Kronos Quartet Performs Alfred Schnittke: The Complete String Quartets

These quartets (and who else but the Kronos Quartet should record them) represent Schnittke at his polystylistic best. The Kronos Quartet captures the essence of Schnittke's multi-hued textures, but these are not friendly works. In fact, they are quite foreboding--but then so are the quartets of Shostakovich and Bartók. This is a two-disc set that also includes the brief "Canon in Memory of I. Stravinsky" and Collected Songs. Schnittke's best music contains its own instruction manual. Listen long enough and you'll get it. --Paul Cook