The Kronos Quartet is a grammy award winning string quartet based in San Francisco. It has been in existence with rotating members for over 50 years. Currently the group consists of 4 members, David Harrington (violin) , John Sherba (violin) , Hank Dutt (viola), Paul Wiancko (cello).
Earlier this year (2023), myself and three other members of WAYO, (principal cellist, principal violist & concertmaster), were approached to collaborate with the Kronos Quartet as part of the Perth Festival. As a quartet, we were asked to prepare a piece from Kronos’s 50th year anniversary pieces (50 for the future) to workshop with one of the members. There were so many great pieces that we could choose from, however in the end we collectively chose Le Bois by Bryce Dessner.
https://50ftf.kronosquartet.org/composers (library of music)
Below is a statement from the Artist on the inspiration behind the piece.
“Le Bois for string quartet is based on Pérotin’s Sederunt principes, and was inspired by the Notre Dame Cathedral and the 1,000-year-old wood ceiling that was lost in the devastating fire there in the spring of 2019. Le Bois is a musical reflection on the impermanence of so many things we take for granted, whether it be our relationships, the structures that surround us, or our environment itself, which is rapidly being destroyed by climate change.”
-Bryce Dessner
Bryce Dessner himself is an American composer and guitarist based in Paris, originally he was the guitarist in a rock band, The National. When approaching the artists piece, we came across many themes and ideas. Perhaps, the most challenging part of rehearsing the work was achieving the balance of ensemble and knowing the importance of each part. Bryce also incorporated 21st century playing techniques with the string instruments such as Col Legno and Sul Ponticello, which revealed what type of sound Bryce was possibly guiding the performers to achieve and made it even more fun for us as performers to interpret. What I most liked about Bryce’s composition was that it made sense, it was neither too abstract or simple. Bryce managed to suggest his own ideas but also leave room for the performers interpretations. This is done subtly through the various contrasting themes heard throughout the ensemble and the minimal use of directions on the sheet music, which in my opinion gives more freedom to the performers. I think a modern piece can be performed to a better extent when an artist suggests their idea then leaves it up to the performers to interpret it and make it into their own.
On the day of the workshop we were joined by the fantastic cellist Paul Wiancko. Paul was very kind and humble, offering an insight into the piece with suggestive ideas. The advice Paul gave will stick with me for years. Paul talked about playing with intent, cohesiveness and feel. He gave his own interpretation of what each section and part represented and the possible intent of the artist. From his own experience playing in ensembles, he knew the many different ways that musicians can interact with each other, talking about the language that is shared between each other and how the smallest difference in the way we play something can significantly impact the feel of the piece and what type of story is conveyed.
https://soundcloud.com/kronosquartet/bryce-dessner-le-bois (le bois by Bryce Dessner)
The next day, my quartet, the UWA Quartet and WAPPA Quartet all joined the Kronos Quartet onstage to perform a work by Phillip glass that was specifically commissioned for the Kronos Quartet, called Quartet Satz.
Meeting and playing with the Kronos Quartet is certainly an experience that I will never take for granted. Each member of the quartet is very down to Earth and it was such an enjoyable experience talking with them and playing alongside them at the Perth Concert Hall.
This experience has certainly broadened my mind and has given me a more positive outlook on 21st century commission works. It is quite a stereotype that commission works can be quite a pain for certain musicians, as most are based off abstract material causing musicians to play either impossible, or very easy pieces repetitively. However, I genuinely enjoyed playing both Le Bois and Quartet Satz and would definitely consider studying/spending more time with the pieces if I had the chance to. It is Both a privilege and unforgettable experience to see how Kronos Quartet plays as a group, challenging and reimagining what a string quartet is able to do. After our performance a few of us stayed and watched the Kronos Quartet perform Black Angels by George Crumb. Their interpretation and performance was unlike any I have seen before, with musicians who have been playing for around 50 years, playing music outside the norms of classical music. Experiences such as their concert inspire me to push against the boundaries of traditions in classical music and be more confident in my own ideas and interpretations. I hope that in the future I have the chance to come across The Kronos Quartet again and experience their creative artistry again.
