Song for the Lighting of the Chanukah Candles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCjudnKisjw

Recorded by Sacconi Quartet during the first Covid-19 lockdown - Summer 2020

In this single movement work for string quartet, the players collectively portray the life of the nine candles of the menorah. Throughout much of the work, I chose to keep the texture quite thin. At least, if one were to study the printed score, the texture would often appear sparse. However, I have focused on sustaining much energy and activity so that when listened to the texture of the music still sounds intense.

Sometimes a player may carry a melody that is actually two or three melodies, in one in a manner reminiscent of the counterpoint of the Partitas by J. S. Bach. In other instances, the voices are split across more than one player and the counterpoint becomes more literal.

Performance and publication history:

·      Karen Jolliffe and Kammy Pike (violins), Matthew Brown (viola), and Mike Bacon (cello) at the Leicester Guildhall - 04/12/2016

·      Karen Jolliffe and Flo Peycelon (violins), Matthew Brown (viola), and Sarah Boxall (cello) at the Water Lane Coffee House, Canterbury - 02/02/2017

·      Karen Jolliffe and Flo Peycelon (violins), Matthew Brown (viola), and Sarah Boxall (cello) at St Gregory's Centre for Music, with thanks to Daniel Herbert - 04/03/2017

·      Karen Jolliffe and Flo Peycelon (violins), Matthew Brown (viola), and Sarah Boxall (cello) at St Augustine's Centre (Husband Memorial Hall), Folkestone - 11/02/2018

·      Karen Jolliffe and Flo Peycelon (violins), Matthew Brown (viola), and Sarah Boxall (cello) at Garage Coffee, Canterbury - 15/02/2018

·      Recorded by Sacconi Quartet during the first Covid-19 lockdown - Summer 2020

·      Pubilshed by Universal Edition (2024)