Canandaigua Quartet

Written for the Cavani Quartet-commissioned by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. World Premiere: October 23, 1996. Cavani Quartet, Cleveland Institute of Music.

Albert Glinsky's Canandaigua Quartet takes its name from the beautiful lake in Western New York State which served as the backdrop for the commissioning of the piece. The works draws its primary inspiration from the geographical imagery of this region and the adjoining areas of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.

The first movement, "Sundance," is a celebration of the natural radiance of the lake and the joy of observing the motion and interplay of the surrounding flora and fauna. The second movement, "Nocturne (West on 90)," represents the enchantment of a night ride on Interstate 90-leaving the lake behind and heading west toward home. A full moon in a charcoal gray sky is framed by illuminated clouds; pinprick stars are sprinkled throughout the celestial dome-another twist on the American "romance of the road." The third movement, "Spinout," is a wild dance of ecstasy-one that threatens to spin out of control at any moment. It is a rejuvenation and affirmation of spirit stimulated by the memory of the lake and the shimmering beauty of the night journey home. A coda built on continuous acceleration concludes the work with a final spinout into the atmosphere.

As with the composer's other works, the Canandaigua Quartet draws much of its harmonic and rhythmic raw material from contemporary popular forms: rock, folk rock, and jazz.

"As I worked on the piece," the composer explained, "I also wanted to tailor it to the Canvani's personality. They have warmth, immediacy, humor, and delight. I tried to capture their spirit in the aesthetic nature of the work."