Stuck-Stücke

Stuck-stücke was composed for the Arditti String Quartet in 2007-8 on commission from the Siemens Foundation. It is a work of thirteen miniatures in three discontinuous, though related, streams of musical material. The separate pieces are played in close juxtaposition with one another, with minimal transition. The title refers to an incessant, repetitive iteration of small gestures that characterize some, but not all, of the streams in the work.

The work is dedicated to the extraordinary Irvine Arditti and the members of the Arditti String Quartet. They have inspired my work for over twenty years now, and this composition is offered in friendship, gratitude, and deepest admiration.