‘ʼBeauty is the consolation for the burden of consciousnessʼʼ String quartet no. 1 was written in the midst of the corona lockdowns, during a time of deep isolation and itʼs consequent psychological duress. These pieces attempted to throw light into that dark space, seeing beauty as salvation from lifeʼs suffering. As well as having salutary purposes, these compositions served as a tool for self reflection, self discovery and as an exercise in self honesty. Each note was given the necessary time and consideration so as to evoke a feeling of correctness or completeness in me, without arousing a sense of internal conflict. I wanted to arrive at a point of absolute certainty, a feeling that i rarely experience in my everyday life, but with art can be reached with sincerity, reflection and patience. Movement no. 1: This concise impressionistic exploration is a dynamic interplay of four or five themes. I wanted to build an emotional world and story from a small selection of well considered musical statements; To grow a forest from a few seeds. Recorded at the MDW in Vienna.