Kronos Quartet’s comeback to “Zaryadye”!

Any news of their forthcoming visit immediately reach music aficionados, especially those fond of interesting contemporary trends. The quartet performed in Moscow in 1997, 1998, 2004, and 2006, with new set lists every time. A classical instrumental ensemble enjoys permanent sold-out – it may seem strange. But there’s at least one simple explanation for the Kronos Quartet’s phenomenon. The thing is that in the world there is not so many ensembles that specialize on new classical music, and even less those playing extremely different styles that coexist today, from quartets of Alfred Schnittke to queer avant-garde installations.

The musicians perform music of great minimalists (Terry Riley, Philipp Glass, Steve Reich), jazzmen (Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans), and rock stars (Jimi Hendrix), as well as working with ethnic musicians (innuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq, Chinese pipa player Vu Man), or recording movie soundtracks (Lele Marchitelli’s “The Great Beauty”, Darren Aronofsky’s “Requiem for a Dream” etc.). But Kronos style is always distinctive with its perfect intonation and “unhuman” precision of sound.

The forthcoming concert gives us a unique opportunity to listen to some of these new works. As well as the world premiere of a new composition by Russian Vladimir Martynov, Kronos’s longtime collaborator.

Fans remember the first time Kronos play at “Zaryadye”: music written for “Fifty for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire” education project were performed. Later that night, Vladimir Martynov’s “Andante Amoroso” was premiered. The Russian composer and the American Quartet have been collaborating for 20 years now.

Now, Kronos presents the brand new 60-minute long piece commissioned to Martynov. The composer had been thoroughly studying Rachmaninoff’s “All-Night Vigil”, and the study inspired him to write his own music.

Discussing the new piece, and talking about the power of faith, David Harrington told Martynov that for “Now Lettest Thou. Kyiv Chant” (the 5^th part of the “Vigil”) was the real light of hope.

Any news of their forthcoming visit immediately reach music aficionados, especially those fond of interesting contemporary trends. The quartet performed in Moscow in 1997, 1998, 2004, and 2006, with new set lists every time. A classical instrumental ensemble enjoys permanent sold-out – it may seem strange. But there’s at least one simple explanation for the Kronos Quartet’s phenomenon. The thing is that in the world there is not so many ensembles that specialize on new classical music, and even less those playing extremely different styles that coexist today, from quartets of Alfred Schnittke to queer avant-garde installations.

During almost 40 years this unique San Francisco quartet (multiply “Grammy” winner!) has been playing thousands of concerts, and released more than 60 albums, providing more than 950 composers and arrangers with commissions.