“Multifocals” might be a more appropriate title for this string quartet, but I chose Bifocals because of the duality it suggests. The piece explores the nature of extremes in the ensemble and consists mainly of connective sections between climactic moments, or focal points, that present two opposites to the listener. For example, one of the primary elements developed throughout is spacing between the players: large chords stretching the entire range of the ensemble are juxtaposed with sections of unison playing, emphasizing the dichotomy between the string quartet as a collection of disparate voices and as a unified whole, or super-instrument. Another idea explored is the concept of a fifth instrumental voice created between members of the ensemble. This effect is realized primarily through the use of multi-stops, which are shared throughout the instruments. As the piece progresses, more and more notes are accumulated in the fifth voice, which puts it in sharp contrast with the unison passages. Finally, the piece presents disparities between vertical harmonic structures and contrapuntal techniques that prolong harmonies laterally. As a whole, Bifocal seeks to focus the listener’s attention on several diverse musical events while at the same time accentuating the varied emotional states that result from them.
Bifocals was written in 2012 for the Nebula String Quartet, a student ensemble at Boston Conservatory, and was revised in 2013 for a second performance by the group at my Master’s recital. The piece is structured around two formal focal points, passages consisting of a sustained unison, from which the music contracts and expands. The title also plays on the idea of bifocal glasses. The two optical powers of bifocals are represented by the two halves of the piece, the second of which is played with practice mutes, which halves the volume of the ensemble and magnifies the listeners’ attention.