Breath and Aura, for two violins, two violas, and violoncello (2013) – 9'30"
An amorphous, irregularly-pulsing cloud around G opens Breath and Aura. Short fragments coalesce into the first theme which finally emerges in the violas. The second theme, a vigorous quasi-gigue, belongs primarily to the violins. The final thematic idea, rather than a melody, is a progression, a sort of embedded chaconne that rotates a few times. The ‘cello, making up for not having a theme to itself, begins the development with a solo. The development combines all the themes in various guises, often contrapuntally. In the recapitulation, the first two themes switch characters — the melody of the first theme is transformed into a quasi-gigue and the melody of the second is moderately slow. Then the two, still in their reversed characters, are put into a double fugato with each other until they run into the chaconne progression, which serves as a denouement, with the preceding themes woven around it, rising to a quiet resolution.