Give and Take (2023)
String Quartet No. 2
"Chen's music blended aural lushness with gentle dissonances in a memorable way, apparent in the opening Towers and Fountains, a depiction of Singapore cityscapes; and Drunken Poets, where plucked pizzicatos and bowed strings merged seamlessly within a colourful canvas."
- The Straits Times
Instrumentation:
string quartet
Duration: 16'
GIVE AND TAKE (BACK AND FORTH)
I. Towers and Fountains ('Jewel' and skyscrapers)
II. Double Duet (Romanze)
III. Drunken Poets
IV. Gears and Cycles – Interlocked (inspired by Carnatic and Gamelan music)
V. Village Vibes (of kampung life)
VI. Night Grooves (of city life)
This quartet is commissioned by the T’ang Quartet in celebration of their thirtieth anniversary as an ensemble. As with any relationship (or marriage!), playing together in a string quartet requires the tight-knit rapport to play in perfect harmony and synchrony, moving and breathing as one musical body. Naturally, the delicate balance of four personalities involves some sort of ‘give and take.’ Also marking Yong Siew Toh Conservatory’s 20th anniversary, ‘Back and Forth’ borrows from the institution’s theme of ‘Looking Back, Moving Forward’.
Conceptualised to showcase the versatility of the quartet, these six short movements draw inspiration from an eclectic mix of references. It ranges from awe-inspiring Singaporean landmarks, a confluence of ancient and modern cultures, to timeless sentiments. Also present are the juxtapositions between the fast and the slow, the past and the future, and of kampung and city life.
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"Ear-catching also were more rhythmic movements such as the minimalist swagger of Gears and Cycles - Interlocked or Night Grooves, where jazz, pop and rock rhythms provided a dynamic close."
- The Straits Times