Dedicated to Terry Holmes. Commissioned by the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival.

World Premiere: Quatuor Diotima, HCMF, 28th November 2015.

Consisting of two parts played without a break, the idea for this piece is inextricably linked to my impressions from Berlin. A single gesture is constantly passed on from one instrument to another providing an essential textural impetus for the first part; the second part is composed of two duos incessantly interacting with and against each other. Whilst the instrumental partnerships here are well identified, various alliances are formed within the four sectors of the quartet. Although in no way programmatic, the extra-musical idea behind the piece is not incongruous to the Orwellian formula of 2 + 2 = 5.

© Thomas Simaku