No other ensemble is ever likely to equal, let alone outdo, the record of the Kronos Quartet when it comes to premiering and promulgating new classical works.
During its 36-year history, the ever- intrepid quartet has commissioned more than 650 compositions and string-quartet arrangements, including pieces by such pivotal composers as Terry Riley and Henryk Gorecki.
The Kronos has also championed previously existing works from the 20th century, including George Crumb’s Vietnam War-inspired “Black Angels (Images I).” The experimental 1970 work requires the musicians to chant, shout and switch off on such additional instruments as gongs, maracas and crystal glasses.
“This piece has been in our repertoire since 1974, and it has gone through a lot of interpretations and a lot of changes in the theatricality of the piece, and we think we have a version that we’re very, very happy with at this point,” said David Harrington, the group’s founder and first violinist.
“Black Angels” will be the program centerpiece when the Kronos appears at 7:30 tonight in the the University of Colorado at Boulder’s Macky Auditorium under the auspices of CU Presents.
In a recent interview, Harrington talked about the concert and the quartet’s legacy:
Question. Are you doing anything else by Crumb on this program?Answer. There are no other string quartet pieces. I’ve spent about 30 of the last 36 years trying to get him to write another one. But I think he feels that ‘Black Angels’ is his statement, and I can certainly understand that.
Q.How do you think the quartet has changed over the decades it has been performing?A.There are certain things that haven’t changed at all, and one of them is the desire to discover new composers, to work closely with creative people to somehow put together experiences that might have importance and meaning to an audience.
Q.Do you think you have had an influence in changing the musical landscape?A.I know that our commissions, whether it’s the music of Steve Reich, Henryk Gorecki or Osvaldo Golijov — any number of the people we’ve worked closely with — their music is being performed regularly by other quartet groups. I think that’s one way to judge the influence we might have had.
Kronos Quartet.”
Chamber Music. University of Colorado at Boulder, Macky Auditorium. The famed quartet, which specializes in contemporary music and cross-genre collaborations, will present a program that includes a rare performance of George Crumb’s Vietnam War-inspired work, “Black Angels.” 7:30 tonight. $12-$52. 303-492-8008 or
