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Triphoria

for string trio

premiered September 20, 2009
Trio Euphoria:
Rachel Vetter Huang, violin; Cynthia Fogg, viola; Tom Flaherty, cello
Bridges Hall, Claremont, CA

"Animated by stabbing cello patterns (reminiscent, in fact, of those powering Bernard Herrmann's Psycho soundtrack), Triphoria alternates fluidly between aggressively uptempo and serene nachtmusik passages."
– Ron Schepper, textura.com

Triphoria was written for a Celliola concert in September 2009. The program was shaping up as mostly viola/cello and violin/cello duos, but it seemed a shame not to join forces for a trio. A string trio of the appropriate length written after 1900 did not come to mind, so I seized the opportunity to write Triphoria. As for its title, I could tell you that there are three tempi, that a three-note figure gives rise to most of the pitch material, that there are three basic musical ideas, all for three performers. I might mention that the three performers comprise three-quarters of Quartet Euphoria. That would illuminate the title somewhat. As for the music, I hope it will speak for itself.

 

sheet music available at http://composers.com
Recording available on Albany Records and iTunes