Gidon Kremer, Kremerata Baltica – Pärt – Glass – Martynov ‎– Silencio

MUSICIANS
Gidon Kremer, violin
Tatjana Grindenko, violin

Silencio is a meditative collection of 20th-century works for string orchestra, including works by Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, and Vladimir Martynov. The disc is bookended with works by Pärt, whose Tabula Rasa opens the disc. The work was written for and dedicated to Kremer, violinist Tatjana Grindenko and conductor Eri Klas (all featured on this recording), who premiered it in 1977 in Estonia. It was recorded live for release on ECM later that year. Tabula Rasa is scored for string orchestra, solo violins and prepared piano.

Philip Glass’s Company was originally composed for a Public Theater production of a play based on Samuel Beckett’s short novel of the same name. Later it became Glass’s String Quartet # 2 and received its first recording by Kronos Quartet, on their self-titled debut, in 1986. It is heard here in an adaptation for string orchestra.