Michael Gordon: Clouded Yellow Kronos Quartet

• 1Clouded Yellow10:23
• 2Potassium11:31
• 3The Sad Park: Pt. 1, Two Evil Planes Broke in Little Pieces and Fire Came09:55
• 4The Sad Park: Pt. 2, There Was a Big Boom and Then There Was Teeny Fiery Coming Out06:25
• 5The Sad Park: Pt. 3, I Just Heard That on the News That the Buildings Are Crashing Down08:39
• 6The Sad Park: Pt. 4, And All the Persons That Were in the Airplane Died03:24
• 7Exalted09:04
• Total Runtime59:21

Info for Michael Gordon: Clouded Yellow

Over the course of a decade, Michael Gordon has collaborated with the world-renowned Kronos Quartet on a series of provocative works that have sought to stretch, bend and otherwise reshape the boundaries of modern classical music. Clouded Yellow assembles these works for the first time, perfectly encapsulating the breadth and complexity of this long-standing creative partnership.

Clouded Yellow features four pieces: the title track (composed in 2010), Exalted (2010), The Sad Park (2006) and Potassium (2000). The title of the first refers to the clouded yellow butterfly, which is known in England for its mass migrations; the word “clouded” is also meant to describe the blurred harmonies and melodies of the piece.

Potassium is for amplified string quartet and electronics, with a fuzz box used throughout to lend a mysterious distortion to the sound. The Sad Park is accompanied by recordings of children ages 3 to 4 and their responses to the tragic events of 9/11. Exalted, which also features the Young People’s Chorus of New York City conducted by Francisco Núñez, sets the opening of the Jewish Kaddish in Aramaic, connecting the choral voices of mourning to those of the children in The Sad Park.

Kronos Quartet

Kronos Quartet
For 40 years, San Francisco’s Kronos Quartet—David Harrington (violin), John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola), and Sunny Yang (cello)—has combined a spirit of fearless exploration with a commitment to continually re-imagining the string quartet experience. In the process, Kronos has become one of the world’s most celebrated and influential ensembles, performing thousands of concerts worldwide, releasing more than 50 recordings, collaborating with many of the world’s most eclectic composers and performers, and commissioning more than 800 works and arrangements for string quartet. A Grammy winner, Kronos is also the only recipient of both the Polar Music Prize and the Avery Fisher Prize. With a staff of ten, the non-profit Kronos Performing Arts Association (KPAA) manages all aspects of Kronos’ work, including the commissioning of new works, concert tours and home-season performances, and education programs.

Booklet for Michael Gordon: Clouded Yellow