Nicky Sohn - Galaxy Back to You (2024) - Balourdet Quartet

Program note:
Two of the most exciting aspects of being a composer have become the inspirations for "Galaxy Back to You"-working within the parameters of each commission and drawing from my personal experiences. The Balourdet Quartet is an ensemble I have admired for years, and it was an absolute delight to finally write for them. All four of them are ecstatic players with so much character and depth, and every performance of theirs has been electric. I wanted to write a piece that showcases their powerful dynamic as a group but also highlights their individuality, with a variety of textures, moods, and energy. Each commission brings interesting, sometimes challenging objectives, and for me, parameters are the most fascinating inspirations for my creative process. They help narrow down my ideas, making the process extremely productive and effective.
For this project, Balourdet Quartet asked me to incorporate some aspect of AI. While AI can be seen as a threat to artists in all genres, I decided to explore various music-generating AI programs to see what they offered. Though intriguing, I wanted to create a work where I could maintain full ownership of the musical material. So, I turned to ChatGPT, arguably the most widely used AI program, to brainstorm and structure the piece.
In 2024, my partner gifted me a "galaxy" named after me for my birthday. It was an unusual but incredibly sweet gift because he thought I deserved a whole galaxy. The galaxy he gave me is NGC 4258, discovered in 1781. It is an intermediate spiral galaxy in the constellation Canes Venatici, rich with fascinating characteristics. ChatGPT helped conceptualize seven distinct sections, each with names and musical descriptions, which I endeavored to honor with my imagination. I used the galaxy number 4258 as the main thematic idea, focusing on the intervallic relationships of those four numbers. I feel that a string quartet is the most intimate and personal genre for composers-one can truly get a sense of who the composer is through exploring their string quartet repertoire. I believe a string quartet may be the best gift a composer can offer to another (unfortunately, perhaps!). The title, "Galaxy Back to You," is quite self-explanatory, as I am giving the galaxy back to my special person, but in my own musical form, for his birthday.
Seven section titles and descriptions created by ChatGPT
I. Active Nucleus: A rapid and intense section with frenetic bowing and dissonant chords, representing the energetic activity of the galaxy's central nucleus.
II. Celestial Motion: Flowing and melodic, with graceful melodies and gentle swells, capturing the majestic movement of stars and galaxies through space.
III. Cosmic Dance: Upbeat and rhythmic, with lively melodies passed between the instruments, reflecting the dynamic interplay of celestial bodies.
IV. Mystical Depths: Deep and resonant tones, with sustained notes and rich textures, evoking a sense of infinite space and the mysteries that lie within the depths of the universe.
V. Water Masers: Delicate and shimmering passages, perhaps with harmonics and tremolo, evoking the ethereal and watery nature of the masers.
VI. Supermassive Black Hole: Deep, resonant tones in the cello, accompanied by ominous chords in the lower registers of the violins and viola, conveying the immense gravity and mystery of the black hole.
VII. Gravitational Waves: Reflective and contemplative, with gentle, undulating melodies and harmonic swells that evoke the ripples of gravitational waves traveling through the fabric of space-time. This section features a soothing interplay between the instruments, creating a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of the cosmos.