Kronos Quartet: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Sunny Yang joined Kronos Quartet in June 2013. Now, just five months later, the cellist she says she's learned quite a few new works — not just a handful, but about 70 pieces.

That degree of dedication to contemporary composers, coupled with an insane concert schedule, has propelled Kronos Quartet forward over the past four decades. If they wanted, the musicians — who also include founder David Harrington and longtime members John Sherba and Hank Dutt — could reminisce over more than 800 new works and arrangements they've commissioned in 40 years. But instead, the new-music train pushes ever onward to new territories. They remain a living, breathing world-heritage site for music.

Now in the midst of its 40th-anniversary tour, Kronos brings to this Tiny Desk Concert a new arrangement, a work from a new album and, for Kronos, something of a chestnut, a piece the group recorded a whopping five years ago.

Aheym (Yiddish for "homeward") was written for Kronos by Bryce Dessner; a member of the Brooklyn rock band The National, he studied composition at Yale. The music thrives on nervous energy, pulsating with strumming and spiccato (bouncing the bow on strings) while building to a tremendous fever. It also opens Kronos' new album of Dessner works.

"Lullaby," a traditional song with Afro-Persian roots (from the group's Eastern-flavored 2009 album Floodplain), is woven from different cloth altogether. Colorful tones that lay between our Western pitches are threaded through the music, anchored by a gorgeous solo from violist Dutt; his contribution takes on the warm and weathered sound of a grandmother singing to a child.

Kronos caps off the concert with another hairpin turn, this time to a fresh arrangement of "Last Kind Words," a little-known blues song from around 1930, recorded by singer and guitarist Geeshie Wiley. In Jacob Garchik's exuberant arrangement (which Kronos premiered this fall), interlocking strums and plucks provide a kind of rhythm section, while Harrington's violin stands in for the now-forgotten blues singer. --TOM HUIZENGA

Set List
"Aheym"
"Lullaby"
"Last Kind Words"

Kronos Quartet
David Harrington, violin
John Sherba, violin
Hank Dutt, viola
Sunny Yang, cello

Credits
Producers: Denise DeBelius, Tom Huizenga, Anastasia Tsioulcas; Editor: Gabriella Garcia-Pardo; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Denise DeBelius, Becky Harlan, Abbey Oldham, Meredith Rizzo

[nmcoda]

The first 9 and a half minutes is unbelievable, and definitely worth a listen.

[franckpolleux]

these incredible musicians have been at the forefront of musical innovation for over 35 years! thank you Kronos quartet for your constant effort to explore new musical frontiers and for providing us with performances like this one!! love and respect

[mutaresvivir]

Tiny Desk: Please upload more contemporary classical music like the great Kronos quartet.

[lonniethomas]

Just saw them play last night in RI at a benefit fund raiser for medical expenses for John Sherba's brother Charles (concertmaster of the RI Philharmonic.) They were outstanding. What energy!

[StemsMusic]

Love this performance, especially the powerful intro. The world needs Kronos Quartet.

[ruinima]

I love what this quartet stands for! I love how they play new modern works too freshen up classical's music pool and I absolutely adore the new cellist!

[MoisesSoareseel]

Watching this made me enter in some sort of mind trip... nice

[mangalarobertwatling]

Wow! I've seen a few of these concerts but I think this one tops them all. What energy. Thank you.

[Luigioo]

i keep coming back to this, what a gem

[douglasnolan]

I flew down to Atlanta to see them a few years ago (A. Never been to Atlanta B. Always wanted to see Kronos) - it was absolutely an audial experience. I can really appreciate the zero editting in this (other than perhaps balancing, there are a few mistakes in this from the studio recording) - yes, they are that good!
There is something so blissful when the cello comes in at 1:15, and then again later with the viola in harmony.

[Lamont-ildp]

When I listen to this when I’m anxious it helps for some weird reason.

[TimIrvin]

W0W! I can't imagine trying to read that sheet music and keeping time! A one and a...

[DoctorWha]

This may be one the best performances I have seen in a long, long time.

[queenoftheharpies]

I'm reading these comments, and I'm not sure what some of you were expecting from them. They're perfection in my view. I would love to see them live.

[MrGilberto]

Kronos Quartet es mi orquesta de cámara favorita desde 1985, cuando los conocí tocando a Thelonius Monk. Son lo máximo.

[bessbenson]

Fantastic performance - incredible muscians. very exciting.

[garyturner]

This is my first listen to this group. I am flabbergasted. So thrilled that NPR presented your talents to all of us to enjoy. I think i have just found my new favorite group. Now i have to do some research to see if ya'll are coming to Louisville, KY. I hope you have a website. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[freakjobb]

That's some hardcore hocketing in the first piece.

[BeachMonstr]

They are amazing, and please come back to Colombia soon.

[suegha]

I have discovered something which my soul loves! This is a wonderful performance, the first piece blew me away, amazing!