SOUNDINGS

The title of my double bass quartet, Soundings, is a reference in part to the nautical term for measuring the depth of water. This term has an obvious connection to the double bass as the “deepest” sounding string instrument of the orchestra. “Soundings” can also refer to various types of exploration, and the five movements of the piece are my personal “explorations” of the instrument that is closest to me. Soundings was commissioned by and is dedicated to Robert Oppelt, Rick Barber, Jeff Weisner and Ali Yazdanfar, all members of the National Symphony Orchestra at the time of this commission in 2000.

First Movement - "Tenuous" Robert Oppelt, Rick Barber, Jeff Weisner and Ali Yazdanfar