I'm not sure how else to put this this piece is absolutely insane as a string player myself i do not know how i could read and interpret this, let alone play this props to the musicians, and yourself for creating this
Back after listening to this when it came out, I think this is the first and one of the only avant-garde pieces I’ve truly enjoyed. I’m assuming the composer is a string player, because there are some really cool effects and moments.
I am amazed at the command of extended techniques on display here. As others have said, the score itself is art all on its own. Looking forward to more listens/watches. Thank you for sharing.
This is entirely beautiful, the understanding and coupling between performers and composer heightened to this level really really rarely aligns itself like this. Beautiful work both in the score and the process of performing it.
Very impressive score if this was done without the assistance of a computer. These extended playing techniques are very complicated and for someone to write these with such precision is spectacular.
Hi, thanks! Yes, definitely no computer, just pencil and paper. Took me two years to find a good purpose for all the extended techniques to make sense in the narrative!
absolutely losing my mind from 10:30 to the end of the piece. how in the world do you come up with atmospheres and textures like this... so much to learn
Yes, a fair observation. Rihm was a big influence, but the 'stream-of-consciousness' approach of his didn't suit me well, I discovered in the end, and the piece was restructured several times, in, what you could say, an un-Rihmian fashion.
This is some GREAT stuff, bravo. You really pushed the limits for string performance and got some awesome sounds out of the instrument. As a composer, there's so much to learn from this.
I have to say I don't understand wtf is going on (the weirdest music I can handle so far is Bartok) but it looks like you had a lot of fun making it, and it sounds like the performers are really good.
Music doesn't work like spice lil bro, you don't gain tolerance. All you're doing when you're thinking you're becoming "more tolerant", is that you're actually just becoming more delusional when listening to music, or noise in this case.
@@Whatismusic123 in my experience it does, and there are a couple pieces you really like that stick and then it makes you understand contemporary music. It opens the door, so to speak. For me the pieces were: Scriabin 5th, 7th, and 9th Sonata, Stravinsky Petroushka, John Luther Adam’s Become Ocean, Feldman For Philip Guston, Philip Glass North Star, and Charles Ive’s Fourth Symphony. I’m sure if you look hard enough, you’ll find a piece that is the “ahah” moment and helps you understand contemporary music. It does take time to get used to, and there are still pieces I find completely inaccessible to this day (like Lachenmann), but I know one day I will understand it and be able to appreciate it.
@@tylers9006 First of all, Scriabin is not a modernist moron like Edward Top is, or John cage or Boulez or any other of these "music" composers. Second, there's a large difference between liking something, and something being good. A piece of music can be absolutely terrible, or not be music at all like in this case, but you can still like it regardless, that's the power of delusion and belief. You're not "understanding" nor "appreciating" anything, you're conditioning yourself to enjoying garbage, by bashing your head at a wall multiple times, hoping it cracks and sticks.
@@amj.composer You use the bow closer to the fingerboard (like a 'sul tasto' indication). It gives the strings a more "airy" quality, thus the name flautando which tranates as "flute-like". The opposite would be doing 'sul ponticello' (using the bow near the bridge) which gives a metalic and sharp sound.
I see this piece as a response to Black Angels by George Crumb, which is why such a piece like this doesn’t deserve the title of “String Quartet #1”. That gives listeners absolutely nothing about what to expect, or the intention behind this piece, which is articulated so clearly in the description. The title should match what the piece is about. Because it doesn’t, most people who click on this video will write the piece off as more atonal gobbledegook with no real meaning, which is not what this piece is.
@@garrysmodsketches What do you mean? Of course it does! When I read the title "Black Angels" and the subtitle "13 Images From a Dark Land", that gave me a very clear idea of what the piece was about. The title made me understand why the piece sounds so terrifying. The piece wouldn't have captured my interest if it was called "Electric String Quartet". Titles are more important than you give them credit for
@@codascheuer8426 Do you really believe this? If a piece of music has terrifying character, this fact will be apparent just by listening. What you are saying is that without reading the title you won't be able to hear the terror in the music, which is impossible unless you are deaf.
I personally enjoyed the section from 10:00-12:40. The slow section is very well written. I think the fast dense sections look cool on paper but I don’t think they sound interesting. Additionally the “dancelike” section from 12:50-13:50 sounded very nice. It kind of reminds me of the textures in Bartok’s string quartets. I understand that it’s cool to work with new sounds, but I personally think it makes more sense to integrate those sounds and techniques into a more melodic section. These sections I’ve highlighted just feel much more expressive and unique.
I understand and appreciate your thoughts. Writing melodically is merely one of the many other parametres achieving expression. The new sounds, (non-melodic!) textures, and harsh dissonances are deliberately explored to represent the Hellish monsters in the Last-Judgment panels of Hieronymus Bosch the work is inspired by. The slower sections you refer to are representational of Heaven as it appears in Bosch's paintings. Thanks for observing the 'good'!
It is a way to have colouristic change and motion of the same pitch, which is played on D and G string (and therefore enharmonically spelled to E-flat and D-sharp).
I would not say that I enjoyed listening to this, nor that I would want to come back to it. However, there are brief glimpses of some enjoyable music hidden among what is often a messy, harsh sounding texture for a string quartet. Perhaps there would be times when I would want to listen to this, but at the moment my mood clashes with the aim of the piece
Incredible piece!!!! Really love it. This score is handwritten, yes? It looks really beautiful. Would be interested in trying my hand at computer-notating this, though!!!
@@Musiqwerty i got here through crumb's works! youtube sometimes brings me to such lovely things i would've never found otherwise initially figured he might've been an inspiration, and then everything kinda clicked when i saw the notation at 9:58 haha. really nice tribute in a way. amazing stuff, looking forward to hearing more :D
@@FelipeFinelli6088 Whether you like it or not, there is a science to creating good, compelling art. If you want to ignore the science and push the boundaries of creating art, be my guest. Just don’t expect other people to enjoy it or find it good or find it beautiful.
@@calvinmark2112 The science of art? what utter nonsense you are spewing, the popular apreciation to art swiftly shifts periodically, science can explain why people view art the way they view it, but creating art by "using the science of art" is a soul-less and meaningless thing, art is just the expression of an idea, it doesn't have to please the viewer, it doesn't have to cause any emotion at all, "pushing the boundaries of art"? I really question your sentience and ability to reason, how do you think a magnus opus is made? Most of the time if not all times, is by "pushing the boundaries of art" which is another utter nonsense, elitism is a disease, go look for a brain
Just because you spend effort on something, does not mean it's art. It's called wasted effort, because what you've made is actually effortless randomness a computer could produce, which you've deluded yourself into believing has purpose behind it. Tell me, what "emotions and ideas" do you wish to express? Because sorry bud but that's impossible outside of fairytale.
@@Whatismusic123 I usually avoid making negative comments on people's music, because each one has the right to explore art in whatever way they find better and share it. But seeing you don't treat others like that I just find it fair to express that I do find your arrangement mechanical and uninspired, whilst this quartet is quite obviously a legitimate art work. I'm not hating without reason, I just find it funny that you project your insecurities about your own music on other people and other aesthetics
When Schoenberg started writing atonal music, his initial (and correct) instinct was to write shorter pieces (compared to his earlier, tonal works), i.e. the atonal language is so wild that it is most suitable for short pieces, miniatures. Webern also understood this. This quartet is way too long. It's like telling the same joke again and again and again for 15 minutes. The listeners (including 99% of musically trained listeners) will get the idea of the piece in the first 30 seconds. After that they'll just get bored.
@@WEEBLLOM 1. He himself didn't hesitate to admit it in his essay "on composing with twelve tones". 2. His very talented students Alban Berg and Anton Webern had the same instinct, which Schoenberg also mentioned in said essay. 3. Common sense: large musical forms require contrast between sections. If the music is extremely expressive and intense all the time, a composer risks to back themselves into a corner. There is very little space for maneuver. This is why Glenn Gould said that highly chromatic post-Wagnarian language was an enormous liability for composers like Richard Strauss.
@@WEEBLLOM I mean, yeah. Art is not a science. Intuition plays a huge role. But we are talking about the intuition of great master-artists, not just some guy from the street.
Firstly, nobody is holding a gun to your head and telling you that you have to like this music. Atonal music comes in all shapes and sizes, and most of the time - at least in my experience - it tends to be an acquired taste. The key word here is 'taste'. If it's not to your taste, which is absolutely fine, why not just say that? I ain't gonna judge you for saying that it's not to your taste. The problem is when people act like their tastes are more important than everybody else's and are really mean about it. Personally I really like this music. In my opinion, it's way more accessible to the performer than Ferneyhough's music, for example, but it still achieves a sense of flux in the rhythms which I really like.
Take John Cage's advice. He said that when he heard something he didn't like he'd listen to it another 10 or 12 times and discover he liked it after all.
this would kill a victorian child
You made me laugh my ass off!! I do love this piece
I'm not sure how else to put this
this piece is absolutely insane
as a string player myself i do not know how i could read and interpret this, let alone play this
props to the musicians, and yourself for creating this
Thank you Ethan, I appreciate your feedback!
that ending is easily one of the most terrifying in all of classical music hands down
What a massive task to write all of this on paper! Sounds terrifying, love it
Back after listening to this when it came out, I think this is the first and one of the only avant-garde pieces I’ve truly enjoyed. I’m assuming the composer is a string player, because there are some really cool effects and moments.
Thank you for appreciating my quartet, yes I'm a string player. All the best, Edward
I am amazed at the command of extended techniques on display here. As others have said, the score itself is art all on its own.
Looking forward to more listens/watches. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Curtis, for your encouragement! I will upload my second string quartet soon as well.
I'm so glad this appeared on my sidebar. Absolute genius!
Thank you RyanCantPvP
This is entirely beautiful, the understanding and coupling between performers and composer heightened to this level really really rarely aligns itself like this. Beautiful work both in the score and the process of performing it.
Thanks!
I hope you're kidding.
@@Proud_Troll Never did they say the music itself is beautiful
@@eboone He said, "Beautiful work both in the score and the process of performing it."
@@Proud_Troll why would they be kidding?
Wonderful! Salutes from Brazil!
Very impressive score if this was done without the assistance of a computer. These extended playing techniques are very complicated and for someone to write these with such precision is spectacular.
Hi, thanks! Yes, definitely no computer, just pencil and paper. Took me two years to find a good purpose for all the extended techniques to make sense in the narrative!
@@Musiqwerty Wow! Thats ridiculous, I see how much I rely on my stupid Mac for composing ): these were the good old days
I write on paper as well. I would never compose through a computer.
I'll definitely be checking out more of your music, this is great! Very dynamic.
Thanks for checking in Jodi.
The thought of how much work went into recording this…such a great sound from this quartet!
Awesome! The score is beautiful
absolutely losing my mind from 10:30 to the end of the piece. how in the world do you come up with atmospheres and textures like this... so much to learn
I really enjoyed this. Never heard a quartet quite like this
Thank you!
Heard it live at the Doelen once.
this is what it sounds like when i’m going to the bathroom bro what
Magnificent. Incredible composition and performance!
I wonder what came first for this particular piece, the notation or the playing.
Sounds a lot like Rihm. I'm not sure it has Rihm's dramatic flare or forward drive, though.
Yes, a fair observation. Rihm was a big influence, but the 'stream-of-consciousness' approach of his didn't suit me well, I discovered in the end, and the piece was restructured several times, in, what you could say, an un-Rihmian fashion.
@@Musiqwerty I still enjoyed it quite a bit! Good work!
@@maxreger91 Thank you
this is ridiculously cool
reminds me of george crumb quite a bit
Wao wild fesh spotted
Absolutely horrifying, notation and all. I love this for some reason
Thank you!
This is some GREAT stuff, bravo. You really pushed the limits for string performance and got some awesome sounds out of the instrument. As a composer, there's so much to learn from this.
Cheers, appreciate your feedback.
Such interesting piece!
I dont wanna be your friend. I wanna be your student
Hey, thanks for sharing. Will listen this later.
I literally cannot believe that a string quartet could ever do this
The score is unique and the sounds are varied. I like it!
I enjoy listening to this as I slowly and peacefully drift off to sleep.
Brutal!
You write by hand? Amazing.
Not gonna say that it's super for me, but I like it. Keep working👍
Really fantastic stuff!
10:30 is really beautiful
this is cool
Very rich sound, beautiful glissandos.
14:37 I really like the eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
This is tremendously entertaining work. Thank you for uploading this.
This is amazing!
C’est manifique, mais ce n’est pas la musique…C’est de la folie.
Mesmerised by it.
Gives me kind of death vibes.
Excellent. Some of the switches from pizz to arco look quite demanding to say the least. I am curious. Interesting work.
this is incredible 🤩
im curious, whats incredible about it?
@@hendomas7435 the music?
@@WEEBLLOM I mean specifically
@@hendomas7435 the music
@WEEBLLOM that ain't specific.
Like what's your favorite part
This sounds awsome, Good job!
This is fantastic.
okay you know what i do understand it
I have to say I don't understand wtf is going on (the weirdest music I can handle so far is Bartok) but it looks like you had a lot of fun making it, and it sounds like the performers are really good.
It was great fun for sure! I love Bartok too
Music doesn't work like spice lil bro, you don't gain tolerance. All you're doing when you're thinking you're becoming "more tolerant", is that you're actually just becoming more delusional when listening to music, or noise in this case.
@@Whatismusic123 in my experience it does, and there are a couple pieces you really like that stick and then it makes you understand contemporary music. It opens the door, so to speak. For me the pieces were: Scriabin 5th, 7th, and 9th Sonata, Stravinsky Petroushka, John Luther Adam’s Become Ocean, Feldman For Philip Guston, Philip Glass North Star, and Charles Ive’s Fourth Symphony.
I’m sure if you look hard enough, you’ll find a piece that is the “ahah” moment and helps you understand contemporary music. It does take time to get used to, and there are still pieces I find completely inaccessible to this day (like Lachenmann), but I know one day I will understand it and be able to appreciate it.
@@tylers9006 First of all, Scriabin is not a modernist moron like Edward Top is, or John cage or Boulez or any other of these "music" composers.
Second, there's a large difference between liking something, and something being good. A piece of music can be absolutely terrible, or not be music at all like in this case, but you can still like it regardless, that's the power of delusion and belief.
You're not "understanding" nor "appreciating" anything, you're conditioning yourself to enjoying garbage, by bashing your head at a wall multiple times, hoping it cracks and sticks.
@@tylers9006 there's nothing to understand. This is called a cult.
Composers are crying in their tombs
I'm afraid to tell you if they're in a tomb they're probably dead
@@WEEBLLOM you’re lying 😨😨
@@mavow_ They are laying, not lying, in the tomb.
I'm struggling to understand the sound at 3:27, it's amazing, as if there's wind instruments playing at the same time
Its just the effect of flautando (a technique in strings)
@@humanoidx977 How do you do that?
@@amj.composer You use the bow closer to the fingerboard (like a 'sul tasto' indication). It gives the strings a more "airy" quality, thus the name flautando which tranates as "flute-like". The opposite would be doing 'sul ponticello' (using the bow near the bridge) which gives a metalic and sharp sound.
@@CaptainPhen thank you!!;
This is so impressive! I'm definitely going to consider playing this for our next concert, amazing job!
Great, thanks!
I see this piece as a response to Black Angels by George Crumb, which is why such a piece like this doesn’t deserve the title of “String Quartet #1”. That gives listeners absolutely nothing about what to expect, or the intention behind this piece, which is articulated so clearly in the description. The title should match what the piece is about. Because it doesn’t, most people who click on this video will write the piece off as more atonal gobbledegook with no real meaning, which is not what this piece is.
The title "Black Angels" doesn't provide any information that would help you to listen to that piece
@@garrysmodsketches What do you mean? Of course it does! When I read the title "Black Angels" and the subtitle "13 Images From a Dark Land", that gave me a very clear idea of what the piece was about. The title made me understand why the piece sounds so terrifying. The piece wouldn't have captured my interest if it was called "Electric String Quartet". Titles are more important than you give them credit for
@@codascheuer8426 Do you really believe this? If a piece of music has terrifying character, this fact will be apparent just by listening. What you are saying is that without reading the title you won't be able to hear the terror in the music, which is impossible unless you are deaf.
@@codascheuer8426 it's a gateway to delusion
I personally enjoyed the section from 10:00-12:40. The slow section is very well written. I think the fast dense sections look cool on paper but I don’t think they sound interesting.
Additionally the “dancelike” section from 12:50-13:50 sounded very nice. It kind of reminds me of the textures in Bartok’s string quartets. I understand that it’s cool to work with new sounds, but I personally think it makes more sense to integrate those sounds and techniques into a more melodic section. These sections I’ve highlighted just feel much more expressive and unique.
I understand and appreciate your thoughts. Writing melodically is merely one of the many other parametres achieving expression. The new sounds, (non-melodic!) textures, and harsh dissonances are deliberately explored to represent the Hellish monsters in the Last-Judgment panels of Hieronymus Bosch the work is inspired by. The slower sections you refer to are representational of Heaven as it appears in Bosch's paintings. Thanks for observing the 'good'!
This looks (and sounds) like what happens when you slam your keyboard over and over while in Musescore.
No
@@WEEBLLOMyes, this is just avant-garde noise
@@justamusician7846 no :D It's music
Listen to it attentively a few more times and you might not think that anymore.
@@justamusician7846 Bad music is still music.
ah ~ classical music is so relaxing
the string quartet must have made their living solely off of performing this lmao
7:53 is relatable
9:22 at this moment they play like "Qobyz" (I reference kazakh instrument (bcuz I'm kazakh), but maybe they more like kyrgyz instrument)
WOW, that'll keep those molecules moving!
Soo lovely
Wow love this. This is both accessible and compelling. Strong sense of journey... narrative. So much unexpected Tonality.
3:27
thats a moment
@@dominikjezdik It's not just a moment, it's one of the moments of all times
Did they just break the bow at the end?
what is the point of alternating d sharp and e flat
It is a way to have colouristic change and motion of the same pitch, which is played on D and G string (and therefore enharmonically spelled to E-flat and D-sharp).
@@Musiqwerty Oh... that's INSANELY smart. In fact this WHOLE QUARTET is insanely smart
Also did the violists bow snap
What happened at the end? What was that sound?
Any influence by chance of ysaye sonata no 3? Feel like i heard some motivs there
This is how I play Mozart!!!
The ending for the violas my god
12:46
pretty cool!
Wow, this is wild! Love it.
Impressive! Did you hired a copyist or this is your penmanship? Great work!!!
very...interesting....;)
sodelicious............
I would not say that I enjoyed listening to this, nor that I would want to come back to it. However, there are brief glimpses of some enjoyable music hidden among what is often a messy, harsh sounding texture for a string quartet. Perhaps there would be times when I would want to listen to this, but at the moment my mood clashes with the aim of the piece
This is just garbage. There is no music to be found.
@@Whatismusic123yay my favourite imbecile replied 🎉🎉🎉
@@Whatismusic123 This transcends music.
@ no, this is very far below the hights and even the lows of music, this is garbage.
Incredible piece!!!! Really love it. This score is handwritten, yes? It looks really beautiful. Would be interested in trying my hand at computer-notating this, though!!!
Thank you! All pre-computer age, yes :) (I started using Finale two years after writing this piece)
@@Musiqwerty ah cool!!
@@Musiqwerty The first thing I thought when I saw your notation was, "this looks like George Crumb's notation!"
@@theoriemeister well spotted! Crumb is an important source of inspiration
@@Musiqwerty i got here through crumb's works! youtube sometimes brings me to such lovely things i would've never found otherwise
initially figured he might've been an inspiration, and then everything kinda clicked when i saw the notation at 9:58 haha. really nice tribute in a way. amazing stuff, looking forward to hearing more :D
8:00
Excellent for chasing homeless and hang-out youths away out of public places.
The purpose of music and all art is to be beautiful, not to merely be innovative or creative or boundary-breaking for its own sake.
Exactly!
No it is not
What a poor definition about the purpose of art and music.
@@FelipeFinelli6088 Whether you like it or not, there is a science to creating good, compelling art. If you want to ignore the science and push the boundaries of creating art, be my guest. Just don’t expect other people to enjoy it or find it good or find it beautiful.
@@calvinmark2112 The science of art? what utter nonsense you are spewing, the popular apreciation to art swiftly shifts periodically, science can explain why people view art the way they view it, but creating art by "using the science of art" is a soul-less and meaningless thing, art is just the expression of an idea, it doesn't have to please the viewer, it doesn't have to cause any emotion at all, "pushing the boundaries of art"? I really question your sentience and ability to reason, how do you think a magnus opus is made? Most of the time if not all times, is by "pushing the boundaries of art" which is another utter nonsense, elitism is a disease, go look for a brain
Sounds like open door
This piece is great may I ask what it's inspiration was?
I heard it was inspired by paintings of Bosch's depictions of hell.
👀
👂
Should not listen after dark.
that small violin part at 1:30 reminds me of an autistic friend I had a while back. strange
wut
Sounds better without the video... 😀
what is this☠️
This music sucks absolute ass, but the process it takes to be able to perform it is a beautiful display of human perseverance
Wow rude
@@WEEBLLOM ong someone put their soul and made this just for someone to say "sucks absolute ass"
Just because you spend effort on something, does not mean it's art. It's called wasted effort, because what you've made is actually effortless randomness a computer could produce, which you've deluded yourself into believing has purpose behind it. Tell me, what "emotions and ideas" do you wish to express? Because sorry bud but that's impossible outside of fairytale.
your comment more aptly describes your minecraft music arrangement than this quartet
@@MatheusKulik you're hating without reason.
@@MatheusKulik also your reply makes absolutely no sense anyways
@@Whatismusic123 I usually avoid making negative comments on people's music, because each one has the right to explore art in whatever way they find better and share it. But seeing you don't treat others like that I just find it fair to express that I do find your arrangement mechanical and uninspired, whilst this quartet is quite obviously a legitimate art work. I'm not hating without reason, I just find it funny that you project your insecurities about your own music on other people and other aesthetics
@@MatheusKulik because it's not a personalized arrangement, it's a note-for-note transcription. Moron. There's no "inspiration" in literal copying.
When Schoenberg started writing atonal music, his initial (and correct) instinct was to write shorter pieces (compared to his earlier, tonal works), i.e. the atonal language is so wild that it is most suitable for short pieces, miniatures. Webern also understood this.
This quartet is way too long. It's like telling the same joke again and again and again for 15 minutes. The listeners (including 99% of musically trained listeners) will get the idea of the piece in the first 30 seconds. After that they'll just get bored.
How do you know his instinct was correct
@@WEEBLLOM 1. He himself didn't hesitate to admit it in his essay "on composing with twelve tones".
2. His very talented students Alban Berg and Anton Webern had the same instinct, which Schoenberg also mentioned in said essay.
3. Common sense: large musical forms require contrast between sections. If the music is extremely expressive and intense all the time, a composer risks to back themselves into a corner. There is very little space for maneuver. This is why Glenn Gould said that highly chromatic post-Wagnarian language was an enormous liability for composers like Richard Strauss.
@@garrysmodsketches So it's just pure intuition. Cool
@@WEEBLLOM I mean, yeah. Art is not a science. Intuition plays a huge role. But we are talking about the intuition of great master-artists, not just some guy from the street.
Schoenberg was no less incompetent than this.
This is offensive.
To offend is a right, to be offended is a pleasure, and he who refuses this pleasure is a moralist.
This is not music.
Le Garbage.
Le rude
@@WEEBLLOM Le cultist
@@Whatismusic123 Le rude 2
This is absolutely horrible. I don't think I'll ever appreciate post modern atonal classical music.
And yet you click on post modern atonal classical music videos, presumably just to leave rude comments I suppose
If you don’t like this type of music then maybe don’t listen to it?
Firstly, nobody is holding a gun to your head and telling you that you have to like this music. Atonal music comes in all shapes and sizes, and most of the time - at least in my experience - it tends to be an acquired taste. The key word here is 'taste'. If it's not to your taste, which is absolutely fine, why not just say that? I ain't gonna judge you for saying that it's not to your taste. The problem is when people act like their tastes are more important than everybody else's and are really mean about it. Personally I really like this music. In my opinion, it's way more accessible to the performer than Ferneyhough's music, for example, but it still achieves a sense of flux in the rhythms which I really like.
Take John Cage's advice. He said that when he heard something he didn't like he'd listen to it another 10 or 12 times and discover he liked it after all.
Go listen to like the wiggles or something then idk
Awful
Full of awe*
Yuck
8:03