Streichquartette

Helmut Lachenmann
Streichquartette

“Beauty has become not idealized, but stylized.“ -Lachenmann

Not your daddy’s classical. Lachenmann is the real deal (my buddy in the Stanford music department flipped when he saw this on my desk a few minutes ago). The works are near perfect renditions of the sparse post-tonal musique-concrete affairs that have cropped up in the past half century or so. Most interesting is the dizzying variety and quantity of playing techniques he’s pioneered, many of which you’ll encounter here, particularly on the first track. Performed by the Arditti String Quartet in 2006. Similar to some of the chronos quartet works you’re probably familiar with, but far more devilish.
They’re all good, but 1 is my favorite.

1. (24:20) Grido (composed 2001)
2. (27:22) Reigen Seliger Geister (comp. 1988)
3. (23:04) Gran Torso (comp. 1971)