String Quartet No. 1

for 2 violins, viola, violoncello

Duration - approx. 22 min.

Program Notes:

Hercules Quartets is a three work collection which explores the twelve labors that Hercules performed for Eurystheus, the king of Mycenae.  The goddess Hera, angry with Hercules, made him lose his mind.  During this state, he murdered his wife and kids.  Upon awakening from his delirium, Hercules asked the god Apollo for guidance on rectifying the situation.  Apollo instructed him to serve Eurystheus for 12 years, and during this time he was instructed to perform ten impossible labors.  The number was later raised to twelve after Eurystheus denied him two of the previous labors.  String Quartet No. 1 includes labors 3,8,9 and 10.

Admetus and Diomedes:

For his eighth labor, Hercules and his companions traveled to Danube in order to secure the horses of Diomedes.  Along the way, they stopped at Admetus’ home.  Admetus told Hercules that the house is in mourning, but that it is not for anyone important.  Hercules and his party then decided to have a party, but were confused when the staff showed disgust at their actions.  It was then that Hercules learns that it was Admetus’ wife who had died, and that she died in place of her husband.  Hercules took matters into his own hands and descended to Hades and returned with her in tow.  After a scolding of Admetus, Hercules and his companions continued their journey.

Upon arriving in Danube, Diomedes, the king of the Bistones, offered the newcomers to his horses for dinner.  Hercules, however, realized the danger and after wrestling with Diomedes (who is himself the son of a god) fed the king to his own horses.

Cerynitian Hide:

Eurystheus orders for the third labor that Hercules bring him the golden-horned Cerynitian hind (female deer) alive.  It would have been easy for Hercules to kill the beast, but capturing it proved difficult.  After a year of trying, Hercules grew frustrated and shot the deer with an arrow.  Luckily, the arrow didn’t prove fatal, but it did provoke the fury of the goddess Artemis.  However, after explaining his mission Artemis let him be.  He then carried the hind back to Mycenae and King Eurystheus.

Hippolyte’s Love:

The ninth labor was for Hercules to travel to the land of the Amazons and get the belt of their queen for Eurystheus’ daughter.  The Amazons were warrior women, great archers who were known for inventing the art of fighting from horseback.  Hippolyte, the Amazon queen, fell in love with Hercules and willingly gave him the belt.  This angered Hera, so she started a rumor that the Greeks had captured their queen.  The Amazon warriors rallied and attacked Hercules and his companions.  Eventually the Amazon warriors were defeated and Hercules escaped with the belt and Theseus kidnapped an Amazon princess.

Geryon’s Cattle:

The fourth movement, Geryon's Cattle, was read by the Miami String Quartet in April, 2006.