Sign up for our mailing list Real artists creating records on their own terms

Press

Monday, October 28th, 2013

NPR MUSIC’S FIRST LISTEN STREAMS BRYCE DESSNER AND KRONOS QUARTET’S AHEYM

For Immediate Release
October 28, 2013

NPR MUSIC’S FIRST LISTEN STREAMS
BRYCE DESSNER AND KRONOS QUARTET’S AHEYM

ALBUM OUT NOVEMBER 5 ON ANTI- RECORDS
FEATURING BROOKLYN YOUTH CHORUS

“[Dessner is a] deft guitarist-composer.”—The New York Times

“Kronos proved that the string quartet, long the most self-consciously ‘classical’ of classical ensembles, could become a kind of all-terrain vehicle in contemporary culture. Early on, they made a near-total commitment to living composers…Kronos is notable for its global vision.”
—The New Yorker

NPR Music is streaming Aheym, the upcoming collaboration between critically acclaimed composer and guitarist from The National Bryce Dessner and Grammy Award-winning Kronos Quartet, in its entirety at http://n.pr/17qYdZU.

Due November 5 on Anti- Records, Aheym features four original compositions by Dessner—who has previously collaborated with Steve Reich, Philip Glass, David Lang, Sufjan Stevens and many others—performed by Kronos as well as an appearance by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. Dessner and the quartet first crossed paths when Kronos founder David Harrington approached
Dessner about writing a piece for the quartet’s performance at the Celebrate Brooklyn! festival at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park in 2009. The ensuing piece, “Aheym” (meaning “homeward” in Yiddish), was informed by the stories of Dessner’s Jewish immigrant grandparents who settled near the park and, as the pair’s collaboration grew, became the album’s title track.

Aheym also includes a performance dedicated to Laurence Neff, Kronos Quartet’s lighting designer of 25 years (“Tenebre”); a composition influenced by obscure Czech viola da gamba performers Irena and Vojtěch Havel (“Little Blue Something”); and “Tour Eiffel,” a setting of a poem by Chilean poet Vicente Huidobro that was originally commissioned by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus (which perform the track on Aheym alongside Kronos Quartet) at the suggestion of Dessner’s close friend, composer Nico Muhly.

Best known for his work with Brooklyn-based rock group The National, Bryce Dessner is also a founding member of the group Clogs and founder/curator of Cincinnati’s acclaimed MusicNOW Festival. Graduating from Yale University with a master’s degree in music, Dessner serves as a composer-in-residence at Muziekgebouw Frits Philips in Eindhoven, Netherlands, produced the Red Hot AIDS charity compilation Dark Was the Night with his brother and The National bandmate Aaron, curated the Crossing Brooklyn Ferry music festival for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (also with Aaron) and has performed alongside Steve Reich, Nico Muhly, Sufjan Stevens, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood and many others.

The San Francisco-based Kronos Quartet has made a name for themselves across multiple genres, performing alongside artists including Tom Waits, Asha Bhosle, Paul McCartney, Allen Ginsberg, David Bowie and Wu Man. They have also collaborated with a long list of composers including Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, John Adams, Steve Reich, Meredith Monk and Terry Riley. The group is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary with coast-to-coast birthday concerts, a host of premieres, a Nonesuch CD boxed set and performances around the globe. The non-profit Kronos Performing Arts Association manages all aspects of Kronos’ work, including the commissioning of new works, concert tours and home-season performances and education programs.

BRYCE DESSNER/KRONOS QUARTET, AHEYM
1. Aheym
2. Little Blue Something
3. Tenebre
4. Tour Eiffel

Kronos Quartet with Bryce Dessner's artist page

Facebook | Twitter
Tags: kr

Browse by Artist

2440All Artists 67Mavis Staples 58Neko Case 56Dr. Dog 55The Milk Carton Kids 52Son Little 51Sean Rowe 50Tinariwen
44Glen Hansard 43Lost In The Trees 41Andy Shauf 37Saintseneca 36Delicate Steve 33Michael Franti and Spe... 33Galactic 32Xenia Rubinos 31Jolie Holland 30Calexico 30The Drums 29Tom Waits 28William Elliott Whitmo... 28Madi Diaz 28Doe Paoro 27Man Man 27Half Waif 27Yves Jarvis 26Girlpool 26Christian Lee Hutson 25Lido Pimienta 25Bettye LaVette 24Foxwarren 23Christopher Paul Stell... 23Jason Lytle 23The Antlers 22Gary V 22Booker T. Jones 22Cass McCombs 22Sage Francis 21Islands 21Japandroids 21Leyla McCalla 21Danny Elfman 20DeVotchKa 20Jeremy Ivey 20Daniel Lanois 19The Dream Syndicate 19M. Ward 19Purr 19Combo Chimbita 18So Much Light 18Wilco 18Joe Henry 17Tim Fite 17Moor Mother 17Darrin Bradbury 17Jade Jackson 17Grinderman 16Porter Wagoner 16Peter Silberman 16High Pulp 16MJ Lenderman 15Glitterer 15Yann Tiersen 15Alfa Mist 15Rafiq Bhatia 14James Brandon Lewis 14John K. Samson 13Curtis Harding 13The Coup 13Busdriver 13Rain Machine 13Ben Harper 12The Melodic 12Waxahatchee 12Richard Reed Parry 12Deafheaven 12Hey, King! 12Josiah Johnson 11Ryan Pollie 11Keaton Henson 11Beth Orton 11Bonny Doon 11Kelly Hogan 10Roky Erickson 10Ben Harper and Charlie... 10Fleet Foxes 10The Tallest Man On Ear... 10Os Mutantes 10Bob Mould 10Xavier Rudd 10Beat Connection 10Wynonna 10Slow Pulp 10Katy Kirby 10Jasmyn 10Dead Man's Bones 9Marketa Irglova 9Kate Davis 9Cameron Avery 9Kate Bush 9Ezra Furman 9Mose Allison 9The Locust 8Art Moore 8Greg Graffin 8The Frames 8Sam Akpro 8A Girl Called Eddy 8Deradoorian 8Kristine Leschper 7Solillaquists of Sound 7sunking 7The Field 7Alec Ounsworth 7Scott McMicken and THE... 6Marc Ribot 6Broken Twin 6Pops Staples 6The Good Ones 6Pete Philly & Perquisi... 6Sparklehorse 6Ramblin Jack Elliott 6N.A.S.A. 6Kronos Quartet with Br... 5The Swell Season 5Tweedy 5Cadence Weapon 5Walter Wolfman Washing... 5Mothers 5Plains 5The Weakerthans 5Jackson+Sellers 4Petra Haden 4Arc Iris 4Eddie Izzard 4One Day As A Lion 4Muggs 4case/lang/veirs 4Antibalas 3Danny Cohen 3Mavis Staples & Levon... 3Marianne Faithfull 3Simian Mobile Disco 3Sierra Leones Refugee... 3The Book Of Knots 2Screaming Lights (Euro... 2Lyrics Born 2Spoon (Europe only) 2Billy Bragg 2Savath & Savalas 2Title Fight 2Chuck E. Weiss 2Jeff Tweedy 2Various Artists: RANGO 2Blackalicious 1Nick Cave & The Bad Se... 1Various Artists: ROGUE... 1Taylor Vick 1The Beths 1Solomon Burke 1Rogue's Gallery
See Full List+