For half a century, the Kronos String Quartet has been performing on the world’s leading stages, but this Tuesday it visited the Brno JazzFest for the first time. The concert in the Sono Center was watched by a sold-out hall, said Radek Babička on behalf of the organizer.
The American quartet is dedicated to contemporary music with overlaps in many genres, including jazz. He also records soundtracks. In Brno, it performed a varied selection of compositions written or arranged directly for the Kronos Quartet. For example, a unique version of the jazz standard Summertime by George Gershwin, Purple Haze from the repertoire of rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix arranged for a string quartet or music from the movie The Fountain was played.
The Kronos Quartet currently consists of violinists David Harrington and John Sherba, violist Hank Dutt and cellist Paul Wiancko. But musicians also use other instruments on stage, from cymbals and a kick drum to various digital effects. If the score calls for it, they can even shout in chorus.
The quartet has been shaping its followers for a long time. For its 50th anniversary, it created a project called 50 for the Future – a free digital library of 50 contemporary compositions to enable string quartets to develop and refine their skills needed to interpret 21st century repertoire.
David Harrington also assured the Brno audience that anyone can come home from the concert today, download the songs and start practicing. “They are free for anyone around the world,” he said.
It was from the 50 for the Future library that the quartet drew on during their performance in Brno. For example, the song Little Black Book by American electronic music producer Jlin or Excerpt from Sivunittinni by Inuit artist Tanya Tagaq was performed.
The Kronos Quartet will play this Wednesday in Prague’s U Salvátora church. The Brno JazzFest continues on May 19 with a concert by the singer and pianist Diana Krall at the Bobycentr.
Video: Kronos Quartet playing Little Black Book
Kronos Quartet plays the song Little Black Book by American electronic music producer Jlin, which he also performed in Brno. Photo: ČTK | Video: Kronos Quartet
