moved by an interior impulse
Moved by an Interior Impulse, for string quartet and synthesizer, explores the tension between conformity and individuality through a rhythmic blend of classical and electronic sounds. It begins with Dopamine Machines which sets up a conflict between focused intention (string quartet) and chaotic distraction (synthesizer). The journey continues through pieces inspired by spiritual experiences, dance, and minimalist patterns, each examining different aspects of personal truth. The album concludes with "Controcorrente" (Against the Current), bringing the narrative full circle to emphasize nonconformity as a path to personal growth.
Violin 1 - Alicia Enstrom
Violin 2 - Annaliese Kowert
Viola - Betsy Lamb
Cello - Alex Krew
Synth - Cristina Spinei
Producer - Cristina Spinei
Engineer - Jordan Lehning
Mastered by Nick Spezia
ABOUT THE TRACKS
1. Dopamine Machines depicts the battle between human willpower and our many daily distractions. I liken it to the classic depiction of the angel and devil on our shoulder. On one side we could choose focused intention, and on the other side is chaotic input. The musical equivalent of the angel, or focused attention, is the string quartet. It begins emphatically with a heavy, insistent rhythm. Wedged into its small pauses, the synthesizer interjects a sustained counterpoint. It’s the pull of distraction which becomes increasingly bold throughout the piece. Dopamine Machines plays with the idea of reclaiming our attention in a system that promotes its fragmentation.
2. moved by an interior impulse
I’ve long been fascinated by Marian apparitions, especially Mary’s appearance to three shepherd children in Fátima, Portugal. I borrowed this title from a quote from Venerable Sister Lúcia dos Santos.. In 1917 Mary appeared to Lúcia and her two cousins once a month for six months. During the final appearance, 70,000 people gathered to witness a promised sign - the sun appeared to dance and fall to the earth. In Sister Lúcia’s description of the appearances, she refers to being “moved by an interior impulse” when explaining her call to pray.
“Then, moved by an interior impulse, we fell on our knees, repeating in our hearts, ‘Most Holy Trinity I adore you. My God, my God, I love you in the most Blessed Sacrament.’ ”
3. Motus is the Latin word for movement, gesture, or emotion
This piece has a bit of an unlikely inspiration. I was driving on a beautiful back road surrounded by farms, country radio turned up, when I heard Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem for the first time. Something about the opening acoustic guitar riff stuck with me and transformed into the opening rhythm for the strings. The structure of Motus is similar to a song form: Verse - PreChorus - Chorus, Verse - PreChorus - Chorus - Bridge - Outro. It is a full-bodied celebration of movement with a hook that I hope will get stuck in your head.
4. And The Truth
There’s a famous quote by songwriter Harlan Howard that country music is “three chords and the truth.” I wanted to see if I could write a convincing piece using only four chords and a wordless truth. The synth holds down the chord pattern: C minor - g minor - Eb 6 - Ab Major 7. It starts with an organ-like sound which progresses to a grittier, more incisive sounding patch to vary the color. To contrast the repeating harmonic pattern, the strings have increasingly elaborate lines with arpeggios that bloom out of long held notes. Perhaps my truth is a little bit stretched because an f minor chord pops into the music right before the return to the main theme. And The Truth plays with harmonic expectations suggesting that truth often exists in the tension between simplicity and complexity, certainty and doubt.
5. Antagonist4ever
I originally composed this quartet for Async Art, a platform that allowed artists to create changeable, dynamic art and music. This quartet was conceived so that each element could stand alone — each string part also works as a solo as well as any combination of duet or trio. The synth adds a buoyant layer to the quartet and provides a subtle rhythmic counterpoint to the string melodies. This quartet was previously entitled Whirl, but I changed it to Antagonist4ever as an homage to the person who collected my work. I thought the ethos of my collector’s handle fit perfectly with the premise of the piece.
6. Interlude
I had extra material from “moved by an interior impulse” that I wanted to expand upon at a slower tempo. Instead of using the entire quartet, Interlude is scored for two violins and synth. It acts as a reflective bridge between the preceding five songs and the end of the album.
7. Notes to Self
There is a secret to how this album was conceived, and it becomes more obvious in Notes to Self. When I was thinking about the role of the synthesizer with the string quartet, I decided to reimagine and update a Baroque continuo. The synthesizer patch is meant to sound like a harpsichord, creating a connection to the contrapuntal complexity of the baroque era. The string quartet provides both a warm, resonant foundation and agile counterpoint to the electronic timbre, creating a textural contrast that highlights the unique qualities of each sound world.
The composition unfolds through a series of interlocking patterns where the harpsichord-like synth establishes a harmonic foundation with bold, resonant chords. Against this backdrop, a minimalist melody weaves through the texture, developing gradually through incremental variation rather than traditional development. The strings respond with both sustained harmonies and fragmented gestures that mirror and transform the synth's material.
8. Controcorrente
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect5