Kronos Quartet

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
How odd that the recording that gained Kronos its initial fame proves to be the group's least remarkable: Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze," from the group's 1985 Nonesuch debut. At the time of its release, this encore of Hendrix's canonical rock song gave many traditional cultural commentators pause, and many young fans reason to rejoice. But as the years have passed and Kronos's members have become rock stars themselves (of a sort), listeners have come to find the pleasures promised by the Hendrix cover--soul, visceral rocking, rebellion--elsewhere on this record. The Slavic tinge of Aulis Sallinen's String Quartet No. 3 offers enough melancholy for half a dozen popular songs (and, about four minutes in, some very Hendrix-like rhythms). "Psychedelic" may be the best word to describe the myriad, rapid-fire patterns of the second and fourth movements of Philip Glass's "Company." And there are few rebels so legendary in America as Conlon Nancarrow, who lived in self-exile in Mexico and whose work, this String Quartet notwithstanding, is often too complicated for humans to play. --Marc Weidenbaum

Kronos Quartet, Music, Peter Sculthorpe, Aulis Sallinen, Philip Glass, Conlon Nancarrow, Jimi Hendrix, Hank Dutt, David Harrington, Joan Jeanrenaud, John Sherba, Chamber, Chamber Music, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Quartet for Four String Instruments

The Fountain
Average customer rating:

Peaceful Dread

Chillingly Beautiful

Gorgeous

phenomenal

Sweeping and powerful

The Fountain

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Fountain

The Fountain (Widescreen Edition)

Babel

The Illusionist

Requiem for a Dream (2000 Film)

ASIN: B000IU3YKU
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Tracks:

The Last Man
Holy Dread!
Tree Of Life
Stay With Me
Work
Xibalba
First Snow
Finish It
Death Is The Road To Awe
Together We Will Live Forever

Amazon.com

The Fountain is a layered, often beautiful score from composer Clint Mansell. The disc seamlessly moves from ambient drones to plaintive piano music to slowly percolating minimalist stuff to hugely swelling strings. Mansell, who's collaborated with director Aronofsky before, uses almost anything from the minor-key sonic palette available to him, with the exception of the mopey yuppie-folk and instantly dated electronica so often thrown into films. Mansell's own group, the superlative Kronos Quartet, is joined by Scottish noise act Mogwai. The use of such an arty, detuned guitar rock band as Mogwai in a big time movie soundtrack might seem weird, though of course Explosions in the Sky's work on Friday Night Lights was a harbinger. It's too soon to tell if this is an outright classic of soundtrack music in the realm of Goblin's Suspiria, John Carpenter's Escape from New York, or Popol Vuh's Aguirre. But it is definitely a subtle, melancholic work you'll want to revisit often. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

For the soundtrack to writer-director Darren Aronofsky's long-awaited sci-fi epic, The Fountain, Kronos Quartet reunites with composer Clint Mansell. The had previously collaborated on the haunting score for Aronofsky's Requiem For A Dream.

Customer Reviews:

Peaceful Dread.......2007-07-20

The other day I watched this movie on PAY PER VIEW and thought it was utter garbage. One thing that did stick out was the amazing music score by Clint Mansell. The music is very melancholy but very beautiful. I recommend this to anyone who likes this type of music.

Chillingly Beautiful.......2007-07-11

This soundtrack is amazing. The songs are so beautifully composed. I saw the movie and the same night bought the album. Some of the tracks bring me close to tears. I can't stop listening to this soundtrack! It's a must have for anyone who appreciates powerful instrumentals.

Gorgeous.......2007-07-08

This is music that is so beautiful, you won't want to stop listening to it.

phenomenal.......2007-06-29

Oh...what could be said to truly describe the beauty of this CD. It's phenomenal. Clint Mansell together with Kronos Quartet did an amazing job. I can't stop listening to this CD. And it's been months. Could it be because it let's me relive the story of the two people in love? It's very romantic. The piano is mesmerizing. I think that if you've watched the movie, by listening to this soundtrack you can relate to the journey that those two characters are going through. The journey of love....."Together We Will Live Forever" is probably my favorite. If you could, would you want to live forever? With the one I love.............YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Sweeping and powerful.......2007-06-18

The movie was stunning and so was the soundtrack. They moved so well together that I was moved to tears. My husband felt that it was a bit repetitive but that's because they use the same melody in each song though each song varies dramatically. It's as if the melody is the story moving along and taking different shapes with every scene. I thoroughly enjoyed both.

*Side note* It's great music to study to.

Healing the Divide: A Concert for Peace and Reconciliation

Average customer rating:

Healing the Divide: A Concert for Peace and Reconciliation
Dalai Lama , Tom Waits , Kronos Quartet , Philip Glass , Foday Musa Suso , Anoushka Shankar , Nawang Khechog , R. Carlos Nakai , and Gyuto Tantric Choir
Manufacturer: Anti
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sweet Warrior
Osvaldo Golijov: Oceana
Jack of Diamonds
Orphans [Fold-out Digipak with 24-page booklet]
Icky Thump

ASIN: B000F3AJTO
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

Special Address - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Invocation - The Gyuto Tantric Choir
Nivedan - Anoushka Shankar
Peace Chants - Nawang Khechog and R. Carlos Nakai
The Gambia - Philip Glass and Foday Musa Suso
Way Down In The Hole - Tom Waits and Kronos Quartet
God's Away On Business - Tom Waits and Kronos Quartet
Lost In The Harbor - Tom Waits and Kronos Quartet
Diamond In Your Mind - Tom Waits and Kronos Quartet

Album Description

This once in a lifetime event gathered musicians from wildly different backgrounds in a benefit for Richard Gere's Healing The Divide Foundation. Recorded live at Lincoln Center in NY, this CD features transcendental performances from Tibet's Gyuto Choir, India's Anoushka Shankar, genre-bending duets from Tibetan avant-garde musician Nawang Kechong with Native American master R. Carlos Nakai, and maverick composer Philip Glass with Gambian virtuoso Foday Musa Suso. The concert closer is a unique collaboration between musicians who personify the spirit of adventure in contemporary music, as Tom Waits performs four of his classic songs accompanied by Grammy winners the Kronos Quartet. Add a moving opening address by the Dalai Lama and you have the perfect musical embodiment of the Foundation's mission: to bridge cultural gaps and forge revolutionary new bonds between people around the world. Proceeds from sales will be directly applied to projects benefiting the peoples of Tibet and the Himalayan region.

Average customer rating:

WILD AND WIERD
"it's showtime!"
Not the orchestral version used in the "Two Towers" trailer
Amazing Soundtrack
I'm reviewing this from a slightly different perspective...

Requiem for a Dream (2000 Film)
Clint Mansell , and Kronos Quartet
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Fountain
Requiem for a Dream (Director's Cut)
Donnie Darko (Score)
Requiem For A Dream/PI (Two Pack)
Requiem for a Dream: A Novel

ASIN: B00004Y6Q5
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Summer: Summer Overture
Summer: Party
Summer: Coney Island Dreaming
Summer: Party
Summer: Chocolate Charms
Summer: Ghosts of Things to Come
Summer: Dreams
Summer: Tense
Summer: Dr. Pill
Summer: High on Life
Summer: Ghosts
Summer: Crimin' and Dealin'
Summer: Hope Overture
Summer: Tense
Summer: Bialy and Lox Conga - Moonrats
Fall: Cleaning Apartment
Fall: Ghosts-Falling
Fall: Dreams
Fall: Arnold
Fall: Marion Barfs
Fall: Supermarket Sweep
Fall: Dreams
Fall: Sara Goldfarb Has Left the Building
Fall: Bugs Got a Devilish Grin Conga
Winter: Winter Overture
Winter: Southern Hospitality
Winter: Fear
Winter: Full Tense
Winter: The Beginning of the End
Winter: Ghosts of a Future Lost
Winter: Meltdown
Winter: Lux Aeterna
Winter: Coney Island Low

Amazon.com

Composer Clint Mansell made his impact as a soundtrack composer known with his production of the Pi soundtrack. On that disc, the former vocalist for UK group Pop Will Eat Itself melded an abstract 20th-century classical sensibility to electronica with great (and eerie) results. On Requiem for a Dream--the follow-up film from Pi director Darren Aronofsky--Mansell repeats his magic. Here, teamed with the Kronos Quartet--one of the world's foremost (and most progressive) string quartets--Mansell fuses big-beat, ambient, and driving chamber music. The result is a mesmerizing aural complement to an already mesmerizing film. Dark, unpredictable, and thoroughly engrossing. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

WILD AND WIERD.......2007-05-12

This movie was really a complete mind blowing experience. It should be the poster movie of why not to do herion. Showing what addiction to anything can do and what it will bring you to. Somewhat a love story and very sad for all the characters involed.

"it's showtime!".......2007-01-19

perfectly told story about addiction(s) and how people cope with them. it's beautifully sad in every way.

you gott'a love ellen burstyn. she's amazing in this film!

Not the orchestral version used in the "Two Towers" trailer.......2006-05-14

Ok, so don't bash this review. I've never seen the movie, and based on its depressing themes, doubt that I ever will. And I'm not a big fan of this CD either.

I bought this CD ONLY because I heard this thrilling soundtrack for a Ronaldinho soccer video that I had downloaded off the Internet, which some people thought was the Overture from Requiem for a Dream.

Unfortunately, as the Amazon website for this movie soundtrack CD does not have song samples from the CD, I had to actually BUY the CD to see if it contained that soundtrack. The closest track to the song that I was looking for was "Lux Aeternum". The rest of this CD, those tracks that did not repeat the main theme from the movie, I found pretty disappointing.

So I did a vigorous search through the Internet, and finally discovered that the track that I had heard was an orchestral remix of "Lux Aeternum", done especially for the first movie trailer for "The Two Towers". A Google search turned up a post on Aintitcool.com by someone with the screenname of Fatboy Roberts who described how two MP3 versions of this orchestral re-mix came into being.

As far as I can tell, this gorgeous bit of music does not exist in a commercially released form. It is certainly not one of the tracks on the "Requiem for a Dream: Remixed" CD. And so although I would actually like to BUY this music, I was able to find it only on Internet file sharing networks.

Use various combination of keywords such as "Lux Aeternum, "Requiem Overture", "Two Towers", "orchestral remix", "Fatboy Roberts" when searching for this piece.

Amazing Soundtrack.......2006-04-04

Clint Mansell & The Krono's Quartet managed to put together a wonderful soundtrack for the film. It works very well on the screen, and is enjoyable to listen to without the movie playing. I definitely recommend this piece!

I'm reviewing this from a slightly different perspective..........2005-12-14

First let me say I have not listened to a ton of original movie scores. So...I'm not sure if every score is as fragmented, short, and abundant in tracks as this one. The pieces of music on this disc, though extremely short, work to PERFECTION on the screen. However, put together in a compilation like this are not as enjoyable for me. The main reason for this is the fragmented nature of the compliation I described earlier. There is no real transition or continuation between most of the tracks on this disc. But do not misunderstand, the music on this soundtrack is phenomenal. (Signature and best track is definitely 'Lux Aeterna.')

I say I am reviewing this album from a slightly different prespective because I listened to 'Requiem for a Dream: Remixed' before this soundtrack. In comparison to the remixed soundtrack, this soundtrack seems extremely sparse and leaves you wanting a little more in the way of longer tracks, more layering, and an overall cohesiveness to the soundtrack.

Conclusion: If you listen to this soundtrack and think how great all these potential samples could be used to create something more, I would suggest picking up Requiem for a Dream: Remixed. However, if your really not into 'remixes' then THIS album should definately suffice and be worth the purchase price.

Henryk Gorecki: String Quartet No. 3...songs are sung

Average customer rating:

Slow paced and repetitive, minimalist
Henryk Gorecki: String Quartet No. 3...songs are sun
"Symphony" of Suffering Songs
Should have remained in Gorecki's drawer

Henryk Gorecki: String Quartet No. 3...songs are sung
Kronos Quartet/ Henryk Gorecki
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Henryk Górecki: Already It Is Dusk (String Quartet No. 1, Op. 62) (1988) / Quasi una Fantasia (String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64) (1990-91) - Kronos Quartet
Górecki: Miserere
Glass: Heroes Symphony; The Light
John Adams: The Dharma at Big Sur/My Father Knew Charles Ives
Kaija Saariaho: Du Cristal...À la Fumée; Sept Papillons, Nymphéa

ASIN: B000MTFFLS
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

Adagio- Molto andante- Cantabile
Largo, Cantabile
Allegro, Sempre ben marcato
Deciso-Espressivo me ben tenuto
Largo-tranquillo

Amazon.com

Henryk Mikolaj Górecki's String Quartet No. 3, Piesni Spiewaja ("...Songs Are Sung"), Op. 67--like its predecessors--was especially commissioned for and dedicated to the Kronos Quartet, whose impassioned, sympathetic performance burnishes it to a fare-thee-well. Approximately a decade of fits and starts separated the work's completion from its premiere, which finally took place in the composer's native Poland on October 15, 2005. Fans of his elegiac, incongruously popular Third Symphony likely somewhat startled by the spiky, dissonant virility that informs so much of Górecki's output. But the present piece would be an ideal follow-up for admirers of his more mystical, minimalist style.

Consisting of five movements, it is far longer than either of the previous quartets, commencing with a folkloric theme that seems to pace hesitantly, escalating into slashing anxiety before resolving back into its original loping gait. The somberly serene second movement, with its hymn-like secondary motif, gives way to the borderline frenzy of the third, which periodically veers off into a sweepingly romantic melody. The expository phrase of movement four evokes ectoplasmic recollections of Tchaikovsky's Serenade For Strings, progressing to a throbbing, dance-like tune overlooked by a reedy violin, ultimately fading into prayerful murmuring. The work closes with a peaceful meditation whose emotionally remote wandering is warmed by moments of smiling, reminiscent tenderness. --Christina Roden

Customer Reviews:

Slow paced and repetitive, minimalist.......2007-05-13

Gorecki's Quartet No. 3 performed by Kronos is not to everyone's taste even if they love classical music. It has a very special atmosphere --slow paced and repetitive, minimalist--only broken by the third movement: Allegro, sempre ben marcato. One could use it for meditation, as it is quite peaceful and monotonous with tiny changes happening in the harmony. Perhaps it would be useful for putting one to sleep. Yes, I think it could well be advertised for insomniacs and somnambulists.

Henryk Gorecki: String Quartet No. 3...songs are sun.......2007-05-12

I didn`t like it and returned it for a refund

"Symphony" of Suffering Songs.......2007-04-25

Before I begin this review, let me clear the air of a few things which you, the reader, ought to know about me, the reviewer:

For one, within the realm of composed music, the string quartet is among my least favorite of all forms of chamber music. I personally find the interplay between violins, violas, and cellos to be drab after the first movement. Very few composers have composed a work for string quartet which has caused me to reconsider: Alvin Lucier is one, as well as Stockhausen. Not even Mozart or Shostakovich has captivated me in regards to the quartet.

Second, I don't especially like a majority of the music which the Kronos Quartet chooses to play, even though I find it more listenable than the pseudo-sophisticated avant-garde which the Arditti Quartet chooses to play. I often find that the Kronos Quartet and Arditti Quartets both fall rather flat when it comes to innovation, though I would always vote in favor of the Arditti Quartet when it comes to talent and technicality.

Having stated my disapprobations, then I am prepared to say that I found this piece, by Gorecki, of whom I'm an admirer, to be quite exceptional insofar that it's one of the few works for string quartet by the Kronos Quartet which has given me reason to reconsider my common misgivings about ALL string quartets. The dynamic interplay between violins, viola, and cello is so subtle that, during certain passages, when the texture has changed so significantly, as during the third and fourth movements, one finds it hard to believe any terrain has been covered at all. This is far from a criticism when one considers the appropriate dirge-like imagery which is evoked by the haunting voices calling from the grave.

"Death" and "mortality" are the underlying themes of this work, through and through. Even the subtitle, "...songs are sung", comes from the four-line poem by Russian writer Velimir Khlebnikov, "When people die, they sing songs." not only that, but Gorecki even marks the fourth movement as MORBIDO. In fact, I personally find that this music would be extremely fitting for a documentary about the concentration camps and post-WWII, early Cold War sufferings in Poland with black-and-white film footage.

And perhaps that's what Gorecki had in mind. The famous Symphony No. 3 was subtitled "Sorrowful Songs." How fitting it would be to call String Quartet No. 3 "Songs of Suffering." But it's not an atrocious suffering which Gorecki brings to the forefront. Oh, heavens no! Gorecki presents in the format of a score a sense of upset and suffering which we, the listener, are not affronted by, but one in which we are drawn into it, feel a stately compassion for each other and ourselves, and he allows the piece to finish itself in the most majestic of manners by having us realize that all which we've been listening to for the past 50 minutes is what we are, who we are, and where we are.

Truly, Gorecki and the Kronos Quartet have given me hope in the string quartet.

Should have remained in Gorecki's drawer.......2007-04-17

Before I attended a performance of Gorecki's third quartet by Kronos, which should have provided a more acute appraisal of the work, I read a review of this CD by Joshua Kosman, the classical music critic of the SF Chronicle, who said: "I find it drab and almost unlistenable", though he assumed that others would find the quartet profound. I regret that I must agree with the critic. This piece could have easily been reduced in length by 50% and thereby be more successful. Instead, the five-movement work is a set of see-sawing of bows, 1,2,1,2,1,2,1,2 in slow dirge upon dirge, representing loss and fading memories. The composition is nearly a drone and tedium arises quickly. I supposed that it could be regarded as a meditation, but there is hardly a focus. The fourth movement has some expressive tunes that emerge from the gloom, but they disappear in the last largo. Gorecki had written this Kronos-commissioned quartet ten years before he finally released it to them. He said that he did not really know the reasons behind the delay. He should have kept the score in the drawer.

Reich: Different Trains, Electric Counterpoint / Kronos Quartet, Pat Metheny

Average customer rating:

highly worthwhile
Excellent First Reich Disc
Spectacular Aural Imagery!!
not his best but worth a listen
The Fastest Train

Reich: Different Trains, Electric Counterpoint / Kronos Quartet, Pat Metheny

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians
Drumming
Steve Reich: You Are (Variations)
Reich: Tehillim / The Desert Music
Rainbow in Curved Air

ASIN: B000005IYU
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Different Trains: America - Before the War
Different Trains: Europe - During The War
Different Trains: After the War
Electric Counterpoint: Fast
Electric Counterpoint: Electric Counterpoint: Slow
Electric Counterpoint: Fast

Amazon.com essential recording

Different Trains (1988) will probably go down in history as Reich's masterpiece. And deservedly so. Reich's phase-shifting minimalism is made dazzlingly entertaining in Different Trains, which is scored for string quartet and digitally sampled voices that repeat bits of speech concerning trains and Reich's experience with them growing up. The sinister part here is than some trains carried Jews to death camps. That's here as well. The Kronos Quartet has also never sounded better. Electric Counterpoint (1987) has one guitar--Pat Metheny in this case-- playing to 10 pre-recorded motifs, also on guitar. You absolutely need this. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

highly worthwhile.......2006-12-15

Different trains a very powerful piece, full of irony and juxtopostion that are used to the greatest effect. Its one of Reich's best, but it's actually not very minimalist for him, which may be why I like it. Of course, Kronos does an excellent job. Electric Counterpoint is pleasant for about a movement or so, but in the end it comes across as thin and dull compared to Different Trains.

Excellent First Reich Disc.......2005-12-04

Both pieces on this disc are delightful and brilliant - very emotional and accessible I find. Neither has the vast (Well-tempered klavier of percussive phase-shifting!) scale of _18 Musicians_ or _Drumming_, but that's almost certainly an advantage for most people (and has been for me). Just two quick comments about the pieces:
1. Holocaust themes in art are often ponderous... "Different Trains" ingeniously avoids all sorts of traps of that sort by starting us off, as it were, in the New World with technology and optimism. The darkness enters later and is all the more powerful for it. Now I think about it, this piece makes the disc a great gift for a precocious kid... if they like Pink Floyd or other broadly conceptual rock stuff they'll dig this.
2. The second "slow" movement of "Electric Counterpoint" is flat out gorgeous.

Spectacular Aural Imagery!!.......2005-05-12

I was very fortunate to hear the Kronos Quartet perform this up in Orono, Maine (at the University of Maine) the year this CD was released. Not being familiar with either Reich, the piece, or the KQ at the time, I was completely blown out of the water by the uniqueness of the idea, the emotion of the narrative, and the jarring comparison between Reich's life and the lives of so many others. Several jazz perfomers have tried similar "voice-matching" techiniques--Victor Wooten and Jason Moran, most recently--but hearing a child's message on an answering machine replayed on the bass guitar does not match the emotional impact of the narrative Reich provides. It is such an abstract notion with such concrete results. Kronos is impeccable in their performance, as usual, and they provide the flair and brass needed to pull off such a feat. I played this CD (along with Gorecki's Symphony #3) every year in my Holocaust class for juniors and seniors in high school. They are as blown away by the whole concept as I originally was. It is a technically impressive and emotionally draining experience.

Electric Counterpoint is, quite sadly, the overlooked portion of this CD for me. I am a huge Pat Metheny fan, but I look to his other CDs for his best work. I know it is my loss. . . .

Bottom Line: Whether or not you like Steve Reich and/or the Kronos Quartet, you need to give this CD a listen--it is a challenge and a delight.

not his best but worth a listen.......2004-02-28

Steve Reich can be undigestable at times and not the easiest of composers to listen to, it's as if your listening to a record with the needle sticking to the groove with very little developement...so it's safe to say that you certainly have to be in a certain mood to appreciate this kind of music but it does have it's rewards. The c.d is divided up into two sections, "Different Trains" with the Kronos Quartet as good as usual. The momentum of the music depicts the progression of trains through out America and Europe and what they represent, human voices reciting historical dates.
The second work on the disc "Electric Counterpoint" almost seems as though it doesn't belong on the same disc but it's in my opinion the diamond in the rough. I have been a Pat Metheny fan long before Steve Reich and it's the main driving point in owning the disc, brilliant guitar playing.

The Fastest Train.......2004-02-18

This album is great, yep. It's neat. What are you expecting when you say things like, "for me this album just doesn't cut it." That says nothing about Reich's work. It only says that you could not connect with what he is doing. It's a shame too, because Reich does some very nice work on this album - The Fastest train, on the fastest train. It's so very entertaining - he does such a good job of putting all of that material together. Stow you tastes and opinions away then listen again - maybe you'll actually hear Steve Reich's music.

The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind

Average customer rating:

Excellent music but not 5 stars
Jewish Pride
A short story on the history of the Jewish people
Moving and Magnificent: Can Study and Learn Forever
Beautiful Jewish spirit

The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind
Osvaldo Golijov , Hank Dutt , David Harrington , Joan Jeanrenaud , David Krakauer , John Sherba , and Kronos Quartet
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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La Pasion Segun San Marcos (St. Mark Passion)
Nuevo

ASIN: B000005J4J
Release Date: 1997-03-18

Tracks:

The Dreams And Prayers of Issac The Blind: Prelude: Calmo, Sospeso
The Dreams And Prayers of Issac The Blind: l. Agitati-Con Fuoco-Maestoso-Senza Misura, Oscilante
The Dreams And Prayers of Issac The Blind: ll. Teneramente-Ruvido-Presto
The Dreams And Prayers of Issac The Blind: lll. Calmo, Sospeso-Allegro Pesante
The Dreams And Prayers of Issac The Blind: Postlude: Lento, Liberament

Customer Reviews:

Excellent music but not 5 stars.......2005-11-28

The other reviewers have given a fair description of the music on this recording. The music evokes images of Middle Eastern settings, Arabian Nights and the mysteries of times long gone. Five star ratings, however, should be reserved for the crème de crème, for recordings on which everything is A+. This is not the case here. A recording priced at $11 for 32 minutes by a major classical record company with marginal liner notes is not deserving of 5 stars. Nonesuch has done much better before, e.g. the Night Prayers recording has 79 minutes of music, Short Stories has 75 and Early Music has 69, to name just a few. Golijov is a prolific enough composer that other music of his should have been included.

Comparatively speaking, it is not the best that could have been produced given the opportunity. A 5 star rating isn't the right way to send correctional feedback to the record company.

Jewish Pride.......2002-08-06

This is such a fantastic and moving CD. Written with such exhilaration and power, Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind is sure to become a staple in classical music. What joy to hear the music of this gifted composer, Osvaldo Golijov.

A short story on the history of the Jewish people.......2002-06-11

Great music, wonderfully written,
kronos does a wonderful job as usual.
Krakauer is the man suited for the job!!!
Golijov is a great story teller.

Moving and Magnificent: Can Study and Learn Forever.......2000-08-05

My comments follow those of the first reviewer. The people reading this review are either Kronos Quartet lovers, those who treasure Hebraic music and also those who might have some curiosity at such a title. I am a Kronos Lover and also very curious. I bought this CD on auction and didn't know exactly what to expect except Kronos means Quality.

The sounds are very ancient and moving. The Kronos quartet which consists of two violinists, one violaist and one cello player is joined by the magnificent horn player David Krakauer. I mention his name of the desire to hear more playing by him. Krakauer uses the clarinet, base clarinet and basset horn. He is another Richard Stoltman although maybe not as well known.

The liner notes are interesting but a bit short. I would have liked more meaning described for each of the movements. Composer Golijov could have told more about how this work ties into the epic history of Judaism. As the first review observes this CD is short in timing. But oh what is said and what is presented in this short time. Better to hear five minutes of Yehudi Menuhin than an extended hour by a lesser skilled.

I will hopefully get more information about the five parts in this CD. I will learn more by listening to it maybe five more times, at least two away from the CPU. The sound quality is magnificient. Played loudly or softly the exotic, haunting chants and hymns are almost undescribably enchanting. The sounds have the meaning representative of a whole nation and its many trials over time. Interesting enough, the next CD I plan to listen to is "The Prince of Egypt."

I got my copy on an auction. The vendor did not realize what was being sold. I feel like a thief in a way. I got a Picasso for pennies. I won't return this CD in any way, seller beware.

For those who can feel my heart and want to have a CD that will be long cherished for its beautifully moving music regardless of background, Kronos and Krakauer have made Golijov's message come alive. It is SO stirring.

Alan>Mgmtdr.

Beautiful Jewish spirit.......2000-06-11

This CD is without question one of the most distinct in my collection. Its use of Hebrew and Yidish folk melodies truly is wonderful, and as always the Kronos Quartet performs magnificently. Though I often find myself saying, "What were they thinking?" in regards to many of their projects, they truly have made up for it with this one. I definitely recommend this title, however it is only 32 minutes long so buyer beware.

Average customer rating:

Commercial and disappointing
Interesting and Infectious Rhythms
Pieces that fit together a continent
Buy this CD!
inventive and lively

Pieces of Africa
Hamza El Din , Obo Addy , Kevin Volans , Terrence Kelly , Hank Dutt , David Harrington , Joan Jeanrenaud , John Sherba , Said Hakmoun , Radouane Laktib , Dan Pauli , and Kronos Quartet
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Nuevo
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Kronos Quartet

ASIN: B000005J15
Release Date: 1992-03-03

Tracks:

Mother Nozipo
I'm Happy
Sunset
First Movement
Waterwheel
Our Beginning
White Man Sleeps: I.
White Man Sleeps: II.
White Man Sleeps: III.
White Man Sleeps: IV.
White Man Sleeps: V.
Spreading

Customer Reviews:

Commercial and disappointing.......2000-12-19

If this CD has made this fantastic quartet known to a larger number of people, then, it's fine. But what a desappointment in terms of music ! A few interresting songs, but i can't feel any great inspiration in this commercial CD poorly surfing on the ethnic wave. A shame.

Interesting and Infectious Rhythms.......2000-10-31

When this recording was first released, it remained a best-selling classical CD for some time, even though it is not "classical music" in the strict sense of that term. But it is a grabber. It presents some very interesting compositions by contemporary African composers, that while different, are also listenable. Unless one's mind is totally closed to new sounds and new ideas, this is quite an enjoyable collection.

In addition to the African composers, which this CD brings to our attention, it has also served as an introduction for many of us to the Kronos Quartet, a talented group of musicians, who perform a varied repertoire. They are quite good and never boring, as these performances amply demonstrate.

Pieces that fit together a continent.......2000-08-29

More than just a compilation of great music by noted African composers, the album is a repository for the emotional richness of Africa. Each piece is lively, intricate and accessible. There is much joy here; the tracks are full of happiness, heat and nightfall. Also sorrow, but that's Africa, too. A friend gave this to me when I happened to be writing a book about Africa, and it became my soundtrack. I have given dozens of CDs to friends who love Africa. From "Sunset" by Foday Musa Suso to "Waterwheel" by Hamza El Din, "Pieces of Africa" is one of the great musical adventures of the past decade.

Buy this CD!.......2000-03-02

I largely consider myself an alternative rock fan and to describe my knowledge of classical music as "limited" would be kind. I first got to know Kronos when they covered Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and had a video (which I saw once) on either VH1 or MTV. I was fascinated, so when they came to perform at my college (back in 1992) I went to see them. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. They didn't play, they didn't perform in the sense that most classical artists I've seen perform. It has one-half recital, one-half performance art.

So, I rushed out and bought a CD--fortunately it was "Pieces of Africa." I have since bought about half of Kronos's CDs, and all of their releases since, but this one ranks as my favorite. Why? It is joyful, uplifiting, and spiritual without being sentimental. It is a beautiful CD, rich in texture and melody. The quartet is often accompanied by vocalists, drummers, and other African musicians in a way that doesn't simply "feature" them, but integrates them. You can feel the collaboration among the artists.

Above all, this CD offers an accessible, non-threatening introduction to Kronos and their work. If you never explore beyond this CD, never buy Tan Dun or Night Prayers, your life will still be better for having heard this wonderful music.

inventive and lively.......1999-11-11

I especially like the quartet by Volans and waterwheel. But there are no bad pieces here and most are sprightly and inventive, with a few really beuatiful ones.

Average customer rating:

Mature Glass
Not much here
Enlightening
Minimalist Masterpiece
Too Bad There Isn't a Way to Put -0- Stars

Kronos Quartet Performs Philip Glass

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kronos Caravan

ASIN: B000005J35
Release Date: 1995-02-07

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 5: 1 - I
String Quartet No. 5: 2 - II
String Quartet No. 5: 3 - III
String Quartet No. 5: 4 -- IV
String Quartet No. 5: 5 - V
String Quartet No. 4 (Buczak): 6 - I
String Quartet No. 4 (Buczak): 7 - II
String Quartet No. 4 (Buczak): 8 - III
String Quartet No. 2 (Company): 9 - I
String Quartet No. 2 (Company): 10 - II
String Quartet No. 2 (Company): 11 - III
String Quartet No. 2 (Company): 12 - IV
String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima): 1957: 13
String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) (1985): 14
String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) (1985): 15
String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) (1985): 16
String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) (1985): 17
String Quartet No. 3 (Mishima) (1985): 18

Customer Reviews:

Mature Glass.......2007-03-30

I am befuddled by the negative reviews of this recording, just as I am befuddled by those who dismiss Glass, Reich and their peers as "Minimalists" as if their development had ended where it started. Both Reich and Glass are now mature and accomplished composers who have transformed the radical ideas of their youth into a rich and unique compositional language.

On this recording, Kronos show us just how involving and nuanced Glass's "repetitive" language can be. The Quartet #5 in particular is a masterpiece. Perhaps my favorite Glass composition. It is chock full of wonderful melodic and rhythmic ideas. Yes, the rhythmic and harmonic backdrop consists of relentless diatonic arpeggios, but the continual harmonic and dynamic modulations pull the listener along like a raft floating down a roiling river. Kronos renders the music with impeccable accuracy while filling every phrase with humanity and passion. Wonderful.

I give it 4 starts rather than 5 because the CD sound quality is good, but not excellent, and I don't find quartets 2 and 3 as utterly delightful as 4 and 5.

Not much here.......2006-04-07

There's a common experience in listening to music in which as you become more familiar with someone's work, or with a particular genre, that you start to hear things you didn't hear intiially. Phillip Glass- and many of his minimalistic brethern, like Steve Reich- are the one counterexample; the more I listen to their music, the less I hear.

There was a time- in the 1980s- when I was a great fan of Phillip Glass. But the more albums I bought, the more it all started to blend into one long and irritating sequence. The patterns repet endlessly: loud/soft/loud/soft. Everything is forte or piano- there's no mezzo. The sequences of notes never change- endless streams of augmented and diminished triads, repeating over and over. It's like listening to a primative 1970s music sequencer.

The Kronos quartet deliver their usual technically flawless and dry performance. Certainly this group was meant to play the work of Glass- but for someone other than me.

Enlightening.......2005-10-31

This album was my first approach to a minimalist composer, and I didn't exactly know what to expect. The first time I heard it I felt enlightened. I just had couldn't stop listening this piece of music. Beautiful, trancey, ethereal.

If you are looking for standard western classical music, with a strong sense of progression towards that "extacy" moment, you could feel dissapointed. But then again, if you want that...why get a minimalist composer's work?

Minimalist Masterpiece.......2005-05-03

To quote Sherri "Altovoice" : "I can't believe anyone would rate this noise higher than a 1. If you like the sound of chainsaws needing servicing, then perhaps you'll enjoy this CD. My husband called it "sounds to fight with your spouse to".

All I can say is that she must have gotten a Slipknot CD in the Kronos case by mistake!

Yes, 'minimalism' isn't for everyone, and I would not recommend Glass to everyone, but for those who like both Kronos & Glass' work, this is a wonderful recording. Glass has built a career on repitition, taking a short melody or rhythm, and working it over and over, creating a trance-like music. There is immense beauty in this recording. The sound is bright & clear, with the performance spirited. This is perhaps both my favorite Kronos & Glass recording. Highly recommended. © 2005 Michael Bettine

Too Bad There Isn't a Way to Put -0- Stars.......2005-04-05

I can't believe anyone would rate this noise higher than a 1. If you like the sound of chainsaws needing servicing, then perhaps you'll enjoy this CD. My husband called it "sounds to fight with your spouse to". The folks who gave this 4 or 5 stars must be "shills"...they are probably in the band, or are the composer. I'm so disappointed in the CD that I plan to request a refund from Amazon.

Average customer rating:

screeching mariachi's
Good music, disappointing liner notes
Amazing!!!!!!
f-u-n .
Mexican music performed by Kronos Quartet ??

Nuevo
Cafe Tacuba , and Luanne Warner
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind
Mugam Sayagi: Music of Franghiz Ali-Zadeh

ASIN: B000063NCZ
Release Date: 2002-04-09

Tracks:

El Sinaloense
Se Me Hizo Facil
Mini Skirt
El Llorar
Perfidia
Sensemaya
K'in Sventa Ch'ul Me'tik Kwadulupe ("Festival for the Holy Mother of Guadalupe")
Tabu
Cuatro Milpas ("Four Cornfields")
Chavosuite
Plasmaht
Nacho Verduzco
12/12
El Sinaloense (Dance Mix)

Amazon.com

To say that the Kronos Quartet's Nuevo is their most adventurous outing to date is hardly an understatement. This diverse collection of Mexican compositions and traditional tunes brims with an unpredictable energy and a dazzling array of Latin American guest performers, and, yes, Kronos keeps up throughout. A cocktail pop tune from Esquivel gets covered, there's a chamber arrangement of Revueltas's sprawling orchestral work Sensemaya, and Nortec Collective member Plankton Man remixes Kronos's interpretation of "El Sinaloense" into a sizzling dance music track, which closes the disc. The playing is spirited, to say the least (just check out "El Llorar," with guest vocalists Alejandro Flores and Efren Vargas). But this is foremost a party record. A bevy of reverb effects and instrumentation (including a squeaky musical leaf solo on "Perfidia") ensures that things stay unpredictable. Production work by Rock en Espanol producer Gustavo Santaolalla infuses this disc with an edgy modernism. The bulk of these compositions have been arranged by composer Osvaldo Golijov, who seemingly brings a manic energy and a playfulness to everything he touches. Chamber music purists may scoff, but the rest of us will be busy dancing and thrilling to this exciting, genre-blurring Kronos project. --Jason Verlinde

Album Description

With 'Nuevo' - a project based entirely around Mexican composers, musical traditions and influences - the Kronos Quartet have delivered one of the most striking group odysseys to date. Produced by Gustavo Santaolalla, both an authority on Latin American art music as well as the most in-demand producers of rock en espanol, the album also features a host of guest artists from both the concert hall as well as the streets of Mexico. Housed in a slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

screeching mariachi's.......2007-01-09

I bought it for the one-armed grass-leaf player. It's worth it just for that, but the first track is enough to put you off the rest of the album. It gets better once the rhytms overtake the sound.

Good music, disappointing liner notes.......2005-12-07

At about 66 minutes, this recording is a better value than some of their CDs. But one almost constant complaint that I have with Kronos Quartet releases is their poor or non-existent liner notes. This release is especially guilty. There is a big, thick booklet of worthless photography--mediocre pictures reproduced poorly on cheap paper. Were they trying to throw some some photgraphers a bone? There is nothing about the composers (except their birth dates) or their music, or the musician's perspective, etc. And, since some of the composers are deceased, an opportunity was lost to discuss their music and their lives.

Very, very poor production decisions.

Amazing!!!!!!.......2005-11-05

If you by chance still don't know what Kronos`s is about remember that there are two types of chamber music ensembles: Kronos and the rest. So if you have in your mind the traditional sound, aesthetic of a string quartet, go for the rest (Alban Berg, Ittaliano, Melos, Emerson...) and forget Kronos. For if I had only one chance to apply the title- word "avant-garde", I would do it concerning Kronos. They are irreverent. Forget traditional repertoire (and Bartok is traditional for them). As far as I know they play modern music (Glass, Reich, Scnittke) or new repertoire like World Music. They play with amazing virtuosism and richness of textures. If you try to explore Kronos world, open your mind to a new, non conventional type of sounds.
So what is "Nuevo"? A diverse, impressive, multilayered (that is, there are several strata, several kind od compositions) portrait of Mexican music. A comprehensive landscape of Mexican music. But ... not exactly mexican music is what you hear in most of the tracks, but the Kronos' POINT OF VIEW, that is, Mexico through Kronos' glasses. For I don`t find a truly traditional Mexican track (perhaps only "Son Huasteca" and that before 12/12 are those which most resemble to a truly traditional "Mexican" sound). Almost everything in this rich album is a new way of listening to mexican music.
Why? Arrangements are varied and colourfull. Every track shows novelty and spontaneity, even in well known pieces like "Perfidia" or "Sensemaya". All in this CD is "Nuevo (New)": music that you have not listened before, no matter your knowledge on Mexican music!!
The type of music is quite diverse: classical (Sensemaya), TV music (Chavosuite), bolero (Perfidia), local music (Sinaloense), processional music (12/12), even dance music!!
The sound is also quite strange sometimes: the editor distorts some tracks in order to show the quartet as if they were listened through an old radio player. This is quite amazing!!! or listen to 12/12: quartet strings combined with recording of a traditional "ritual" music and fireworks. Also there are includede street noises between the tracks, thus creating a kind of "leitmotive", like a "Concept Album".
Let me say this: I don't care of mexican music. I don't know too much of it. Nor it is something I love. What I like of this CD is not Mexican music legacy but WHAT KRONOS DOES WITH IT. I think they could do the same with every (rich) music culture in the world. The reason why Mexico is chosen perhaps is a personal experience of Kronos' members (as I have red in an interview).
Booklet contains track details, a lot of credits but not a single word of commentary about the music (a pity).
More than great Mexican music, this is a great Kronos show. If you like Kronos or want to investigate what Kronos truly is and /or If you like mexican music, buy it!
If you don't like mexican music, buy it too!! You will think, as I do, that this Kronos release is essential.

f-u-n ........2004-05-27

this is a great album to listen to on a hot summer day at the beach,or any sunny activity in general.I must admit that I do enjoy the darker side of kronos' music more,but one truly can't help but grin when on the third or fourth track the music pauses for a sudden "yelp"!yes,it may sound a bit goofy and the more stern folks are certain to frown upon such playfulness in the "sophistocated"world of classical music,but this is a good thing.as another reviewer stated,the music really isn't very complex but that should be no obstacle for any kronos-loving individual.oh,yes-if you have children be prepared for them to go absolutly BONKERS when you play this!(finally veggietales can be given a rest!)

Mexican music performed by Kronos Quartet ??.......2003-07-26

I had to listen to it !

Well, first I must say that it is very rewarding to find such a talented international ensemble to interpret our music. Some of the tracks are really outstanding. Particularly 12/12 and the Chavosuite.

But, in the other hand, the purposely out of tune interpretation of El Sinaloense is deceiving (do our Mariachis sound so terrible ?) and the solo wistle in "Perfida" really destroyed the sesibility and charm of this melody. I mean, why on earth did't they play it with a violin instead ?

For the rest, it is a very original album, and it shurely reflects the impression that causes our culture. The inclusion of live sounds in a marketplace and of the "carretonero" buying old shoes and clothes, makes a specially beautiful ambiance.

It is also an album with a very humorous approach. (Some of the tracks sound like if they had been arranged by P.D.Q. Bach !) Get it if you are looking for something original and different, but please buy something else if you really want to know what mexican music is.

Henryk Górecki: Already It Is Dusk (String Quartet No. 1, Op. 62) (1988) / Quasi una Fantasia (String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64) (1990-91) - Kronos Quartet
Average customer rating:

Not the Gorecki I like

Quasi una Fantasia

Superb

Henryk Górecki: Already It Is Dusk (String Quartet No. 1, Op. 62) (1988) / Quasi una Fantasia (String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64) (1990-91) - Kronos Quartet
Henryk Gorecki , and Kronos Quartet
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Górecki, Henryk Mikolaj | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Kronos Quartet | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000005J26
Release Date: 1993-06-29

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 1, Op. 62: Already It Is Dusk
Quasi Una Fantasia String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64: Largo Sostenuto - Mesto
Quasi Una Fantasia String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64: Deciso - Energico; Furioso, Tranquillo - Mesto
Quasi Una Fantasia String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64: Arioso: Adagio Catabile
Quasi Una Fantasia String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64: Allegro - Sempre Con Grande Passion E Molto Marcato; Lento - Tranquillissimo

Customer Reviews:

Not the Gorecki I like.......2003-04-09

I am a big fan of Gorecki's symphonic stuff, but enjoy smaller string arrangements in general, so I thought I would give this a try.

Frankly, it sounds like an amateur doodling around with an out-of-tune violin.

Ok, it sounds like four of them, and their instruments are amazingly in tune with each other, although not with music as we know it. But this music is long on sawing string textures and short on meaningful music.

There are some pleasant passages along the way, but none of it has the big, original feel of Gorecki's symphonic works. Instead I feel like I am getting a rehash of Shostakovich, except neither as inventive nor as rich. Perhaps for the most musically literate listeners who 'co-operate' with the music this will be a more rewarding album, but I didn't find it nearly as interesting as other Gorecki I have heard.

No fault of Kronos Quartet, I am sure: their playing is superb, and this is exactly the kind of thing they are good at, so if you are going to like this composition, you will probably love this performance.

Quasi una Fantasia.......2000-12-01

Gorecki's String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64 - Quasi una Fantasia - is an intense and heart stirring composition I have no doubt about rating five stars.

There is, however, a preliminary consideration to be made: this piece of music, more than others, asks for cooperation, lots of it, and it will not satisfy listeners who are unwilling to award it with such cooperation. The reason for this, paradoxically, rests in the quartet's overtly simple and stubbornly repetitive inner structure, which is very likely to annoy listeners who either are untrained to minimalist music, or (even more so, perhaps, in this case) believe that simplicity of form essentially entails a lack of ideas. In other words, in order for those approaching Gorecki's Quasi una Fantasia to thoroughly enjoy it (and comprehend it), they must cooperate - that is, suspend skepticism and let the music exercise its hypnotic suggestion on them. If they do not, they'll inevitably miss its point and therefore find it exceedingly simple and consequently discharge it.

But now, lets take a closer look at Gorecki's quartet from the standpoint of those who, like myself, through cooperation, allow it to function effectively... Quasi una Fantasia - in my opinion very nearly a "hallucination," rather than merely a "fantasy" - is a well spun, taut web it's hard for one to get out of, once one has fallen into it. In general, it steps forward by means of constant and cumulative repetitions, which gradually produce a snowball effect, inevitably submerging its listeners: very brief themes are reiterated and lengthened in the process, thus leading to immensely long bars, which cause one, literally, to skip a heartbeat. This development is not unaccompanied: deeply-set and never-so-stubborn ostinatos give the piece further cohesion, while swelling its unhealthy, beautifully morbid quality. Although fragments of Polish folk music shed light on the composition, its general mood, as I see it, is rather dark. The third movement, in particular, conveys a sense of gloominess which is so desperate it may be thought of as pure madness. The last movement, however, seems to state that there is hope, and that joy - often unexpectedly - emerges from and defeats anguish.

Superb.......1999-11-16

If you want to have the myth of "Gorecki the Mystic" dispelled for you, listen to these quartets. They are undeniably thorny works, full of Bartokian fire, polytonality and brutal momentum - used to ends as musically engaging as the Third Symphony, though very different. The Quartet No.1 "Already It Is Dusk" in particular, with its fervent prayer for deliverance underlying its somber chorales and furious dances, is as moving as that former work. "Quasi una Fantasia" is more drawn-out and more enigmatic, with its quiet "Beethovenian" cadences emerging in between earthy folksong and propulsive rhythms. Nonesuch's sound is excellent, and the Kronos are perhaps the ideal interpreters of this music.

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