#4923, Non-Western music for String Quartets/Quintets

Hear music drawing on Sardinian choral polyphony, Indian classical music, Native American chant, and Syrian wedding music from Ligeti Quartet, Kronos Quartet, and New York-based ETHEL.

There’s music from virtuosic British string quartet the Ligeti Quartet, a string quartet who eerily and skillfully emulate the human voice in versions of traditional songs of Tuva and Sardinia. Hear Sardinian choral polyphony and Tuvan throat-singing for string quartet(!), from an album of arrangements by British composer Christian Mason, called Songbooks, Vol. 1. Then, listen to music for string quintet based on raga melody and Medieval polyphony from Los Angeles-based composer and cellist Chris Votek.

Also, hear music from Native American flutist Robert Mirabal and the electric string quartet, ETHEL from their collaborative record, The River. Plus, Mexican folk music, Syrian wedding music, and Kazakh music arranged for Kronos Quartet. That, and more. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4923, Non-Western music for String Quartets/Quintets (First aired 9/17/2024)

ARTIST: Ligeti Quartet
WORK: Sardinian Songbook: Muttos (Motets), arr. Christian Mason [:30]
RECORDING: Songbooks, Vol. 1
SOURCE: Nonclassical
INFO: ligetiquartet.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Tenores di Bitti
WORK: Muttos [:30]
RECORDING: Romanzesu
SOURCE: Amori
INFO: https://amori.bandcamp.com/album/romanzesu

ARTIST: Ligeti Quartet
WORK: Eki Attar (The Best Steeds), arr. Christian Mason [2:58]
RECORDING: Songbooks, Vol. 1
SOURCE: Nonclassical
INFO: ligetiquartet.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Chris Votek
WORK: Memories of a Shadow II. Fossil Dance [8:53]
RECORDING: Memories of a Shadow
SOURCE: MicroFest Records
INFO: https://chrisvotek.bandcamp.com/album/memories-of-a-shadow-2

ARTIST: Kronos Quartet
WORK: Omar Souleyman: La Sidounak Sayyada (I'll Prevent Hunters from Hunting you), arr. Jacob Garchik [4:28]
RECORDING: A Thousand Thoughts
SOURCE: Nonesuch 536952
INFO: nonesuch.com

ARTIST: ETHEL & Robert Mirabal
WORK: An Kha Na  [5:11]
RECORDING: The River
SOURCE: Innova 946
INFO: innova.mu

ARTIST: Ligeti Quartet
WORK: Sardinian Songbook: Muttos (Motets)[3:55]
RECORDING: Songbooks, Vol. 1
SOURCE: Nonclassical
INFO: ligetiquartet.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Kronos Quartet with Alejandro Flores & Efren Vargas
WORK: El Llorar (Crying) [3:38]
RECORDING: Nuevo
SOURCE: Nonesuch 79649 
INFO: nonesuch.com

ARTIST: Chris Votek
WORK: Memories of a Shadow I. Serpents [7:21]
RECORDING: Memories of a Shadow
SOURCE: MicroFest Records
INFO: https://chrisvotek.bandcamp.com/album/memories-of-a-shadow-2

ARTIST: Kronos Quartet
WORK: Kara Kemir [3:38]
RECORDING: Floodplain
SOURCE: Nonesuch 
INFO: nonesuch.com

ARTIST: ETHEL & Robert Mirabal
WORK: Tsintskaro Memory [3:17]
RECORDING: The River
SOURCE: Innova 946
INFO: innova.mu