Composed by Erin C. Blake

Performed on November 4th, 2024

Ford-Crawford Hall, Jacobs School of Music, Bloomington, IN

“Matters of the least consequence enjoy the fiercest partisans.” -M.M. McDowell, A Cursory View of Cheating at Whist in the Eighteenth Century

Whist is based on the trick-taking card game of the same name. In the card game Whist, four players are arranged in pairs seated across from each other (first violin/cello and second violin/viola). Organized in four rounds with a stretch break in the middle (including some attempted cheating and plenty of indignation), this piece means to capture the drama, humor, and scandal of a not-so-friendly friendly card game. Can you tell who wins?

Ava Andrews, violin

James Robinson, violin

Sophie Choate, viola

Connor Swain, cello