Per Nørgård

String Quartet No. 6 'Tintinnabulary'

Programme note

The spectrum of sound, the gesticulation - in short, the very nature of the strings - has always had a central place in my output, demonstrated by the numbers of stringquartets, concertos with string soloist, chamber and solo works. The interest dates back to my school years, when I was fortunate to be able to compose for a cello-playing schoolmate and to accompany him on the piano. I discoveredthen the innumerable nuances of sound and playing varieties offered by just one bow, four strings and five fingers..

The bell-like association if the title reflects the special texture of the work. Likethecontinously changing overtones of a struck, resonating bell the four parts are unified through one single basic line, broken up in a multitude of changing dynamics, of a multifacetted rhythm and resulting in an evertransforming harmony.
The duration of the work is ca 12 minutes.

Per Norgard (1998)