f o r

Rhapsody
S t r i n g Q u a r t e t

Garrett Michael George

To be included in Program:

Rhapsody for String Quartet is a through-composed musical story that traces its primary
themes journey through a variety of landscapes, battles, and adventures. This hero, as it were,
meets a few like-minded but diverse friends along the way who reappear throughout the tale,
sometimes to help and sometimes to hinder him, finally uniting with him at the end in an exciting
finale.

While the piece is not necessarily intended to be interpreted programmatically, its form
nevertheless could be likened to an adventure narrative with its linear development and emphasis
on motivic recurrence. Set in a rich pandiatonic tonal idiom and guided by a Neo-Romantic
aesthetic, the eleven-minute Rhapsody makes many virtuosic demands on its performers.
 Rhapsody
f o r S t r i n g Q u a r t e t
Garrett Michael George
2014
Andante Cantabile q = 60
4
Violin I &4 45 b 44 n 45
43
mp teneramente

4
&4 45 b 44 5 43
Violin II n b 4
mp teneramente

Viola B 44 b 45 n # 44 # 45
# # 43
mp teneramente
? 4 b n # 44 # 45 #
Violoncello 4 45 n
43
mp teneramente rit.
Pu mosso q = 72 Meno mosso q = 64
8
n.v. # # # 14- n - - -

& 45 J
pp mp warm
n.v.
#
& 45 J - -
pp
- -
mp warm

B 45 ww
J

pp
j
?
45 ww
pp

15
w 2 3 - - #- -
& 4 J 4 45 43
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

# #
42 j 43 - - #

& - -
45 # 43
mp espr. mf
~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 #
B 42 j 43 # # 5
4 J
43
J
mp p espr. mf
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~ #
? # # 2 # j 3 J 45
4 4 # # 43
mp p espr. mf

2015 Garrett Michael George, All Rights Reserved

3
22 # # #~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 # J
#
J 2 3
&4 4 J
4
pp espr. mp 9 pp 3
pp mp pp
<>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<#> # # # ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
&
3 4 J 2 J
4 3
4
#
p pp p pp
- - - #- - #-
B 43 # -
- 42 43
mp warm
-
? 3 - - #- - - -
# 24 34
4 -
mp warm
3

29 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ 33
# 5 #w 3
4 #
U " 4 b
4 n b
& J 4
7
pp mp pp 6 mf
mp
<>~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ j
&
<#>
J 54 w 43
U" 4
4 b b
mp pp mp pp mf
U " 4 # b-
B 45 43 # 4 b
mf

? 3
" 4 b
U b b
45 # ## 43 4
mf
3

Pu mosso rit.
35 3
<b> 3
& b b bbb
43 - - 42 43 44 42 44

solo
3
43 42 43
44 b bb 42 4
& bb b 4
b b mp mf freely 3

5
B b b 3 b 42 43 44 42 44
b b 4
3
3
j
b b 43 b b b 2 44
?
b b 4 43 42 44
 41 con sord. 4
Largo tranquillo q = 46 b - b bb bb b b
4 4 3
&4 43 4 J 4
pp espr.
con sord.
b - b 3 b
4
&4 w 4 b 3
4 4 4
pp espr. 3
con sord.
b - b
B 44 43 44 43
pp espr.

n.v.
w w w w w
?4
4 O ~w ~w ~w ~w 43 O 44 ~w 43
pp

48 b b -
3 b 4 b b
b b 3 b 4
&4 J 42 4 4 4

b 2 b 4 b b b b 4 -
3
&4 4 4 b b 43 4
3
J
3
b b b
B 43 b b 3 - 4
b
42 44 4 4
w w
?3
4 O 42 O 44 O ~w ~w 43 O 44

A tempo q = 46
molto rall.
54 -
4 b b b b b 3 senza sord.
44 j
&4 b b 4
pp p molto cresc. sfz
senza sord.
4 b 3 44 j
& 4 bb b b 4
pp mp sfz
senza sord.
B 44
b b b 43 4
4 J
pp f sfz
(sul tasto) ord.
bsul
tasto b
?4 b b 3 44 J
4 O 4
pp molto cresc. sfz
 61 >Maestoso q = 72
5 b > b > > w > b > b > > > rit. Molto cantabile q = 52
## # ~~~~~~

& 43 44 # w
ff 5

b > > b > > w

> b > b > > b>
3 44 ##ww
b #
& 4
ff
>
b > b> > > b > b > b b 34 44 # #
B # #
ff
#
>
bw b > > > > b bb w ~~~~~~
# 3 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
? b w w 3 44 ##
4
ff

67 U 68 Tempo
q = 96
giusto
#
#
## O O #O
& # w 42 45 # 44 3
# ##O 8
5 mf
pp mp
U
& # 42 45 #
44 83
w mf
pp
U pizz.
B # # #j ## 42 #j # 45 #j ## 44 #j # # 83
pp mp mf sub. mp

? U pizz.
w 42 45 44 j
J
83
pp mf sub. mp

3
72
# . # #. #.
&8 87 44 J J 43
pizz.
3
&8 87 44 # ## 43
mp

B 83 ## 87 #j ## 44 #j ## #j j 43

> # #
8
?3 & 87 #J #j ? 44 ## j # # B ?
J J 43
>
 79
6
77 # . # . # . # #. . pizz.
3 J 4 O
&4 83 4J J 43 # # 44
#
p mf
arco
# . #. # #. pizz.
3
&4 83 44 #j 43 # # # 44 #j #
mp
p mf

B 43 83 44 #J 43 # 44 #j # #
mp
p mf
?3 # #j
4
83 44
#
3
# # 4 44

#
p mf mp

arco
82
# #. #. # # #. #.
&
mf

&
J
# # #


mf with renewed vigor
# #
B j #
j #
#
mf with renewed vigor
# #
?
j #

mf with renewed vigor

# #
84 col legno battuto
# # #.
& 43 #. .
mf

# #
& 43 J
mf
col legno battuto
B 43 #. .
arco mf
# . # . pizz.
? B ?3 #
4 # #
mf sub. mp
7

86 . # . . # # ## . .
ord. animoso

89 #>- >. >.
. 44 J ##. 3
& #. #. J #. #. > J 4
3 3
>> mp sub. f
arco
. . .
& 44 #J # #. . 43
f

. . # . #. #.
ord.
B # # . j 44 J 43
. . f

4 ##

? #
# # # 4 j J # 43
# f
mf

90
>>
#>. . #>. >. #> . # . # . > . w
3 44
&4 J

. #. . . . .
3 # 4 # . #. #. #. #
&4 J 4
. . .
# # . . # . #
B 43 J 44 # . #. #
arco
# arco . . pizz. # . # . >
?3 J 44 . #. # #
4

94
#> . # . # . > . >
#
& . #. # #. - - # # .
. .

&

B #> . #. #. > .
# #
f

? #> . #. #. > .
& # .
f
 8
97
. . > . .
. .

#. .
& . . . . . . . #. # #

#> . #. #. > . > > . #. #. n . .

& . . . # # #. . ## j
.
f
#> . # . # .
.
. #. # . > >
. #. #. . > J
B #. J
.
. . . # .
? ># # #
&
. .

#> . # . # . > . > >

100
w
J 3 # ## n > 4
& 4 4
ff
w #> . #. #. > . 3 j # 44
& 4#
ff > >
. # .
. # > .
. . #> . #. . # n>
B #. ## n 43
#> j 44
>
ff
# #. . . . . . > . . # . > >
? # ##. n 3 > 44
#> . . #. 4 > J
ff

sul E

103 >. . > . . > 105> Subito Largo q = 54 #
4 # # #. . > # #. n # # 5 #
. . . > #
J 44 #
&4 # 4
mf
#> . # . # . > . > #> . # . # . > . > # #> w
4
&4
5
4 4
4
#
> .
.
B 44 # . #. # 5 n. # 44 J ##O
> #> . #. #.
n 4
# > p

> > 5 nw . . # w
? 4 #>
4 J #>
j n n 4
w
4 4
3 p
 107 rall.
9 :; Grave q = 44
<#> # # # # # ## # #-#- - - 111
## 2 b
& 43 4 b b 44 45
p mf mf

<#> w w
& 43 42 bbb 44 45
p mf mf
#w w
## solo
B <#><#>~w ~w 3 J
4 42 bbb 44 5
4
mp mf

f

? &# # #
43

42 ? 4
bbb 4 45

p mf mf

poco accel. allargando

bb 5 bJ
112 n
& b4 44 43 nnn 44
cresc.

bb 5 b 44 n nn 4
b
& 4 J
43 n4
cresc.

, n n 4
B bbb45 4 b # n # n 3 nn
j 4 4 n n4
cresc.

? b 5 44 n w 3 n n 4
b b 4 b b w
cresc.
n n 4 n n n 4

117 Largo e misterioso q = 54 sul tasto

4
&4 45
pp
sul tasto
4 #
&4 45
pp
> sul tasto

B4 4 nw w
45

sf pp

?4
4 45
 10
123
b
120 n n U ord.
U
34 J 44
& 46 45 45
p

& n # 46 n #U
54 n U
ord.
43 J 44 45

p
U U
B 64 w 54 34 J ord.
44 b
45
pizz. p solo arco
#
5

? 46 45 43 44 j 4
mf mp 3

125
5 b ## #
44 n #
&4 # # #

12

5 44 n## ##
& 4 b n b ##
#
12

B 45 n # 44 # #w

?5 j
3 3
# 44 # #
4
3 3

accel.
133 Allegro
> feroce q = 88
# > >
#
128 >
3 b b

4 #
& 4 b b 4
mf cresc.

f con fuoco
n n 3 b b
&
4

b b

b 44 # > >
b > >
mf cresc. f con fuoco

# n # #> >
B 3
4 44 #>

# # J
#
# > J J
mf cresc.
# f con fuoco
j j j
? # n 3 44 # ##
4 #
mf cresc. # > # > > >
f con fuoco
11
134 # > > > n> > > #> # >
>.
#>>>>

3 # # > #> 3 4 J
j
& # #>>> 4 4
> 3

> > >

3
>>>>
& j # n # 3
4 44 > #> #>
> > #> #> J
> >>> 3 >.
##> j j 3 3
4 #. . j #. #. .
B J # # n
n 4 #. #. > # # #- 4 ## # .
# > # > >. >- >> .> >. > . . .
? #j j >. n>-#n 3 > 3
4 j n. . b.
# > #
# #
# J 4 #. #. # . #. #- 4 #. #. #. . . n b

# > > >> >>> # .

138 > > >

#> > 54 #
& #> 23

>
& > 45 #> # 23
#> #> >
#>
.
. . #. #. . . .
. n . > > >#> n>

. . .
> n> 5 b. # # # . . #
B # # . 4 n n &# 23
# . . > . 3 5

> > > n . n . . n. n. . . b . . . b. .

? n # # #> 5 #. # . n # n. n. n 5 3
#. .
#
. . 4 n #
> > >n> n 2
3 >

140 Pu agitato q = h
3 #> > > 2 #> > #> >

&2 2
ff 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
> . >. >. - -
# - n-
3 #
&2 J j J j J j 2
2 #
ff n . . .
>. > > >
3 # 2 # - - #- n-
&2 2
ff

?3 22
2# #
# - nn - ##- -
>.
ff
 12

#> > 3 #> > > 2 #> >

143

& 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
- # -
#>. >.
3 22 n-
& J j J j 2
n .
> >. -
32 #- n-
& B2
2

? 23 # 22 -
- # -

> flautando, n.v.

146
#J. #>. . . #. 3 #. # -
& j J j . #J. 2J

>. >. f mp
> > > > > >
& # #
23 #
f 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

flautando, n.v.
#-
. . 2 #. j
B 3 B
. . #. &
f mp

flautando, n.v.
? 3 - ?
j
. . #. . . 2 #. j &#
mp
f

149 ord. . flautando, n.v. ord.

n. . #. . #J. 22 #
- n- #.
& J J j
mf p
.
> > > >
& # 22 #
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
mp p
ord. - flautando, n.v.
-
B n #j j 2
. . . . . . &2 B
mf p
ord. flautando,
? j 2 - #-n.v. ?
n. . #. j . n. . &2
mf p
13

153
.
# #. n. . n. . . j 3
#. n.
& # #
3
J . #. . J
3
sub. f . 3
#. . n. #. J . #. n . j
3
& . #. j . n . .

#.
j # .
. n.
sub. f 3
3
pizz. ord. 3 3 3
B b n.
. # n j . nJ #. .
#
# . . .
sub. f . . n .

. .
pizz.
? # b ord. 3 n . . j .
n . n #
. . #> . 3
sub. f 3
sul E - - - - - - -
>
156 . b . n . >.
b >. >~~
~~~~~ ~ ~~ ~
j . #. . . b ~ ~~~~~~~
& #. # 42 23
3 p sfz
3 sfz
sul A - - - - - - - >
3
. b . b.
n>. b >. b >~~~~
~~~~ b ~~~~~~~~ ~~ ~
& #
j n. b J 42 23
b . . . sfz p sfz >.
3
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
* ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#. . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 J
trem.
B n. #. #J J nJ nn YY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 4 23
3 >. >. >
3 fp sfz
>.
. *
~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~
~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
trem.
>Y ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 J

? J b

~~~~~~
Y ~~
4 23
>. b .
> fp sfz
L'istesso tempo (h = h) * Glissando upwards using a double stop of
>
161 b w roughly a perfect fourth; pitches are approximate.
3 w
&2 b 22 23
ff brillante con spirito f
>
bw
&2
3 w b 22 b w
23
w
ff brillante con spirito f
ord. >
w
B 23 bw b 22 bw
w
23
ff brillante con spirito f
ord.
?3 bb bb 2 bb bb 3
2 2 . 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
ff brillante con spirito f
 14

165
3w > 22
& 2 bw b b b b 23
sub. mf 3

3 >
& 2 bw 22 b b b 23
sub. mf
3
>
B 3 bw
2 22
b b b b 23
sub. mf 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

? 3 b b 22 b b 23
n
2 b b b
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 sub. mf

169
3 n b w w w
&2

3 b . b. 3 3
b
&2 b . b
w
3 . 3

>
b w > . b. b
B 23 n

? 3 bn b b
2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

>.
172
>
w w
174 b . . . .
& 22
ff fff molto animato
>
bw w
& w w b. . . . . 22
>
ff fff molto animato
> >
bw w b . . . . >.
B 22
ff fff molto animato
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 ^ 3 3 3 ^
? b b 2
b b . 2
> > .
fff
15
175
2 b . . . . - - - -

23 bJ b J 2
&2 2
mf cresc.
- - b - -
b. . . .
bJ b J 2
2
&2 23 2
mf cresc.
- -
b . . . . b - n-
B 22 23 bj b 22

J
mf cresc.

?2
3 3 3 3 ^ ^ 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 22
2 b 2
. .


>

>

> > > > >
>
mf cresc.

179
n > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
2 b nb n n ##
&2 J 23
f

2 b nb n n b b n j
> > >
> > >
> > > >>
> > 23
&2 J > > > >
sfz f
n > > > > > > > > > > > > >
#
B 22 bnbJ n n # J 23
sfz f
> > > > > >
?2 > > 3
2 >
j > > 2
f
fp sfz

184b > b > > > > 185

3 > b> b 4
&2 2 23 42
3 3 3
>
3 > > > > > 3
4
&2 > b> b 2 23 42 w
3 3
b
> > mf molto cresc.
>
b b > > > b>
3 > b> 4
B2 b 2
>
23 42 W W
3 3 3 mp molto cresc.
>
> > > > W w W W
?3 > 42
2 > >

> 23 42
3 3 3
sf mp molto cresc.
 191 Maestoso q = 72
>
b >
>
> > b > 16
189 w w > >
w 3 4
& 2 4
f sfz ff mf
b > > > b > b > > n> > > b
&
W
23 w 4 b
4 b b n b b
sfz ff
> > > mf
b
44 b> > > > > > b b> > > b> b
B W 23 w >
ff 3 mf
sfz
W w b
> > > b> > b

?
23 44 b b b
> b> bb
> > 3
sfz ff mf

molto allarg. accel. poco a poco

196 b - risoluto q = 72
Maestoso
- n - - w
b b

& 43 44
f

-
& b b b 43 b 44 b b n- - n-
-
f 3

b b b
34
3
B 44 - - - - b- - -
3

f
b > 3
? b b b b > >

43 4
b. 4 w w w
3 > . w w w
> >
f

- >
b b - b- b- -
202

&
2
4
b 3
4 44 b 45
3 3
J
ff 3

3 3
& b- b- b 42 # #
3 #
4 44 b 45
b- - b >>> J >b
ff
> >
B b b- j 2
4 b n 43 > 44
J 45
-
- 3
ff
sul A
3 >

?
w 42 j 43 & j 44 b 45
w 3 3
ff espr.
17 molto allarg. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 209 Presto brillante h = 92
206 n
5 #
&4 42 # 43 ##n#
>>>>> 22
3 3 3 3
3 5 sempre ff ecstatic
mf sfz f
# 3 . . n n
5
& 4 <b>
3
2 5
4 # 4 ## n #
b >>>>> 2 n
2
f 3 3
mf sfz sempre ff ecstatic
3
3 5 n . #.
B 45 #> 42 # n# 43 ##n# 22
n &
> >>>>>
> n >
mf sfz f sempre ff ecstatic

5 >>>>>
? 2 j
& 4 4 # 43 . 22
3 5 >#>. n w
w
mf sfz >
pesante sempre ff ecstatic

.
210 . b

3 3
32 b b. b 22
& .
3 3 3 3 3 3

.
. . 3 3 . b b
&
3 .
2 bb 22
3 3 . . 3 3
3

# . . . 3 3
& B 23 b
b .
22
3 3

. 3

?
w 23 b 2
2
w b
> >.

213 n n . .
2 .
&2 .
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
>
n>. #>.
> >. >. >. . b n
&2
2 # b . n . b 3
b
3 3 3 3
> n>. > >. > >.

n
B 22
> 3 3 3
>
?2
2ww w
w
> > >
 molto allarg.
18
217 219
3 3 3 3
b >
> >
& b
. . . 3 cresc.

3 3

& b b> b
cresc.
> >

3 3 3 3 >
B . b b b b b
. . . > >
cresc.

? b
bb
> b>
3 3 cresc.

223 a tempo h = 92 accel.

222> >
w w w w w w >
b w w w w w w
&
fff

> 3 > >

& b b> w w w

> >
fff
>
>
B b w w w w w w
w
> w w w w w >
fff

? w w w w w w
b w w w w w w
> > >
fff