In 1981, Standford wrote: "Antitheses for 15 solo strings was completed in April 1971 as a tribute to the hero of my youthful concert-going years in the north of England, Sir John Barbirolli, who died the year before in July 1970. It falls into three main sections, the first marked Lento, the second Scherzo Vivace and the third a fantasy piece centred around E flat. These three sections are linked, and lead directly to an extended Coda which summarises the material of the first two parts. Barbirolli's concerts had taught me so much of the excitement and structure of all kinds of music, and my spontaneous reaction to his death was the cello line at the opening of this piece, and the dense strain textures that shortly follow. The title came later, and describe the series of contrasts that the piece presents as its three main sections unfold, paradoxes, paralleled opposites, as fascinating to me in the making of music as in most other matters of life."

Please contact the Patric Standford Estate for further information.