Jeremy Jarvis - Opus 15: STRING QUARTET NO. 2: Who Are We?

                     Recording – String Music ($10)

Composed in the Spring of 2007.

    Jarvis’s second string quartet is in three movements. The titles of the movements are “Passion,” “Optimism” and “Enthusiasm.” These three mental states are characterized by a focus respectively on contrasts of dynamics, harmony and momentum. Further distinction between movements is achieved by a basic tempo structure of moderate – slow – fast. The musical material is diverse, featuring various combinations of melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, textural and timbral effects. Each movement is regulated by a formal structure comparable to traditional European tonal form but flexible enough to be shaped by the material; the first two movements, in modified sonata form, include a varied repetition of the exposition, while the last movement is similar to a rondo with variations. Compositionally, the music is influenced by a wide range of styles, including a vast repertoire of string quartets, late twentieth-century popular styles and an eclectic mixture of traditional folk music.

    A strong external influence on the composition of this piece has been the presence of the butterfly in the springtime outdoors, in intellectual conversation with friends and generally as a symbolic indication of the potential for change and freedom in life. The phenomenon of bilateral symmetry, common to most animals but remarkably vivid in the butterfly’s detailed wings, occurs many times in various ways throughout the piece. Small-scale instances of this include symmetrically-arranged pitch collections, contrapuntally-balanced parts, retrograded melodies and inverted material. The large-scale harmonic structure of the three movements is also symmetrical in its periodic emphasis on both upper and lower mediant relationships to the primary key.

    The imagery of the butterfly serves as a reminder of some of the things that “we” human beings share in common with much of nature – both in form and in movement. We exhibit structural symmetry. We avoid death habitually and seek to create new life. We can identify with the stages of a butterfly’s life: Passion represents the larva’s need to eat, flourish and reach the next stage – a reflection of our childhood experience; Optimism conveys the anticipation and patience of the pupa as it transforms in the cocoon – like the feelings we bear as we endure education and make career choices; Enthusiasm portrays the freedom and continued vitality of the adult butterfly – conjuring the security and energy we cultivate in adulthood when we realize our paths and follow them confidently. Indeed, at a deeper level, we can identify with all life forms and are blessed by the inspiration they provide. These structural and metaphorical elements combine to suggest an answer to the subtitle’s question.

Performances

April 2, 2007; Arizona State University Composition Studio Recital – "Optimism" – Eva Lundell (vln. 1), Eliza Hesse (vln. 2), Ellen Tollefson (vla.), Nelly Rocha (vlc.)

April 14, 2007; Phoenix Art Museum – "Passion" – Lundell (vln. 1), Hesse (vln. 2), Tollefson (vla.), Rocha (vlc.)

Sunday, April 29, 2007; “Jeremy Jarvis’s Thank-you Recital,” ASU School of Music – complete work – Lundell (vln. 1), Hesse (vln. 2), Tollefson (vla.), Rocha (vlc.)

                     Listen to "I. Passion" (short version)
                     Listen to "II. Optimism"
                     Listen to "III. Enthusiasm"
                     Performed by Lundell, Hesse, Tollefson & Rocha

                     BONUS RECORDING:
                     Excerpt of "I. Passion" (original version)
                     Read by the Juilliard Quartet