William Jenks:

>I saw Kronos live a couple of years ago here in Iowa.

Hello, William.  How's Ames? (I grew up in Cedar Rapids.) I'll be passing
through soon...I'd never have guessed that KQ had even -heard- of Iowa.
;-)

William then requests:

>Please recommend a few "essential" 20th century chamber works and a
>recording or two of each.  I'd be interested in sampling what he and
>others think of as truly excellent modern stuff.

Bob K's 20th Century Chamber Works Very Very Short List:

Debussy: String Quartet; Piano Trio
There are tons of recordings, I have only 1 of each, someone else could
better reccomend a definitive version.

Shostakovich: String Quartets; Piano Quintet; Piano Trio 2
I have the complete Qts with the Borodin Qt on Melodiya which I love

Prokofiev: Violin Sonata No. 2 (arr from Fl Son)
I have several versions.  My current fave is Ambartsumian/Sheludyakov
Russian Disc 10001 SP:Cello Sonata I have a new Truls Mork on Virgin
Classics 45274, it's OK, still shopping

Hindemith: Kammermusik (for starters; -tons- of good chamber music)
I have Vinogradov/Moscow Contemporary Ensemble on a Triton series

Webern: Langsamer Satz for String Quartet
Rosamunde Qt on ECM
(Plus: Almost all AW's St Qt stuff for that matter)

Schnittke: Violin Sonata 2, "Quasi una sonata"
Quartet No. 2 for Strings
Arditti Quartet, Grammavision (sp?) 79439
Then shop around if you like him.  You probably heard something of his by
Kronos.

Peter Maxwell Davies: String Quartet
A good intro to this British modern, 60s avant-garde from England.  I have
a recording on Mode 59, Arditti Qt again (they rock!)

Something by Morton Feldman, can't think what right now.  Help?

E. Carter: Cello Sonata
This one's new in my rep (thanks in part to the List's help).  It's thick
and note-y, but worth trying out.  I have Greenhouse/Makas  Phoenix USA 141

Gyo:rgy Kurta'g: String Quartet, Op. 1
REALLY dissonant and...modern.  I love this guy.  I have Keller Qt on ECM
21598

Villa-Lobos: Bachiana brasiliera No. 5 for Soprano & 8 Cellos
Good stuff.  I like Anna Moffo/Stokowski on RCA.  (They say the Victoria de
los Angeles is good but I don't know it.)

Uh...Jeez, I could go on & on, but I gotta go...deadlines, dontcha know...

Bob K., thinking about Heitor Villa-Lobos