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Programme Note

STRING QUARTET NO. 7 (1993)
The spectrum of sound, the gesticulation – in short, the very nature of the strings – has always had a central place in my output, demonstrated by the numbers of string quartets, concertos with string soloist, chamber and solo works. The interest dates back to my school years, when I was fortunate to be able to compose for a cello-playing schoolmate and to accompany him on the piano. I discovered then the innumerable nuances of sound and playing varieties offered by just one bow, four strings and five fingers..

My STRING QUARTET NO. 7 was composed for the celebration of the Danish Royal Library´s 200 years as a public library, and at this occasion introduced to a number of invited people in the historical Round Tower in Copenhagen 1993. After a thorough revision of the first movement, the work was world premiered to the public in Tivoli in 1994 by the Kontra Quartet.
The first movement is based on a still returning melody which is richly varied, while the third movement waves in a flexibel dans rhythm. The end of the movements tend towards a joint swirling texture. In between, a silent double-world exists, where simple lyrical-expressive motifs alternate between two quarter tones related harmony layers.
String Quartet no. 7 is dedicated the Kroger Quartet.
Per Nørgård 1998

Note: The introduction (The spectrum of sound...five fingers) to be used ad libitum.