In Samuel Beckett’s 1979 novella, Company, a man lies on his back in the dark and listens to a Voice. According to Thomas J. Taylor,
The central narrative revolves around the complex relationship between the voice, the listener, and the elusive “another,” highlighting the ambiguity of identity and presence. As the anecdotes unfold, they reveal a deeper commentary on the nature of existence and the inevitability of loneliness, suggesting that while memories and stories populate our minds, the ultimate truth is that we are alone.
In 1983, Philip Glass was commissioned to compose instrumental music for Fred Neumann’s theatrical adaptation of Beckett’s Beckettian work. In his program note, Glass writes,
I liked the idea of using the medium of the string quartet that would allow for both an introspective and passionate quality well suited to the text. Beckett picked four places in the work which he referred to as the “interstices as it were.” Not surprisingly these four short movements have turned out to be a thematically cohesive work which now, as my String Quartet No. 2, has taken on a life of its own.
Alternating between slower and faster tempi, the four movements are titled with metronome markings only (quarter note = 96, quarter note = 160). It is built with pure harmonic building blocks such as the arpeggiated triad. As patterns interlock and repeat, time flows through music as much as the music unfolds in time. Both exhilarating and quietly anxiety-ridden, the second movement pulls us into a rhythmic groove filled with competing three against two patterns.
This performance, featuring the ensemble Brooklyn Rider, was recorded at Wellesley College in 2014:
Recordings
Glass: String Quartet No. 2, “Company,” Brooklyn Rider discography
Featured Image: Brooklyn Rider, photograph by Erin Baiano