Cat String Quartet

by Leevi Räsänen

String Quartet No. 4

Description

Meow! Pet cats live a life worth envying. They sleep through most of the day and are true masters of doing absolutely nothing. They entertain themselves by observing the world around them and by sneaking, chasing, or pouncing in sudden bursts of play. As independent creatures, they come to humans only when they feel like it, often looking for food or attention. Meow! Who wouldn’t want that?

The feline work ”Cat String Quartet” does not aim to imitate cat sounds but instead explores their spirit and habits. The music creeps in quietly, then springs into playful surprises. Like a cat, it circles the same spot patiently and then, “Meow!”, without any hurry, it stretches lazily with a satisfied yawn.

The idea of the piece comes from the British saying “like the cat that got the cream” which suggests the soft purr of contentment and a sparkle of delight when everything goes exactly as planned. The cat will always get the cream. Who could resist one? Purrr! In the States, there is a related phrase, “like the cat that got the canary” which swaps cream for a feathery little prize.

Cat String Quartet is written for a wide range of young players thanks to its moderate length and level of difficulty. Its main pedagogical elements are natural harmonics, imitating harmonics, a variety of glissandi, and finally the melodic micro-intervals that grow naturally out of those glissandi. The piece guides players toward them in a gentle way, without pressure for perfect intonation.

Instrumentation

2vln, vla, vlc

Category

Chamber Works

Prizes

Cat String Quartet was awarded the III place in the composition competition of the Turku Conservatory in 2025.

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Archive number

MF36266

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