Kronos: Released 1985-1995
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Jimi Hendrix, Scott Johnson, Michael Daugherty, Ben Johnston, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Raymond Scott, Astor Piazzolla, George (Henry) Crumb, Samuel Barber, Terry Riley, Henryk Górecki, Tigran Tahmizyan, Arvo Pärt, Dumisani Maraire
Label: Nonesuch
Magazine Review Date: 2/1996
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 101
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 7559-79394-2

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Mai Nozipo (Mother Nozipo) |
Dumisani Maraire, Composer
Dumisani Maraire, Composer Kronos Quartet |
(5) Tango Sensations, Movement: Asleep |
Astor Piazzolla, Composer
Astor Piazzolla, Composer Kronos Quartet |
Amazing Grace |
Ben Johnston, Composer
Ben Johnston, Composer Kronos Quartet |
Different Trains, Movement: America before the war |
Steve Reich, Composer
Kronos Quartet Steve Reich, Composer |
String Quartet No. 2, 'Quasi una fantasia', Movement: Arioso: Andante cantabile |
Henryk Górecki, Composer
Henryk Górecki, Composer Kronos Quartet |
Salome Dances for Peace |
Terry Riley, Composer
Terry Riley, Composer |
Black Angels: 13 Images from the Dark Lands (Image |
George (Henry) Crumb, Composer
George (Henry) Crumb, Composer |
Fratres |
Arvo Pärt, Composer
Arvo Pärt, Composer Kronos Quartet |
String Quartet No. 5 |
Philip Glass, Composer
Kronos Quartet Philip Glass, Composer |
(A) Cool Wind is Blowing |
Tigran Tahmizyan, Composer
Kronos Quartet Tigran Tahmizyan, Composer |
Adagio for Strings |
Samuel Barber, Composer
Kronos Quartet Samuel Barber, Composer |
Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals |
Raymond Scott, Composer
Kronos Quartet Raymond Scott, Composer |
How it Happens (The Voice of I. F. Stone), Movement: It raged |
Scott Johnson, Composer
Kronos Quartet Scott Johnson, Composer |
Elvis everywhere |
Michael Daugherty, Composer
John Taylor, Vocalist/voice Kronos Quartet Larry Caballero, Vocalist/voice Michael Daugherty, Composer Patty Manning, Vocalist/voice |
Purple Haze |
Jimi Hendrix, Composer
Jimi Hendrix, Composer Kronos Quartet |
Author: Rob Cowan
“Released” opens with Dumisani Maraire’s breezy Mai Nozipo and goes on to include, among titles already mentioned, Ben Johnston’s prolix but engrossing quartet variations on Amazing Grace, an appealing extract from Terry Riley’s epic Salome Dances for Peace, Crumb’s mysterious
However, the real highlight of the set – at least for those of us who already own the albums from which “Released” has been compiled – is the relatively brief second disc “Unreleased”, starting with the upbeat hilarity of Raymond Scott’s Dinner Music for a Pack of Hungry Cannibals, then progressing to Scott Johnson’s humbling “It raged” from How it Happens (urgent dialogue centring on I. F. Stone’s reasoned arguments against the stupidity of ‘Holy Wars’), Michael Daugherty’s astonishing Elvis everywhere (three brilliant mimics, fragments of song and a tragicomic coda) and a raw-and-rowdy remake of Hendrix’s
I hadn’t actually intended to spend 100 minutes listening straight-off, but was grateful for the opportunity of doing so, while Kronos themselves couldn’t possibly have wished for a more effective tenth-anniversary celebration of their collaboration with Nonesuch. There are no proper insert-notes on the music but, to be quite honest, the chosen selections are so vivid, so powerfully communicative, that written explanations would in any case have served little purpose. A remarkable achievement and essential listening for the as-yet uninitiated.'
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