James Yannatos

string quartet

First performed by The Chiara Quartet at the John Knowles Paine Concert Hall on April8, 2011.Program Note:String Quartet No. 3 was composed in the summer of 1999 at the Bennington ComposersConference where I served as composer-in-residence. It is a 15-minute work in onecontinuous movement divided into four contrasting "mini movements":light and looseadagio {fugue}: piu allegroadagio cantabilepiu allegroThe work consists of short cellular motifs based on the interval of the 3rd, expanded toform 5ths and 7ths that move through the various instruments of the quartet to create aconstantly shifting texture. Complimenting this are short linear fragments that suggest apotential melody without ever being fully stated. The slow contrasting adagio sectionsare lyrical with extended melodic lines. The piece concludes with a return of the motionand motifs of "light and loose."