One Dollar Mandala is a string quartet in five movements. Each of the movements can function separately as a short piece and together they create a cyclical form that takes a little over half an hour in performance. The first movement, in its playful persistence pays homage to Gyorgi Kurtag's string quartet op.1. The second movement - under a working title "chorale" - alludes to rich harmonies of Bach and Scriabin that I can't stop admiring. The third movement, in rehearsals referred to as "mazurek" is a return to my roots of Polish folk dances and shows my admiration for Szymanowski's brilliant Mazurki op.50 for the piano. The fourth movement is a fragilite, a poem harking back to the sensual aspect of Scriabin's music. The final movement is a moto perpetuo exploring my fascination for the South Indian classical drumming tradition.

Quartettsatz in c minor, D. 703 / Franz Schubert -- String quartet no. 4 / Bela Bartok -- String quartet no. 3 in D major, op. 44, no. 1 / Felix Mendelssohn. / text

Quartettsatz in c minor, D. 703 / Franz Schubert -- String quartet no. 4 / Bela Bartok -- String quartet no. 3 in D major, op. 44, no. 1 / Felix Mendelssohn. / text

String quartet no.27 in D major, op.20, no.4 / F. J. Haydn -- String quartet no.5, Sz.102, BB 110 / Bela Bartok -- String quartet in C minor, op.51, no.1 / text

String quartet no.27 in D major, op.20, no.4 / F. J. Haydn -- String quartet No.5, Sz. 102, BB 110 / Bela Bartok -- String quartet in C minor, op.51, no.1 / Johannes Brahms / text

String quartet no.27 in D major, op.20, no.4 / F. J. Haydn -- String quartet no.5, sz.102, BB 110 / Bela Bartok -- String quartet in C minor, op.51, no.1 / Johannes Brahms / text

String quartet no.27 in D major, op.20, no.4 / F. J. Haydn -- String quartet no.5, sz.102, BB110 / Bela Bartok -- String quartet in C minor, op.51, no.1 / Johannes Brahms / text

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2006. / "May, 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 122-134). Online version available on the World Wide Web.

Inaug.-Diss.--Tübingen. / Lebenslauf. Autographic reproduction of type-written copy. "Literaturverzeichnis": p. 69-70.

The first movement of the "String Quartet" opens with a gradual unfolding of the lead motive in the first six measures of the section marked "Largo." The second theme is heard in the first two measures of the section marked "Moderato" after a false start by the first violin. The third movement utilizes the essential dance characteristics of the "Minuet" marking.