Quintet for Strings (Perle)
# Quintet for Strings (Perle)

The Quintet for Strings (1957–1958) is a composition for two violins, two viola, and one cello by George Perle, "in memory of Laura Slobe".

The piece is listed by Richard Swift as a tone-centered composition, rather than as a twelve-tone modal piece or 'freely' composed.

## Structure and analysis

### Structure

The work is structured in four movements:

* Allegro
* Scherzo
* Adagio (Variations)
* Allegro; Molto Adagio

### Analysis

The first movement is based primarily upon octatonic and secondarily upon whole tone material, and centered on A♭ (with G and B above). The "sonata-like" first movement also presents material used throughout the work: "a descending scalar melodic line, sustained pedal tones, and melodic thirds." Of the third movement, a theme and four variations, Carl Sigmon writes that, "a declamatory cry dominates the movement – a cry so stark that it must be repeated; there is no answer but itself." Its tone center is G♯, but with A and C♯ above (a whole tone above G and B): "In this fashion, the incipient whole-tone element of the Quintet is embedded in the global tone-center relations." It contains a viola, cello, and violin cadenza in the second, third, and fourth variations, respectively.

It has been recorded on George Perle: A Retrospective (2006) Bridge 9214A/B.

## Sources

* ↑ Swift, Richard. "A Tonal Analog: The Tone-Centered Music of George Perle", pp .283 & 258–259. Perspectives of New Music, Vol. 21, No. 1/2, (Autumn 1982 – Summer 1983), pp. 257–284.
* ↑ Swift (1982–1983), pp. 267–269 & 276.
* 1 2 Starobin, David (2006). Liner notes, George Perle: A Retrospective. Bridge Records 9214A/B.
* ↑ Swift (1982–1983), p. 274.
* ↑ Swift (1982–1983), p. 276.
* ↑ Swift (1982–1983), p. 275.
* Classical music
