Elegy For A Friend - Arneis Quartet

"Elegy For A Friend" is a string quartet composition written at the High School Composition Intensive at Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Performed live by Arneis Quartet on July 26, 2024 at Seully Hall, 8, Fenway Boston Massachusetts
Heather Braun - Violin 1
Rose Drucker - Violin 2
Daniel Doña - Viola
Agnes Kim - Cello
On June 30, 2024, a fellow classmate and friend of mine named Lucian Oades passed away, leaving my high school community and myself shocked and sad. I decided to write and dedicate my last composition at Berklee to Lucian, using the beautiful instruments in a string quartet.
The piece begins in a haunting G minor, and immediately introduces the main half-step theme that is continuously used. The theme is morphed, both in its actual melody and in its harmonic content. It is constantly modulated into new key signatures and emotions to illustrate the complex nature of death. The piece is not necessarily written as sad, but more melancholy and reflective. It ends in the somber D-flat major, a key signature inspired by the fourth movement of Mahler's 9th symphony, which also reflects on themes of death. The piece quietly fades out like a lullaby, as we say a final goodbye to our friend who is unfortunately no longer with us.
Fly high, Lucian. Rest in peace.
Thank you to program director Mischa Salkind-Pearl, my program teacher Victoria Cheah, my composition teacher Jennifer Jolley, Brian Zeller, Stephen Cai, Santiago Guillen, Nicolas Homsi, Matthew Sperling, Mateo Neandross
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[@meettheoutlaw.8278]

For me, this invokes so much emotion and makes chills scatter down my spine. Absolutely stunning. Great job!