String Quartet Number 3: 'Η τας Τρονου Πςεμας Οξυτητα (Hey tas Tronou Psemas Oxuteyta)

String Quartet No. 3 is about a journey of self. The first movement is the individual’s fight to retain identity and self-awareness under the weight of varying degrees of outside influences. The individual fells that it must be must be interfered with and changed, to some degree, by these forces, but also knows that by doing will share some portion of the self with them. The second movement is the journey itself. The individual takes a holiday; the self is able to interact – and indeed merge – with its environment in a free and (hopefully) mutually beneficial way. The third movement is a reconciliation of sorts. The rhythms are relaxed and the note values are reduced; the first movement theme returns in the viola in a forgiving rather than accusing gesture.

The first movement is in G Hungarian minor. Only F#, C#, Bb and Eb should be used for trills and mordent type figures. In the second movement starting in measure 83, the notation indicates that the previous rhythmic patterns established should be continued, but the exact pitches are at the discretion of the performers. The violist should continue to play multiple stops; the violinists should follow the arc indicated (low, medium, high).