Work
the Father everlasting
for string quartet
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About
We praise thee, O God we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee the Father everlasting.
First two lines from the Te Deum (Book of Common Prayer, 1662)
This piece has no agenda, but draws together multiple strands of thought. It is primarily concerned with war and my own personal choices as to whether to engage in weapons related research – in my life outside music I am a research engineer. The piece uses sacred music to explore this and to express thoughts that are not expressible in writing. Themes from Thomas Tallis' setting of the Te Deum form a key part, casting on the piece a vast shadow of echoing counterpoint. Other themes surface and then submerge again. Is the ending a revelation and glimpse of sanctity, a lens for reflection, or a footnote at the end of an academic article?