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Han Lash

Total Internal Reflection

for string quartet

(2013)

Duration	20'
Commission	Commissioned by Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival and the Aspen Music Festival and School, Robert Spano, Music Director
Premiere	June 11, 2013; Great Lakes Music Festival, Southfield, MI; Jupiter String Quartet
Publisher	PSNY

Media

Program Note

“Total Internal Reflection” is a term used in physics to describe a phenomenon where light is reflected back upon itself rather than passing through a medium boundary. This happens when the light source comes from within a medium whose density is greater than that of the medium at which it is pointed, and when the angle of incidence is greater than the so-called critical angle. When these conditions are met, the light wave will not be refracted at all through the medium boundary, but is instead totally internally reflected.

I used the term “Total Internal Reflection” as a title for my string quartet because it was evocative of how I imagine my process of writing, especially in the way I relate to music of the past. I cannot help composing in response to the music I know and love. The string quartet has a particularly rich repertoire and history. The masterpieces of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Debussy, and many others are inescapable when sitting down to write a new work for this ensemble. But I imagine myself within my own present, aiming my creative angle at the past in such a way that my materials will bounce back to me totally. They have come in contact with the medium boundary, but they must come back still my own: a look within myself via my own light source, bounced back at me by my experience of the music I know and admire so deeply.

I use no quotes in this piece, and the music’s motivic evolution is very peculiar to my own vocabulary. But the constant flirtation with tonality, form, and structure recalls music of an earlier time. These pillars of musical construction are used as surfaces off which my music may glance, totally internally reflected.

Purchase

Types of Products

Score and part (Print)

Score and part (Digital)

Choral Score Set - 16 copies (Print)
Includes 8 copies of the soprano/alto part and 8 copies of the tenor/bass part.

Piano Reduction and solo parts (Digital)

Chamber Ensemble Score (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (4 required for performance) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (4 required for performance) (Print)

Choral Score (includes 4 copies) (Print)

Anthology edition (Print)

Full Score in 3 volumes (Print)

Choral Booklet (Print)

Choral Booklet (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (includes 3 copies) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (includes 3 copies) (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (2 required for performance) (Print)

Full Score/Performance Score (2 required for performance) (Digital)

Full Score (3 scores needed for performance) (Digital)

Performance Score (includes 4 scores) (Print)

Full Score (3 scores needed for performance) (Print)

Full score and Solo Part (Digital)

Full Score/Performance Score (6 scores required for performance) (Digital)

solo part and piano reduction (Print)

solo part and piano reduction (Digital)

Parts (Mov. 11 only) (Print)

Full Score (4 needed for performance) (Print)

Choral Score Set - 20 copies (Print)

Full Score/Violin Part (Digital)

Full Score/Violin Part (Print)

Conductor Score (Print)

Study Score in Two Volumes (Print)

Piano reduction and solo part (Print)

Piano/Vocal Score (Print)

Piano/Vocal Score (Digital)

Video and instructions (Digital)

Score and Parts (Digital)
Score and part PDF files are delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase.

Soprano/Alto Part (Print)

Full Score (Digital)
A PDF file of the full score is delivered via email upon receipt.

Tenor/Bass Part (Print)

Full Score (Print)
A print edition of the score ships to the customer's address upon receipt.

Parts (Digital)
A PDF file of the part(s) is delivered via email upon receipt.

Parts (Print)
A print edition of the part(s) ship to the customer's address upon receipt.

Solo Instrument Score (Digital)
A score PDF file is delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Full Score/Performance Score (Digital)
The full score serves as a performance score for all players. A score PDF file is delivered via email upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Score and Parts (Print)
A print edition of the score and part(s) ship to the customer's address upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. The email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer.

Solo Instrument Score (Print)
A print edition of the score is shipped to the customer's address upon receipt. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase. An email containing a link to download the electronic files is sent to the customer's email address.

Full Score/Performance Score (Print)
The full score serves as a performance score for all players. Print edition(s) of the full score/performance score are shipped to the customer's address upon receipt. Multiple copies are included if the work has more than one player. Any electronic files associated with the work are included with every purchase.

Choral Score (Digital)
A PDF file of the choral score is delivered via email upon receipt. The set is priced to allow multiple copies of the PDF to be printed for performance by the purchasing organization only.

Study Score (print) (Digital)

Study Score (print) (Print)

Choral Score Set- 8 copies (Print)
Minimum order quantity is 8 copies. Single copies are not available.

Vocal Score (Digital)

SATB choral score (Print)

Vocal Score (Print)

Choral Score (Print)

Full Score and Solo Part (Print)
A print edition of the score and solo part ships to the customer's address upon receipt.