Songs from Before (Max Richter album)

Songs from Before received largely positive reviews from contemporary music critics.

Pitchfork gave the album a positive review, stating, "Richter takes techniques from the classics and modifies their approach to make more appropriate—but no less efficacious—statements for his own circumstances. Given Songs from Before's thematic conceit, this is appropriate: Richter isn't interested in changing the way the world hears his music as much as idealizing how he wants to hear it. He resurrects past idols for present idioms, his heroes, proclivities and experiences donned as unrepentantly as the nostalgia at Songs' core."[2]

The album features readings from a number of novels by Haruki Murakami, all read by Robert Wyatt.[1]

• Dance Dance Dance (track 2, Flowers For Yulia)
• Norwegian Wood (track 4, Harmonium)
• South of the Border, West of the Sun (track 7, Time Passing, and track 9, Lullaby)
• Sputnik Sweetheart (track 11, Verses)

Musicians

• Max Richter – piano
• Chris Worsey – cello
• Natalia Bonner – violin
• Ian Burdge – cello
• Robert Wyatt – readings

Production

• Max Richter – producer, mixing
• Mark Rankin, Anna Tjan – engineer
• Nic Shonfeld – photography