Imagine a culture in which the string quartet has no history. No Haydn, no late-Beethoven, no Bartok, no ?Eleanor Rigby?. How would a group of four string players ? why four? why not? why two violins? maybe the bass player couldn?t get up the stairs? How would a group of four string players know what to play, how to play together?

chambre priv?e is the space in which they might begin to work it out. It?s tentative. Tuning seems to be an issue. Things come adrift and then come back together. If there?s a conclusion it?s not unanimous.

chambre priv?e was written in 2011 for the Bozzini Quartet, who commissioned it and to whom it is admiringly dedicated. They premiered in the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur, Montreal on 20th April 2012.