Witold Lutoslawski (1913-1994)
String Quartet (1964)

The Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski designed his 1964 string quartet as a work that invites interpretation and encourages individualized approach. Says the Los Angeles Times, “Kronos conceives the work as a never-slackening exercise in fiery, forthright emotionalism and dramatic intensity.”

Wondering Sound:
Tightly wound and surpremely controlled
"From time to time, the Kronos Quartet has released a one-piece recording, which allows the group to retreat to the sylvan tranquility of Skywalker Studios in the hills near San Francisco and immerse itself in one composer’s expressive world. Wijtold Lutoslawski’s only string quartet dates from 1964, when the Polish composer was exploring ways for a creative artist to relinquish control over the products of his imagination and turn it over to the performers. That, it turns out, is not an easy thing to do. Classical musicians are trained to interpret instructions, and the clearer and more detailed a score is, the more comfortable they are. “Play it your way” is a difficult order to follow. Accordingly, composers have resorted to various tricks to get players to take over part of the responsibility for a how a piece sounds. Lutoslawski initially wrote out the four parts of the quartet separately and refused to provide a complete score so that the musicians wouldn’t be tempted to slide into synch. Later, he relented and came up with an elaborate system of notation intended to coax reluctant musicians into a limited degree of improvisation. The result, paradoxically, is a piece that sounds tightly wound and supremely controlled, a dark, sepulchral work buzzing with dissonance and bristling with choreographed expressions of Atomic-Age angst." --Justin Davidson

1. Introductory Movement [8:33]
2. Main Movement [15:14]
G. Schirmer, Inc on behalf of Chester Music Ltd. (ASCAP)

KRONOS QUARTET:
• David Harrington, violin
• John Sherba, violin
• Hank Dutt, viola
• Joan Jeanrenaud, cello

Recorded at Skywalker Ranch, Nicasio, California
Produced by Judith Sherman
Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz
Engineers: Judith Sherman, Juhani Liimatainen and Tony Eckert
Art direction and design: Manhattan Design
© 1991 Elektra Entertainment, a division of Warner Communications Inc.
Elektra Nonesuch 7559-79255-2 - [23:47]