Kronos Quartet discography

The discography of the Kronos Quartet includes 43 studio albums, 2 compilations, 5 soundtracks, and 29 contributions to other artists' records. The Kronos Quartet plays classical, pop, rock, jazz, folk, world, and contemporary classical music and was founded in 1973 by violinist David Harrington. Since 1978, they have been based in San Francisco, California. Since 1985, the quartet's music has been released on Nonesuch Records.
Early recordings by the quartet contain contemporary classical music and adaptations of more popular music, such as jazz and rock and roll. Since the 1980s, and especially with the release of Cadenza on the Night Plain, written as a collaboration between composer Terry Riley and the quartet, much of the quartet's repertoire and album releases contain music written especially for them by composers such as Riley, Philip Glass, Henryk Górecki, Ástor Piazzolla, Kevin Volans, and Aleksandra Vrebalov. Their music "covers a who's who of 20th century-composers", as one critic noted in 1998.
Kronos has recorded five soundtracks, including the 1998 score by Philip Glass for the scoreless 1931 sound movie Dracula, and has contributed to the soundtracks of five other movies, including Heat and 21 Grams. Outside the genre of classical music, Kronos has collaborated with a great number of other artists, especially pop artists, such as Joan Armatrading, Dave Matthews Band, Andy Summers, Nelly Furtado, and Nine Inch Nails.
The quartet has achieved considerable commercial and critical success and by 1998 had sold more than 1.5 million albums. Many of Kronos' albums have ranked on various Billboard charts; the 1992 album Pieces of Africa reached #1 in the Top World Albums chart. The quartet won a Grammy for the 2003 album Lyric Suite.

Studio albums

Year	Album details	Notes
1979	Music of Dane Rudhyar Released: 1979 Label: Composers Recordings, Inc. SD 418 Format: LP; later CD	Their first release; includes two string quartets, "Advent" and "Crisis and Overcoming"
1982	In Formation Released: 1982 Label: Reference Format: LP; CD	"In imaging, transient accuracy and timbre, one of the finest string quartet discs ever issued."
1985	Kronos Quartet Plays Music of Thelonious Monk">Kronos Quartet (album)">Kronos Quartet Plays Music of Thelonious Monk Released: 1985 Label: Landmark Format: LP, CD, MP3	Compositions by Thelonious Monk. With Ron Carter. Re-released in 2005 as CD, on Savoy. Re-issued with Music of Bill Evans on 2CD as 32 Jazz: The Complete Landmark Sessions.
1985	Terry Riley: Cadenza on the Night Plain Released: 1985 Label: Gramavision R2 79444 Format: 2LP, CD	Collaboration between composer Terry Riley and the Quartet. "Charming music that grows on one, in really committed performances." Rereleased on CD, August 1, 1992; rereleased on CD, January 31, 2006.
1986	Music of Bill Evans Released: 1986 Label: Landmark, Savoy Format: LP, CD	Compositions written by or associated with Bill Evans. With Jim Hall and Eddie Gómez. Leonard Feather gave the album five stars; Stephen Holden, for the New York Times, named it "Jazz Album of the Week." Reissued with Monk Suite on 2CD as 32 Jazz: The Complete Landmark Sessions.
1986	Kronos Quartet Released: August 15, 1986 Label: Nonesuch Format: LP, CD, MP3	Music by Peter Sculthorpe, Aulis Sallinen, Philip Glass, Conlon Nancarrow, and an arrangement of Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze." "The best recorded anthology yet to capture the heady diversity of musical idioms that this San Francisco quartet espouses."
1987	White Man Sleeps Released: July 15, 1987 Label: Nonesuch Format: LP, CD, MP3	Ten compositions, by Kevin Volans and others.
1988	Winter Was Hard Released: September 30, 1988 Label: Nonesuch Format: LP, CD, MP3	Music by Aulis Sallinen, Terry Riley, Arvo Pärt, Anton Webern, John Zorn, John Lurie, Ástor Piazzolla, Alfred Schnittke, and Samuel Barber. Listed at #11 in the Los Angeles Times Classical Top 25 of 1989.
1989	Steve Reich: Different Trains/Electric Counterpoint Released: March 3, 1989 Label: Nonesuch Format: LP, CD, MP3	Two Steve Reich compositions. Kronos Quartet play tracks 1–3 ; Pat Metheny plays tracks 4–6. Different Trains written for the quartet. Listed at #16 in the Los Angeles Times Classical Top 25 of 1989. Reich won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Composition, with Kronos Quartet as performing artist.
1989	Kronos Quartet Plays Terry Riley: Salome Dances for Peace Released: October 27, 1989 Label: Nonesuch Format: 2LP, 2CD, MP3	Collaboration between the composer and the quartet, nominated for a Grammy.
1990	Black Angels Released: June 29, 1990 Label: Nonesuch Format: LP, CD, MP3	Includes George Crumb's Black Angels, the inspiration for David Harrington to found the Kronos Quartet.
1991	Witold Lutosławski: String Quartet Released: January 25, 1991 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD single, MP3	Compositions by Witold Lutosławski. "Integrates notated music with chance performance."
1991	Kevin Volans: Hunting:Gathering Released: January 27, 1991 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD single, MP3	Composition by South-African composer Kevin Volans, commissioned by the quartet.
1991	Five Tango Sensations Released: January 25, 1991 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Written for the quartet by Ástor Piazzolla. Piazzolla's last studio recording.
1991	Henryk Mikolaj Górecki: Already It Is Dusk/"Lerchenmusik" Released: May 28, 1991 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD	Two compositions by Polish composer Henryk Mikolaj Górecki. "Already It Is Dusk" played by Kronos Quartet; "Lerchenmusik" by the London Sinfonietta.
1991	Music of Claude Ballif Released: 1991 Label: Adda MFA 581283 Format: CD	Quatuor a cordes No. 3
1992	Pieces of Africa Released: February 21, 1992 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Music written for the quartet by seven African composers. Reached #1 in Billboards "Top World Albums", and spent 29 weeks on the chart.
1993	Short Stories Released: March 5, 1993 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	With Steven Mackey, Pran Nath, Krishma Bhatt, Terry Riley, and John Constant.
1993	Henryk Górecki: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2 Released: June 25, 1993 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Two string quartets "rooted in Polish folk song."
1993	At the Grave of Richard Wagner Released: September 24, 1993 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Works by Alban Berg and Anton Webern. With Aki Takahashi and Marcella DeCray.
1993	Morton Feldman: Piano and String Quartet Released: September 24, 1993 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	One of Morton Feldman's final works, recorded with pianist Aki Takahashi.
1993	Bob Ostertag: All the Rage Released: October 22, 1993 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD single, MP3	Composition by Bob Ostertag, condemning California governor Pete Wilson's veto of pro-gay legislation in 1991; proceeds for AIDS research.
1994	Night Prayers Released: September 2, 1994 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Composers of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. With Throat Singers of Tuva, Dawn Upshaw, Djivan Gasparian, and Mikhail Alexandrovich.
1995	Kronos Quartet Performs Philip Glass Released: February 3, 1995 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	"An ideal combination of composer and performers." Reached #9 in Billboards "Top Classical Albums," and spent 12 weeks on the "Billboard Classical 50" chart.
1996	Howl, USA Released: May 31, 1996 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Allen Ginsberg's poem Howl set to music, and other Cold War pieces. With the voices of Allen Ginsberg, J. Edgar Hoover, and I.F. Stone.
1997	Osvaldo Golijov: The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind Released: March 14, 1997 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Collaboration with Argentina-born Osvaldo Golijov. With David Krakauer.
1997	Tan Dun: Ghost Opera Released: March 14, 1997 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Composition for strings and pipa by Tan Dun, performed by Kronos Quartet and Wu Man.
1997	Early Music (Lachrymæ Antiquæ) Released: September 12, 1997 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	21 compositions, from the 9th to the 20th century. Critic's Choice in The New York Times.
1998	Kronos Quartet Performs Alfred Schnittke: The Complete String Quartets Released: May 15, 1998 Label: Nonesuch Format: 2CD, MP3	"Kronos can play like demons."
1998	John Adams: John's Book of Alleged Dances Released: April 21, 1998 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Besides John's Book of Alleged Dances, also contains John Adams' Gnarly Buttons by the London Sinfonietta.
2000	Caravan Released: April 7, 2000 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	With Zakir Hussain, Taraf de Haïdouks, Kayhan Kalhor, Ziya Tabbassian, Ali Jihad Racy, Souhail Kaspar, and Martyn Jones. Music by ten different composers incl. Carlos Paredes. Reached #4 in Billboards "Top Classical Albums" and stayed on the chart for 15 weeks.
2001	Terry Riley: Requiem for Adam Released: September 4, 2001 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Written by Terry Riley in memory of Adam Harrington, David Harrington's son. Also includes "The Philosopher's Hand", piano improvisation by Riley.
2001	Steve Reich: Triple Quartet Released: October 16, 2001 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	With Dominic Frasca, Alan Pierson, and the Ossia ensemble.
2002	Nuevo Released: April 9, 2002 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Music by Mexican composers: "A full-throttled celebration of the multitextured sounds of Mexico." Reached #8 in Billboards "Top Classical Crossover Albums" and stayed on the chart for 14 weeks.
2003	Pēteris Vasks: String Quartet No. 4 Released: August 19, 2003 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD single, MP3	Written by Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks for the quartet; achieves "both feverish intensity and active rumination as the piece requires."
2003	Alban Berg: Lyric Suite Released: August 19, 2003 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD single, MP3	Complete recording of Alban Berg's Lyric Suite. Grammy winner for Best Chamber Music Performance, 2004; proves "that the quartet is indeed the 'real thing,' an excellent, multifaceted classical ensemble." With restored setting of Baudelaire's poem "De profundis clamavi", sung by Dawn Upshaw, soprano.
2003	Harry Partch: U.S. Highball Released: August 19, 2003 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD single, MP3	Ben Johnston's arrangement of Harry Partch's recollections. "Performed with pitch-perfect spirit."
2005	Mugam Sayagi: Music of Franghiz Ali-Zadeh Released: January 11, 2005 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Four works by the Azerbaijani composer Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, three of which, "Apsheron Quintet", and "Mugam Sayagi" ) commissioned by the Quartet. Fourth track is Ali-Zadeh's "Music for Piano", which is performed by the composer, who also plays piano on "Apsheron Quintet." Reached #14 in Billboards "Top Classical Albums."
2005	You've Stolen My Heart: Songs From R.D. Burman's Bollywood with Asha Bhosle Released: August 23, 2005 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Recorded with Bollywood playback singer Asha Bhosle; tribute to Rahul Dev Burman., nominated for 46th Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary World Music Album.
2007	Henryk Górecki: String Quartet No. 3 ('...songs are sung') Released: March 20, 2007 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	"Editor's Choice" for Strings magazine: "a solemn, spiritual, and revolutionary work." Entered at #6 in Billboards "Top Classical Albums" on March 30, 2007.
2007	Kronos Quartet Plays Sigur Rós Released: September 4, 2007 Label: Nonesuch Format: MP3	Two "audience favorites": "Flugufrelsarinn" and "The Star-Spangled Banner".
2008	Terry Riley: The Cusp of Magic Released: February 4, 2008 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Written for the quartet, with Wu Man. Reached #3 in Billboard'*s "Top Classical Albums" and stayed on the chart for 10 weeks.
2008	Kronos plays Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen Released: 2008 Label: Dacapo #6.220548 Format: CD	Concerto Grosso, for string quartet and symphonic ensemble Moving Still, for baritone and string quartet String Quartet No. 9, Last Ground, for string quartet and ocean
2009	Floodplain Released: May 19, 2009 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Music written or arranged for the quartet, "from cultures based in areas surrounded by water and prone to catastrophic flooding." Includes long piece by Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov.
2010	Rainbow: Music of Central Asia Vol. 8 Released: 2010 Label: Smithsonian Folkways 40527 Format: CD, MP3	With Alim and Fargana Qasimov and Homayun Sakhi
2011	Uniko Released: February 1, 2011 Label: Ondine Format: CD, MP3	Features Kronos Quartet, Finnish accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen. Seven-part suite for string quartet, accordion and live electronics composed by Pohjonen and Kosminen.
2012	Music of Vladimir Martynov Released: 2012 Label: Nonesuch #529776-2 Format: CD	The Beatitudes Schubert-Quintet , with special guest, Joan Jeanrenaud Der Abschied
2013	Under 30 Project: 1–4 Released: April 24, 2013 Label: Digital only #KR 2013-01	Part of the Kronos' "Under 30 Project", presenting the first four commissions by: Alexandra du Bois, Felipe Pérez Santiago, Dan Visconti, and Aviya Kopelman.
2013	Aheym – Music by Bryce Dessner Released: November 5, 2013 Label: Anti #87296-2
2015	Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector: Music of Terry Riley Released: June 23, 2015 Label: Nonesuch #549523	Originally released as part of the 2015 compilation "One Earth, One People, One Love: Kronos Plays Terry Riley".
2015	Tundra Songs Released: 2015 Label: Centrediscs	Music by Derek Charke. Featuring Tanya Tagaq and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory.
2016	Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen: Green Ground Released: 2016 Label: Dacapo #8.226153 Format: CD	Includes: New Ground No Ground
2016	Aleksandra Vrebalov: the Sea Ranch Songs Released: September 30, 2016 Label: Cantaloupe Music #CA21122	Video and animation by Andrew Lyndon, on bonus DVD.
2017	Folk Songs Released June 9, 2017 Label: Nonesuch #559151	Featuring Sam Amidon, Olivia Chaney, Rhiannon Giddens, and Natalie Merchant. Originally performed for Nonesuch Records 50th anniversary in 2014.
2017	Ladilikan Released 2017 Label: World Circuit #wcv093	With Trio Da Kali.
2018	Landfall Released 2018 Label: Nonesuch #564164	With Laurie Anderson. Winner of the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Small Ensemble Performance.
2018	Clouded Yellow Released 2018 Label: Cantaloupe Music #CA21140	Compositions by Michael Gordon
2019	Sun Rings Released 2019 Label: Nonesuch	Compositions by Terry Riley
2019	Long Time Passing Released 2020 Label: Smithsonian Folkways	Kronos Quartet and Friends Celebrate Pete Seeger
2022	Mỹ Lai Released 2022 Label: Smithsonian Folkways	composed by Jonathan Berger and Harriet Scott Chessman for Kronos Quartet
2023	Songs and Symphoniques: The Music of Moondog Released 2023 Label: Cantaloupe Music	Compositions by Moondog by Ghost Train Orchestra and Kronos Quartet
2024	Outer Spaceways Incorporated Released June 21, 2024 Label: Red Hot Records	Compositions by Sun Ra
2025	Witness Released March 14, 2025 Label: Phenotypic Recordings	Witness features the works of Pulitzer Prize-nominated Armenian-American composer and documentarian Mary Kouyoumdjian

Compilation albums

Year	Album details	Notes
1995	Released: 1985–1995 Released: October 20, 1995 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	2-disc set.
1998	Kronos Quartet: 25 Years Released: October 16, 1998 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	10-CD box set retrospective. Recorded "with virtuosity, vigor, and astonishing stylistic dexterity."
2014	Kronos Explorer Series Released: April 8, 2014 Label: Nonesuch #536951	5-CD box of five previously released albums from five different parts of the world: Pieces of Africa, Night Prayers, Caravan, Nuevo, and Floodplain. Includes interview with David Harrington by author Jonathan Cott.
2014	A Thousand Thoughts Released: 2014 Label: Nonesuch #536952-2	Featuring Asha Bhosle, Zakir Hussain, Tony MacMahon, Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, Astor Piazzolla, Homayun Sakhi, Vân-Ánh Vanessa Võ, Don Walser, Wu Man.
2015	One Earth, One People, One Love: Kronos Plays Terry Riley Released June 23, 2015 Label: Nonesuch #548925	5-CD box of four albums in honor of American composer Terry Riley's 80th birthday. Includes three albums previously released by Nonesuch and a new record, "Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector".

Video albums

Year	Video details	Notes
2000	In Accord Released: September 5, 2000 Label: Image Entertainment Format: DVD	Filmed in 1998; contains pieces by John Zorn, Pérotin, and Alfred Schnittke, as well as Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze."
2002	Kronos on Stage Released: September 5, 2000 Label: Image Entertainment Format: DVD	Contains Black Angels and Ghost Opera.
2007	Polish Quartets Released: 2007 Label: Polskie Wydawnictwo Audiowizualne Format: DVD	Filmed November 11, 2006 in Kraków. Contains quartets by Witold Lutosławski, Paweł Mykietyn, Krzysztof Penderecki, Henryk Górecki

Soundtracks

Year	Soundtrack details	Notes
1985	Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters Released: December 11, 1985 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3, Vinyl	Soundtrack by Philip Glass.
1999	Dracula Released: August 27, 1999 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Soundtrack by Philip Glass.
2000	Requiem for a Dream Released: September 29, 2000 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Soundtrack by Clint Mansell.
2002	Spider Released: December 30, 2002 Label: Virgin France Format: CD	Soundtrack by Howard Shore.
2006	The Fountain Released: November 27, 2006 Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Soundtrack by Clint Mansell.
2009	2081 Released: forthcoming Label: Nonesuch Format: CD, MP3	Soundtrack by Lee Brooks for short film based on Kurt Vonnegut's short story "Harrison Bergeron."
2014	Noah: Music from the Motion Picture	Soundtrack by Clint Mansell
2015	Beyond Zero: 1914–1918	A film by Bill Morrison. Soundtrack by Aleksandra Vrebalov.