The meaning of the word “phonolith” is sound stone, and though I’ve never to my knowledge tried the sound of a phonolith, it seems an apt word to describe the structure of this composition. …Konrad’s composition creates a masterful balance of composed and improvised parts. This is not about the loneliness of the soloist (they are not left alone in their a capella parts, and in the second version, there are duos anyway),it is about the constant change of texture, about construction and decay, about what we used to call deconstruction. The soundness of this stone, if you pardon the pun, is incredible. (Stephan Richter) Tracks 1-5: Recorded at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik, Stuttgart, on March 12, 1980. Bernd Konrad (ss, bs), Hans Koller (ts, sopranino), Didier Lockwood (violin), Christoph Spendel (p), Thomas Stabenow (doublebass), Martin Bues (drums). Track 6: Hans Koller (ts). Track 7: Bernd Konrad (bs), Hans Koller (sopranino). Track 8: Bernd Konrad (bs), Hans Koller (ts), Ekkehart Rössle (ts), Kenny Wheeler (tp), Herbert Joos (tp), Paul Schwarz (p), Thomas Heidepriem (doublebass), Pierre Favre (drums), Michael Kersting (drums). Tracks 6-8: Recorded at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg, 1984. Total time: 53:41.