Library of Congress Acquires Collection from the Kronos Quartet
Items Include Music Manuscripts, Instruments, Costumes and More
The Library of Congress has acquired the collection of manuscripts, instruments, costumes, video and audio recordings, and more from the San Francisco-based Kronos Quartet and its non-profit organization, Kronos Performing Arts Association. The quartet consists of David Harrington (violin), John Sherba (violin), Hank Dutt (viola) and Paul Wiancko (cello). For 50 years, Kronos has challenged and reimagined what a string quartet can be.
Founded at a time when the form was largely centered on long-established, Western European traditions, Kronos has been at the forefront of revolutionizing the string quartet into a living art form that responds to the people and issues of our time.
During the longevity of its career, the quartet has commissioned more than 1,100 works, released more than 70 recordings, toured internationally, altered the expectations of concert presentation, made chamber music accessible to wider audiences, and more, all while remaining dedicated to its aesthetics, ethics and quality. It is therefore fitting that the Library of Congress will become the home to various items from the Kronos collection. The Library has also recently inducted the 1992 Kronos Quartet’s album, “Pieces of Africa” to the 2024 National Recording Registry.
"Kronos Quartet's impact on contemporary music is hard to overstate," said Susan H. Vita, chief of the Library's Music Division. "It is ideal for the quartet's legacy as cutting-edge multidisciplinary artists and commissioners of living composers to be preserved here at the Library of Congress, an institution which itself plays a role in the creation of new music and which has long been a preeminent international destination for the living string quartet tradition."
“We are thrilled to place our archives with the Library of Congress,” said Janet Cowperthwaite, executive director of Kronos Performing Arts Association, the nonprofit organization of Kronos Quartet. “It’s gratifying to know that Kronos’ legacy will be preserved in perpetuity alongside the manuscripts and other treasures of so many other influential musicians from the United States and around the world. And, as an organization devoted to innovation in music, we are perhaps even more excited to reflect upon all the musicians and scholars who will have access to these materials in years to come, informing their own work and carrying Kronos’ inspiration and influence into the future.”
In addition to the collection, Harrington has been appointed as the Kluge Chair in Modern Culture by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center. While in residence at the Kluge Center in 2024, Harrington will be working with the collections of the Library of Congress to uncover stories that may be woven into future Kronos projects. The John W. Kluge Center is the Library’s in-house center for scholarship and research. Each year, the Kluge Center brings more than 100 scholars to the Library of Congress who use its collections to further the study of humanity.
Kronos Quartet first performed in the Library’s Coolidge Auditorium in November 1986 and just returned on April 18. The Archive of Kronos Quartet/Kronos Performing Arts Association complements many collections held by the Music Division. This includes papers and music manuscripts of numerous composers commissioned and/or performed by the quartet — such as those of John Adams, George Crumb and Charles Mingus. Kronos brings our history of quartet performances and commissions into the modern age, reaching new audiences, while exploring and forging new territory for this venerable and venerated tradition, which has had a 100-year history at the Library.
“The Music Division’s connections to string quartet ensembles and string quartet performances — even right down to our famed Stradavari instruments — occupy a large slice of music history. It is fitting that the exceptional history of Kronos Quartet becomes part of this storied history,” said Vita.
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
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Media Contact: Elaina Finkelstein, efinkelstein@loc.gov
PR 24-037
4-25-2024
ISSN 0731-3527