for String Quartet
1. Dérobée / Ridée 6 Temps
2. Dañs Tro Plin
3. An Dro
Performed by Katharine Roy, Katie Brestel, Melissa Doussard, and Steven Danan.
Program notes:
Three Breton Dances is a suite based on folk tunes from Brittany, an isolated Celtic culture on the northwestern coast of France. The dance forms and tunes used here (the Dérobée / Ridée 6 Temps, the Dañs Tro Plin, and the An Dro) have been preserved for thousands of years, and are probably as close as we come to authentic medieval music. They are still a central part of the Breton cultural identity, with simple steps that large groups can enjoy. Traditionally, the tunes would be continuously repeated by a bombarde (primitive oboe), drone, and drum. My rendition for string quartet is less literal, incorporating polymorphic harmonies and rhythms for a hybrid of jollity.
Music Copyright © Eric M. Pazdziora. All Rights Reserved.
For more information, contact the composer.
I love hearing new works for strings. (I’m a violinist and violist.) I enjoy your blogging as well.
Thanks; that’s always good to hear! If you’re ever interested in playing or commissioning something new, let me know.