The Kronos Quartet and Purple Haze

Today, let’s wrap up our Classical Crossover month by looking at an example of a traditionally classical-type ensemble that pushes their boundaries far beyond classical music.

Have you heard of the Kronos Quartet? They were in Cincinnati this past March collaborating with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in MusicNOW. This ensemble, made up of musicians David Harrington (violin), John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola), and Sunny Yang (cello), performs everything from classical, to jazz, to film music, and rock. Kronos began back in 1973 when Harrington, inspired by George Crumb’s Black Angels, decided to form a string quartet that would perform diverse repertoire, far beyond the traditional Haydn and Mozart chamber music. One such example of how a string quartet can push boundaries is Kronos’ performance of Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze.”

Can you think of any other traditionally classical ensembles that cross over into other genres? 

"Symphony of Sorrowful Songs"

This month we’ve been looking at various types of classical crossover. Today, let’s look at a classical symphony that shocked everyone, including the composer, when it topped Britain’s pop charts.

Henryk Gorecki (1933–2010) never thought his Symphony No. 3 would become one of the top selling contemporary classical recordings of all time, especially after it was quickly forgotten following its 1977 premiere. It wasn’t until his symphony, also known as “Symphony of Sorrowful Songs,” was released on a 1992 album with soprano Dawn Upshaw and the London Sinfonietta led by David Zinnman that it became an international sensation.

Gorecki’s Symphony No. 3 plays on deep emotions, each movement’s text taken from a Polish text. The first movement uses the “Lament for the Holy Cross,” a liturgical work dated from the 15^th century. The second movement incorporates a prayer that was found written on the wall of a Nazi prison in Poland from World War II. The final movement uses a Polish folk song that refers to a mother who mourns the loss of her son in battle. Perhaps these moving texts and the stirring music are what sparked the symphony’s popularity?

Gorecki ended up becoming the first living classical composer to have a pop hit in the UK and a number one album on the US classical charts. You can hear the Symphony of Sorrowful Songs below. Does it move you? Can you see why it experienced success in both the classical and popular music worlds?

Tosca Through the Years

Want to learn more about Tosca before attending the Cincinnati Opera's performance of Puccini's masterpiece? Check out "Tosca Through the Years" hosted by the Cincinnati Opera's Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, Evans Mirageas. This 30-minute special tells the story of Tosca, and includes recordings of famous artists who have sung the part with Cincinnati Opera over the last century.