text: The Kronos Quartet The Kronos Quartet is the string quartet that performed the soundtrack for Requiem for a Dream. The quartet was founded in 1973 by David Harrington in Seattle. The members were David Harrington and John Sherba, violins; Hank Dutt, viola; and Joan Jeanrenaud, cello. The group was chosen for its minimalist approach.
  Critical reception
  Reviews have generally been very favorable. Allmusic gave the album four stars, saying that the score "manages to be appropriately dark and disturbing, as well as compulsively listenable"; Salon praised the "terrific musical score"; and The Observer of the University of Notre Dame and Saint Mary's College called the score "heart-stopping".  Filmcritic.com, in a negative review of the score, spoke of "the driving, thumping, angry, brutal violin score which drums like a hammer and chain beating you into submission."
  Inspirations
  The novel Requiem for a Dream was written by Hubert Selby Jr. who was inspired to write it when he lived in LA. He wanted to write about something in the real world rather than something from the fantasy genre. One of the main influences of his work was his life experiences. Hubert's life was very unfortunate; at the age of 18, he was a merchant seaman during World War II. During that time he was hospitalized for three years for treatment of tuberculosis and other illnesses or injuries he acquired.