String Quartet No. 8

Hodkinson's fascinating STRING QUARTET NO. 8 seems like a set of delightful yet deep puzzles. The inscription tells us the work is an homage to Haydn, although that inspiration doesn't appear at the works surface. Throughout the 22-minute work's 4 movements, the bubbly opening of Holst's "Jupiter" starts up and evolves into more abstract and haunting music. The 3rd movement is a memorial to composer David Maslanka, featuring the viola in the lead, and the 4th movement is a jubilant conclusion that allows Jupiter to finally emerge.