Solitary Confinement (2021) - ca. 20'
string quartet (2 violins, viola, cello)
Sepehr Pirasteh - Solitary Confinement - Full Score.pdfIMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING THE RECORDING:
Since this piece is very long (ca. 20 minutes), I have chosen an excerpt of the piece that starts from minute 6:58 of the music (pg. 9 of the score, measure 104 / pg. 13 of the PDF file).
Premiere:
Argus String Quartet
November 2021, Rock Hall, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Program Notes (short version):
This piece is written based on stories of political prisoners in Iran and tries to capture the moments of decision-making and the psychological effects that prisoners go through. It also investigates different phases that political prisoners experience in solitary confinement. From the times they must spend time in solitary to the times they are brutally tortured. The end result of the piece is open and depends on the performers' choices.