De Passionibus Animae

De Passionibus Animae (“On the Passions of the Soul”) is a work for string quartet which re-

examines the Baroque concept of the doctrine of the affections through a modern lens. Much

aesthetic philosophy of this time, influenced by this doctrine, sought to arouse the affections, or

emotions, by mimicking physiological responses to them: “for example joy is an expansion of our

soul, thus it follows reasonably and naturally that I could best express this affect by large and ex-

panded intervals.” This piece revisits this antiquated technique with a modern style, comprising

five character pieces which each mimic an elementary affection: fear, hate, joy, love, and sor-

row. This selection of affections is similar to that chosen by René Descartes, in his treatise on the

affections which gives its name to this piece.