Concerto for Mandolin, Guitar, and Strings

Movements
1. Fluid
2. Energy
3. Plasma
4. Degenerate Matter
 

Concerto for Mandolin, Guitar, and Strings (2022)

When Adam and Jacob asked me to write a concerto for them, I was very excited to take on this task. Both Guitar and Mandolin possess characteristics that I greatly admire - both are instruments that are extensively used in classical repertoire as well as in many folk traditions, both can be gentle and lyrical, yet also rhythmic and even aggressive. Combining them with bowed strings offers a wonderful opportunity to explore a variety of states and emotions and endless possibilities for combining these various string instruments. 

I decided to write the concerto in four movements - each corresponding to a different state of matter - Fluid, Energy, Plasma, and Degenerate Matter. This, I thought, would be a nice counterpart to the variety of these instruments in their many possible combinations. 

Fluid starts with the soloists alone, playing an expressive melody accompanied by quiet arpeggios. The strings enter gently and intermittently, almost as if it's testing the waters. Written in ternary form, the movement moves into a more active middle section, and returns to the opening melody in the violas, even more expressive and sad than in its first appearance. 

Energy, the second movement, takes on a more rhythmic and dynamic character. Here, I played with alternating time signatures and Middle Eastern inflections to create a lively rondo, reflecting the unpredictable nature of energy.

The third movement, Plasma, begins with an expressive and dissonant cadenza in the guitar leading to a slow movement that echoes traditional baroque arias. I see this movement as a bridge between the more fluid and energetic sections of the piece and the dense, intense final movement.

Finally, Degenerate Matter brings the concerto to a vigorous and rhythmically charged conclusion. In this movement, I focused on the percussive qualities of the mandolin and guitar, driving the music forward with energy and intensity. 

Throughout the concerto, the harmonic language draws on Baroque influences but is expanded with quartal harmonies and post-tonal structures. My goal was to create music that, while complex and interesting, remains melodic and accessible.