Piano Quartet

Winter is icummen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm,
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
And how the wind doth ramm!
            Sing: Goddamm.
Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
Freezeth river, turneth liver,
            Damn you, sing: Goddamm.
Goddamm, Goddamm, ’tis why I am, Goddamm,
            So ‘gainst the winter’s balm.
Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm,
Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.
                        — Ezra Pound, “Ancient Music”

The Piano Quartet was commissioned by the New York Youth Symphony for their chamber music program. I completed the score between May 4 and June 14, 1998; the premiere was April 7, 1999 at Weill Recital Hall.

© 2001 Gordon Beeferman. All rights reserved.