Maarten Ornstein - 5 pieces of 4 and more for string quartet

5 pieces of 4 and more is a collection of 5 compositions for string quartet or string ensemble. As the composer of the music in this book, I am inviting you to discover and explore the world of improvisation. The 5 pieces - although they can be played as written - are meant as an incentive to play them in such a way that the music becomes as much yours as it is mine. Just as in my previous book, for solo instruments,’10 pieces of 10’ , I will give you the tools you need to start improvising and create your own music in these compositions. Preparing to play the pieces may be a little different from usual; learn and memorise the given scales and rhythms and find your own ways to use them. Once you have found something you like, it’s a good idea to write it down, thus building a little library of ideas that can be used in the music. If you’re new to improvising or making your own variations, you might find yourself not knowing what to play at times and that’s when the library that you built will help you.

The collection of pieces presented here is especially aimed at ‘classical’ ensembles looking for music that allows for more flexibility of interpretation, more input from the players, and improvisation with the whole ensemble. In this book you will find 5 pieces for quartet, or rather, 5 pieces for 4 voices, as each voice can be played by multiple instruments. All 5 pieces have sections where the musicians are invited to improvise using a given set of notes and/or rhythms. There are specific tips, tricks and directions for each piece which can be found on the page before a piece starts.

If you have any questions that aren’t answered in this book you can contact me via info [AT] maartenornstein.com  A very special thank you to the Dudok Quartet Amsterdam for working with me and play testing the music in this book; your insights have been invaluable.

5 pieces of 4 and more is published by Donemus Publishing. Full score and parts are available from their webshop

See and hear the Dudok Quartet play 'De la pantera' from the book!