Ryan Johnson : Palms Quartet 4

A mysterious romance surrounds the opening of the fourth Palms Quartet, like an apprehensive tango gradually led by the husky voice of the viola. Growing into impassioned vivacity, the piece catapults toward an abyss. Arising from this abyss is an abstract painting of non-tonal sounds, eventually tossing us back into the dance. Finally, the piece gives way to exhaustion, perhaps a failure of the very romance that started us off.