Music In Spite of Itself

ensemble string quartet
written fall 2026
duration 17-18 minutes

for the Ulysses Quartet, with love & admiration

program notes

Music In Spite of Itself, unlike most of my pieces, began with its title. As I turned it over in my head, I wondered what such a phrase could possibly mean. I liked this idea of music aware of its own limitations, its own materials, but I also worried that music actively working against itself would, well, not work.

My thoughts turned to that most beloved of schema, melody and accompaniment. I decided I would separate its two components across two movements. Movement I, simply titled ‘Accompaniment,’ is a quicksilver flurry of arpeggios, Alberti bass-like figures, and tightly voiced triads. The music evokes a basso continuo in search of a melody to support. Movement II, correspondingly titled ‘Melody,’ is driven entirely by song. The cello introduces an espressivo tune, gently surrounded by the upper strings acting as resonators. The lead role passes to each of the quartet members in turn while the others sustain pitches. Eventually, the music blossoms into a lushly ornamented, polyphonic texture, before ultimately sinking gently back into the lowest reaches of the cello.

It was a joy writing this work for my friends and collaborators in the Ulysses Quartet. They are brilliant, incisive, and skillful players, and I was grateful to have the chance to compose this for them.