Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines Elliott Carter’s First Quartet from the perspective of Proustian time: the superimposition of multiple temporal strands and the role memory plays in relating all events in time and space. It explores the similarities between the two quartets, which simultaneously both unify the two compositions and shows how the Second Quartet serves as a springboard into a new direction. The book addresses Carter’s struggle to develop a system that allowed him to express his ideas while trying out other techniques and studying the techniques of other composers, namely, Bela Bartok and Webern. It tracks the development of the concept of spatialization in Carter’s music by looking at his earlier works, as well as evaluating the spatial techniques of Carter’s initial source – Charles Ives. The book focuses on sketch study to decipher the rhythmic, harmonic, and formal designs of the quartet.