Here the dynamics are dominated by extreme fortissimo and extreme pianissimo, brutally played on the strings without any vibrato, but with a strong, almost painful sense of the physical friction, beginning with the same chord repeated over and over. This is quite typical for Holmen, and for this reason some have dismissed his music as primitive and crude. But beneath the surface of hammering monotony lies constant rhythmic displacements, disappointing the tempting urge to head bang, creating a more organic gesture. Other subtle variations lies in tone- exchanges between the violins and microtonal modifications.

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