Lullaby for a Princess

OberÃ¶rd 2

This short piece was composed after "Broken Structures". And uses some of the technics. But with a more tonal touch. It consist of 5 separate and independent voices.

Crystal Order Opus 4 - 1980.

This piece was always my darling. In contrast to my first Opus. Where I delivered simplicity. Here I deliver complexity. Encouraged by my second and last teacher. Who taught orchestration at the Swedish Academy of Classical music. Everyone else used Arnold Schönbergs 12-tone system back then. But not me. I insisted to use the 12 tones my way.

So this piece is built on 4 different themes.
The first is introduced in Violin 1.  13 notes. All 12 notes plus a repetition. In Violin 2. The second theme is introduced, minimal and rhythmic. Thee third theme in the viola is chromatic. 3 rising half-tones and a falling triton. But in its variation in major. It consist of 3 hole-tones and a falling 5th.
The fourth theme is introduced later. It creates a huge.

So from these 4 structures. The whole piece is interwoven in counterpoint. And the harmonics are determined by the 4 voices of a String Quartet. Actually I use orchestral strings.
So its more of a Dark and Light Romantic Piece for Strings.

My teacher meant I sounded fantastic. But...?
Its was not A. Schoenbergs 12-tone system.
But then again he had R. Wagner, Gustaf Mahler, Rickard Strauss, Hans Pfitzner. Looking over his shoulder.

So when I finished recording this piece.
I heard myself say: "Take that! Arnold!" ( ;

String Quartett 1 Opus 2 - 1979

This work consist of 4 separate 9-tone series. One for each of the 4 voices. The 9 tones are but on a scheme of: 2 half-notes 1 whole-note - 2 half-notes 1 whole note - 2 half-notes 1 whole-note.  Violin 1 starts at G-sharp. Violin 2 at B-flat. Viola at C-sharp. Cello at D-sharp.

Each voice has its own theme. So the structure is closed.
The harmony of dark. Interwoven with short diatonic repeated impressions. 
And just before then end, an excerpt from Guilliume de Machaud´s 3 voices Madrigal "Lasse! Comment Oblieray" from mid 13th century France. Then it ends with the impressions one more.

String Quartet 3 "Descend into the Dark" Opus 6 - 1981

This piece was always my darling. In contrast to my first Opus. Where I delivered simplicity. Here I deliver complexity. Encouraged by my second and last teacher. Who taught orchestration at the Swedish Academy of Classical music. Everyone else used Arnold Schönbergs 12-tone system back then. But not me. I insisted to use the 12 tones my way.

So this piece is built on 4 different themes.
The first is introduced in Violin 1.  13 notes. All 12 notes plus a repetition. In Violin 2. The second theme is introduced, minimal and rhythmic. Thee third theme in the viola is chromatic. 3 rising half-tones and a falling triton. But in its variation in major. It consist of 3 hole-tones and a falling 5th.
The fourth theme is introduced later. It creates a huge.

So from these 4 structures. The whole piece is interwoven in counterpoint. And the harmonics are determined by the 4 voices of a String Quartet. Actually I use orchestral strings.
So its more of a Dark and Light Romantic Piece for Strings.

My last finished work from 1982.

"Impressions of nature"

Dedicated to Elizabeth The one and only.

It´s in 4 parts. 
Part 1 "The woods" In F-sharp and B-flat. Written in July 1982.

Part 2 "The plains" In C-sharp from July 1981

Part 3 " The Mountains" In B-flat but end in G-sharp from July 1980

Part 4 "The valley" In D-sharp from December 1979

The end is the beginning and the beginning is the end

Hope you enjoy it as much as enjoyed composing it.


I made it during a short duration.

Piano Sonatine Opus 8 - 1982

Dedicated to Maria with the Violin.
My first one and only. 27 years later.

This piece originated from an unfinished 2 part of String Quartet 1. In late 1982. A year before I gave up on classical composition. 
I made 3 pages and some fragments. Then the rest followed by itself.
I never trusted Professors. And all I learned I learned from myself. The 2 teachers I had in my youth. May God blesse them both. Just encouraged me. 

Then Art-Rock in the late 80ties and most of the 90ties. Then Pop from 2000-2012. I had hoped that I could master the skills of my youth. Then I found I had exceeded my youth. That's the way with classical music. It never gets old. And the masters where best when they where old. Except Rickard Wagner who was best in his middle period. The everlasting master piece "Tristan and Isolde".

Enjoy the counterpoint with a romantic atonal and impressionistic flavour. After all living in 21th century. History gave me all. And if mankind ever destroy each other? I would morn the heritage of the past Classical culture. 

So today I would consider me as a New Classical Composer.
Until death do us apart. I will work 6-8 hours a day.
And I will were a dark suit an a black tie and a white shirt when I am in public. At home I were jeans an T-Shirt.

Art is Art. Private is Private.

String Quartet 4 Opus 9 - 2019 "Ascend into the Light"

This is the final version.
Violin 2 was too low in the last one.
So this mix is adjusted. And you will hear all 4 themes clear. 
Each in their own right. A a string in the we of counterpoint with a romantic heart.

So these are the emotions I keep to myself.
Because words can't express them.

The Beauty of Darkness.
A serial composition.

Johan Gabriel Gabsky

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