'A string quartet written in the late twentieth century which acknowledges the classical four movement model may seem a quaintly old-fashioned approach, but I wanted to see if my own concerns for colour and dramatic event, for the melos (or singing quality) and for the dance of the music could be realised within a tightly structured framework.'' The work was written for the Lindsay String Quartet and premiered by them in their evening concert series at the University of Manchester on 5th February 1994.