his Severed ear
performed by:
string quartet
In spring of 2023 I questioned if I could write an entire string quartet without a piano or instrument as reference. I took advantage of my trained ear and sense of melody to create what became “His Severed Ear”. The title references myself, using only my ear to write, while comparing my insanity to Van Gough’s, who famously cut off his ear.
I find this piece to perfectly embody an Ari Berger composition if it were written without any instrumental support. I took advantage of counterpoint and the clear sonata form makes a reasonable impression. I’m used to having an abundance of complex resources, such as improvisation, instruments, and collaborators, at my ready, and found that without these, a specific side of myself was brought out. I encourage one to hear my piece and comprehend the relieving simplicit state of my mind when uninfluenced. I encourage one to compare my uninfluenced self with myself when influenced by the world, as seen in my other compositions, and better grasp who I am as a vulnerable human as well as a composer.
