Alive to a radiant democratic spirit taking hold in Europe and alongside a new appreciation of the natural world, the 40-year-old Joseph Haydn composed six revolutionary string quartets in 1772. Riley’s string quartets, in cahoots with the indomitable Kronos Quartet, went on to revolutionize chamber music once more. No ensemble in history has changed how we might listen to music as has Kronos. He went back into the studio to electronically enhance the space sounds that Gurnett gave him and that would accompany the strings. Starting pointsIt took nearly two decades for the Kronos Quartet to record “Sun Rings.” Nonesuch decided not to make a video.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 30, 2020 14:03 UTC