The Stonecutter’s Tale, String Quartet #3, is inspired by the Parable of the Japanese Stonecutter, most famously told by Dutch novelist Multatuli in his literary classic Max Havelaar. The parable is a cyclical transformation story, in which the Stonecutter, initially unhappy with his existence, transforms into a rich man, then a king, the sun, a cloud, and a rock, after which he realizes that being a stonecutter is not such a bad thing after all.
I started composing the string quartet in my early twenties. When I revisited my sketches decades later, I found that much of the thematic material was already in place, allowing me to pick up the thread and finish my musical interpretation of this inspiring story. It only seemed natural to dedicate this piece to my parents, who instilled in me a deep love of music.
The composition starts with a martial theme, and works its way through the different phases of transformation as depicted by the parable, namely the Stonecutter, the Rich Man, the King, the Sun, the Cloud, the Rock, and the Stonecutter. The finale reprises and develops the martial theme, weaves in hints of the transformation story, and ends with an ebullient coda.
Check out this performance by the Cadalia Quartet.
- Sheet music through Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct.
Wilbert Weijer 