegro agitato; Trio: Meno agitato)

A.M.Bell - String Quartet No. 33 (IV: Allegro precipito)

Written by Rupert Feld
Performed by Suzanne Berry (Violin), Jennifer Appleyard (Cello) and Rupert Feld (Piano)

Studies and Impromptus

Piano Trio In C Minor

...alien motions on fire with coriolis demeanor"

Quatuor Bozzini, Montreal 2014

Score: https://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/score/i-saw-these-gaps-explanation-rolling-wheels-contrary-within-themselves-alien-motions-fire

I Saw These Gaps Of Explanation Rolling Like Wheels Contrary Within Themselves...

5'' Run - Off

Special thanks to my patrons, Zoltan, Marie, Sophie, and Erin!
Become my patron here: https://www.patreon.com/rldavennor

Lyrics:
Born of ash, cloaked in fire,
broken free of man's desire
branded flesh by searing claw
Straight into the gaping maw

Bones will snap, wills can bend
Storms will pass and journey’s end
Ebb and flow, give and take
The strongest heart will never break

Dragon's blood born anew
A shroud of green and cloak of blue
Shadowed wings rise and fall
Stolen child, free us all.

Featured in my score collection Lyres, Legends, and Lullabies:
http://mybook.to/lyreslegendslullabies
-----------------------
Composed and Produced by Raelynn Davennor.
Vocals by Raelynn Davennor.
Scored for Voice, Harp, and String Orchestra.

Copyright 2020 Raelynn Davennor, All Rights Reserved.

Website - https://rldavennor.com/
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Soren's Song

About Intermezzo D'Anniversaire by Danae Vlasse: This piece is a Theme and Variations on the famous Op118 No2 Intermezzo by  Johannes Brahms. It develops my favorite 8 measure theme from the original work and was specifically composed in the style of Brahms. The second section in this piece is built on specific pitches such that it incorporates a message for the recipient of the commission "Joyeux Anniversaire Karen" ("Happy Birthday Karen").

Winner: MTAC Composers Today 2014 First Place in Composition "Advanced Work" Category.

Winner: Radio Music Awards 2016 "Best Classical Recording" Category.

The piano score is available for purchase - contact the composer for information! 

PS: A BIG Thank you to Daniel (Zeitfaktor) for his help with re-mastering this audio file! :-)

Intermezzo D'Anniversaire (remastered by Zeitfaktor) :-)

Special thanks to my patrons, Zoltan, Marie, Sophie, Erin, and Kim!
Become my patron here: www.patreon.com/rldavennor

This piece came to me in a single sitting as I imagined a scene in my upcoming fantasy novel, Bloodlust. Rebecca, Alex, and Tristan are spending the evening in the forest, anxiously awaiting the coming morning where they will need to face the human king—and Alex's father. Alex brought with them a lute, as she knows her father enjoys hearing her play and sing, but as she is attempting to practice, she forgets the lyrics to her song, forcing her to hum the melody instead. As she finishes, Rebecca's voice rises from the silence, singing lyrics she made up on the spot as a way to empower Alex to accept her role as the group's leader.

Lyrics:
Fallen princess, lead us, guide us, 
as we face the throne.
Fallen princess, dragons' Eldest,
you are not alone.

Featured in my score collection Lyres, Legends, and Lullabies:
http://mybook.to/lyreslegendslullabies
-----------------------
Composed and Produced by Raelynn Davennor.
Vocals by Raelynn Davennor.
Scored for Voice and Lute.

Copyright 2020 Raelynn Davennor, All Rights Reserved.

Website - https://rldavennor.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RLDavennor/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/RLDavennor
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rldavennor/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ViU2S2HrTc0XXaOHaWRFw

Fallen Princess

Special thanks to my patrons, Zoltan, Marie, Sophie, and Erin!
Become my patron here: www.patreon.com/rldavennor

Composing in one sitting is becoming more and more common for me, as this piece is another produced in a single afternoon of inspiration. Inspired by a chapter of the same name in my upcoming fantasy novel, Bloodlust.

Featured in my score collection Lyres, Legends, and Lullabies:
http://mybook.to/lyreslegendslullabies
-----------------------
Composed and Produced by Raelynn Davennor.
Scored for Solo Piano.

Copyright 2020 Raelynn Davennor, All Rights Reserved.

Website - https://rldavennor.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/RLDavennor/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/RLDavennor
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rldavennor/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ViU2S2HrTc0XXaOHaWRFw

Enchantress

Uploaded with AudioShare app - http://kymatica.com/audioshare

Rhapsody in A Flat Minor for Piano

Fantasie #2 "Schwanengesang" (Swan Song)
by Danaë Xanthe Vlasse

See the music video here! https://vimeo.com/238251818



This composition won an Award of Excellence as well as being awarded an honor for the category of "Listener Impact" from the Global Music Awards!  This was also the 2016 1st place winner of the MTAC advanced division Composer's Today competition! This work was also nominated for the 2016 Hollywood Music In Media Awards.

The piano score is available for purchase - contact the composer for information! 



The Swan's Poem:
"Ivory quills aquiver with a tail destined to pen:
Dust aflutter, down afloat...
An ailing grace lies mourning, despairing, 
Delirious from the  fragrance of the waterlily's fresh palette of nascent pastels.
Fearful of this night's timeless mistress; 
a muse sinister yet seductive with repose in calling cadence to life's thrashing.
Sails heave, whimpering under the weight of their effort,
Resigned toward inevitably succumbing to dusk's siren.
Drops of loneliness glisten along the arc of a sinuous spine, until
Echoes of breath convey feathered spirits into the beams of a sharply setting sphere."

Remastered and available for purchase on this album:
https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/danaexanthevlasse1

Fantasie #2 Schwanengesang (youtube: https://youtu.be/aDiFkb-Zd3A)

Born 1965, lifelong lover of music.  Have been picking out little tunes from 5, and attempting seriously to compose since 12.  Generally (although not exclusively) happiest writing in the manner of late-18thC/early 19thC, but very happy to listen to pretty nearly any music.  String quartets a speciality, although not entirely sure why.  No plans to give up the day job (secondary school Support for Learning Assistant) or the weekend job (Choirmaster at St. Magnus's Cathedral, Kirkwall).

A.M.Bell - String Quartet No. 33 (III: Scherzo - Allegro agitato; Trio: Meno agitato)

Michael Bell

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