Genre: String quartet

score available from Wise Music program note This quartet was commissioned by the A.N.A. Friendly Society and premiered on 5 November, 1991 at a concert of the British Music Society of Victoria (now the Lyrebird Music Society). The premiere performance was given by members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the Wesley Uniting Church on … Read more

score available from Wise Music program note i: The Founding of a Fiery Star ii: Queen of England iii: Like Hawks we Soar iv: Shadow of an Empty Cowl This 2nd string quartet is cast in four interludes taken from my opera Nelson. The Founding of a Fiery Star opens the opera and depicts Nelson … Read more

score available from Wise Music program note This 3rd quartet was written without commission after a fallow period of about 8 months; and over June and July of 1999 offered complete freedom to write whatever I cared. It is subtitled ‘Eternal Journey’, in reference to the harmony, which modulates through all 12 keys, always seeking … Read more

score available from Wise Music program note Danny Boy Variations, is not strictly in ‘Theme and Variations’ form as such. It is essentially a free rumination on sections of the theme, which ultimately lead to a larger, canonic treatment of the theme in pan–pipe tones which are intended to create an unworldly atmosphere in memory … Read more

YouTube score available from Wise Music program note i. Light from Distant Stars ii. Processional iii. Amen In memory of Matthew Grant Cole 15 June 1972 – 22 January 2005 Matthew Cole was a violin student of my wife and a friend of us both. He was knocked off his bike on a morning ride … Read more

YouTube excerpt (3rd movement) score available from Wise Music program note i. 1972, World Population: 3.84 billion ii. Bhaktapur to Nagarkot: 12.4 km iii. 2015, World Population: 7.36 billion The search for signs of intelligent life beyond planet Earth are ongoing; but for now, our planet could be described as alone within the Solar System … Read more

recording available Bushfire Dreams Ormond String Quartet Tall Poppies, TP263, 2019 score available from Wise Music program note i. Schubert, 1828 ii. Brahms, 1864 iii. Debussy, 1905 iv. Strauss, 1948 Written for Flinders Quartet, this work was commissioned by Julian Burnside to celebrate the birthday of Barry Jones. This 7th string quartet is subtitled Recognition … Read more

score available from Wise Music program note i. the presence of the past within us ii. the boat iii. once more around the sun The first movement of this quartet was written for the funeral service of my father Geoffrey Greenbaum, who passed away on 15 April 2022 at the age of 88. Geoff was … Read more

score available from Wise Music program note This single-movement string quartet is subtitled ‘midnight’ in reference to the Ukrainian folk song Black Eyebrows, Brown eyes, which opens with the words ‘Dark are the eyebrows, deep are the eyes, Dark as the midnight,’. It’s a love song about absence, separation, yearning and seduction – though in … Read more