Songs From Before

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Songs From Before · Songs from Before is the third solo album by the neoclassical composer Max Richter. It was released on 23 October 2006 on 130701, a sub-label of FatCat Records, and reissued by Deutsche Grammophon in 2014. Richter plays piano himself, with cello and violin from other musicians. What makes the record special are the texts from novels by Haruki Murakami, read aloud by Robert Wyatt, including from Norwegian Wood and Sputnik Sweetheart. They return in tracks such as Flowers for Yulia, Harmonium and Verses.

The reviews were mostly positive. Pitchfork wrote that Richter adapts techniques from classical music and lets his heroes and memories show openly, in keeping with the nostalgia that lies at the heart of the record.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Song4:13Apple Music ↗
2. 2Flowers for Yulia6:50Apple Music ↗
3. 3Fragment1:42Apple Music ↗
4. 4Harmonium4:21Apple Music ↗
5. 5Ionosphere1:28Apple Music ↗
6. 6Autumn Music 13:54Apple Music ↗
7. 7Time Passing1:51Apple Music ↗
8. 8Sunlight5:35Apple Music ↗
9. 9Lullaby0:53Apple Music ↗
10. 10Autumn Music 23:49Apple Music ↗
11. 11Verses1:43Apple Music ↗
12. 12From the Rue Vilin1:03Apple Music ↗
13. 13Leo (Bonus Track)2:26Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗