Crumb: Works for Piano Vol. 2

On this CD:

1. Makrokosmos II, for amplified piano
Composed by George Crumb
Performed by Jeffrey Jacob

2. A Little Suite for Christmas, A. D. 1979, for piano
Composed by George Crumb
Performed by Jeffrey Jacob

3. Processional, for piano Original Version
Composed by George Crumb
Performed by Jeffrey Jacob

4. Processional, for piano Revised Version
Composed by George Crumb
Performed by Jeffrey Jacob

Crumb: Works for Piano Vol. 2, Music, George Crumb, Jeffrey Jacob, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Coll. of Character/Single-Movement/Misc. Works for Keyb., Dance-Based Keyboard Music, Keyboard, Suite/Partita for Keyboard
Complete Crumb Edition, Vol. 8; Makrokosmos Books I & II, Otherwordly Resonances
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Close to perfect
 Complete Crumb Edition, Vol. 8; Makrokosmos Books I & II, Otherwordly Resonances

Manufacturer: Bridge
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Complete Crumb Edition 9; Ancient Voices of Children, Madrigals Books I-IV, Eine Kleine Mitternachtmusik
  2. Complete Crumb Edition, Volume 5: Easter Dawning, Celestial Mechanics, A Haunted Landscape, Processional
  3. Complete Crumb Edition, Vol. 6 - Echoes of Time and the River, Gnomic Variations, Four Nocturnes, Lux Aeterna
  4. Complete George Crumb Editon, Volume 7 - Unto the Hills, Black Angels
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ASIN: B0002W18OI
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

  1. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  2. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  3. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  4. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  5. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  6. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  7. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  8. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  9. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  10. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  11. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  12. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  13. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  14. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  15. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  16. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  17. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  18. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  19. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  20. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  21. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  22. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  23. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  24. Makrokosmos, Volumes 1 & 2
  25. Otherwordly Resonances

Album Description

The latest volume in BRIDGE'S award-winning survey of George Crumb complete works presents a new recording of a major Crumb cycle and the premiere of a new composition for two pianos. Makrokosmos I and II have come to be regarded as landmark compositions in the piano repertoire, requiring the pianist to display a virtuoso's control of both the keyboard and the inside of the piano. In addition, the performer is asked to whistle, speak, and sing, while simultaneously playing some of the most dramatic and fantasy-filled piano music of the late twentieth century. Robert Shannon, a leading exponent of Crumb's music, gives the 67 minute cycle of 24 "zodiac" pieces a spectacular reading. The duo piano team, Quattro Mani, has also had a long association with Crumb's music, and can be heard playing Crumb's music on BRIDGE 9105, a disc that received `Best of Year' honors from Fanfare, and highest ratings from France's Repertoire, and the USA's ClassicsToday.com. ! In 2002, Crumb composed "Otherworldy Resonances", a 10 minute quasi-passacaglia for Quattro Mani. Based on a hypnotic four-note motif, this 10 minute composition marks Crumb's return to writing piano music after a hiatus of nearly 15 years. Both of these recordings, as with the rest of this series, were supervised by the composer.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Close to perfect.......2007-05-29

The first book of Makrokosmos was my introduction to Crumb's music and despite hearing about half of his entire output now, it still remains my favorite. The title is closely related and pratcially ripped off from Bartok's Mikrokosmos, but they're nothing alike. Mikrokosmos is a set of progressive studies for children to learn piano. These are most certainly not exercises. They're much more like Debussy's Preludes -- 2 books of 12 brutally hard pieces that have short descriptions by the composer.

I once read a comment by Michael Walsh (music critic for Time Magazine) claiming that Makrokosmos is better if performed by a man. In general, I think he's right -- the shouting and speaking from the pianist in the various pieces just carry more gravitas with a deeper voice. I would also add the caveat that it should be an English-speaking pianist, too -- the recording of Bojan Gorisek on Audiophile Classics (if it's out there anymore) has its distractions thanks to Gorisek's heavy Slavic accent.

Since the recording here has an American man playing, and it's superb. It's not good because he's a man and he's American, but because the whole package is here. The recording quality and phrasing is excellent -- Mr. Shannon paces things perfectly so that you can hear and savor the resoanance that comes from inside the piano. The nutty piano techniques show their edge amazingly well -- for example, in the Phantom Gondolier movement, you can just imagine how hard Mr. Shannon scrapes his thimble-capped fingers on the strings inside the piano to produce the hair-raising sounds. Book 2, which I like less, also comes up a winner. It feels a little recycled after going through the 35 minutes of Book 1, but how often can one hear a coherent piece that demonstrates the effect of placing paper on strings of the piano?

My one gripe is that Mr. Shannon is not a strong vocalist. In some parts of both books, the score asks for "shouting" from the pianist, and he comes up quite short. In the Crucifixus movement of Book 1, his shout of "Christe!" is hardly the jolting climax from the depths of a deathly silence it's supposed to be. And this happens on several occasions. His whistling isn't bad, though.

Otherwordly Resonances seems quaint after getting through the string-plucking and knocking in Makrokosmos. It's pleasant enough, but it definitely takes second fiddle to the headliner on this CD. Which is a shame, because the performers of this work, Quattro Mani, do amazing things with the Makrokosmos III and IV on other Crumb CDs.

I wish Mr. Crumb would have made more comments about what techniques he actually used in his works. Without a score to look at (and they're HUGE, awkward, and expensive), how on earth is anyone supposed to know what we're listening to? The sounds generated from a prepared piano are just as interesting as learning how to prepare the piano in the first place.

I still think this CD is fabulous. It shows Elliott Carter's garbled messes from the same period have some worthy competition.
Crumb: Works for Piano Vol. 2
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Crumb: Works for Piano Vol. 2

    Manufacturer: Centaur
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
    All Works by George CrumbAll Works by George Crumb | Crumb, George | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
    SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
    Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B0000057TW
    Release Date: 1993-09-01

    Tracks:

    1. Makrokosmos - Volume II
    2. A Little Suite for Christmas: A.D. 1979
    3. Processional (Original version)
    4. Processional (Revised version)
    George Henry Crumb: Makrokosmos, Vol. l + ll/Mathé: Der Schlangenträger
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		George Henry Crumb: Makrokosmos, Vol. l + ll/Mathé: Der Schlangenträger

      Manufacturer: Koch Schwann (Germ.)
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      All Works by George CrumbAll Works by George Crumb | Crumb, George | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000001SXC
      Release Date: 1997-02-18

      Tracks:

      1. I. Primeval Sounds (Genesis I) - Cancer
      2. II. Proteus - Pisces
      3. III. Pastorale (From The Kingdom Of Atlantis, Ca 10.000B.C.) - Taurus
      4. IV. Crucifixus (Symbol) - Capricorn
      5. V. The Phantom Gondolier - Scorpio
      6. VI. Night Spell I - Sagittarius
      7. VII. Music Of Shadows (For Aeolian Harp) - Libra
      8. VIII. The Magic Circle Of Infinity (Moto perpetuo) (Symbol) - Leo
      9. IX. The Abyss Of Time - Virgo
      10. X. Spring-Fire - Aries
      11. XI. Dream Images (Love-Death Music)-Gemini
      12. XII. Spiral Galaxy (Symbol) - Aquarius
      13. I. Morning Music (Genius II) - Cancer
      14. II. The Mystic Chord - Sagittarius
      15. III. Rain-Death Variations - Pisces
      16. IV. Twin Suns (Symbol) - Gemini
      17. V. Ghost-Nocturne: For The Druids Of Stonehenge (Night-Spell II) - Virgo
      18. VI. Gargoyles - Taurus
      19. VII. Tora! Tora! Tora! (Cadenza Apocalittica) - Scorpio
      20. VIII. A Prophecy Of The Nostradamus (Symbol) - Aries
      21. IX. Cosmic Wind - Libra
      22. X. Voices From The 'Corona Borealis' - Aquarius
      23. XI. Litany Of The Galactic Bells - Leo
      24. XII. Agnus Dei (Symbol) - Capricorn
      25. Der Schlangentrager (Gelb Und Lila), 1995 - Ophiuchus (Yellow And Mauve), 1995 - Ophiuchus (Jaune Et Mauve), 1995

      Music Review:

      1. Crystal to Gold
      2. David Wright
      3. Dear Harp Of My Country: The Melodies Of Thomas Moore
      4. Donaueschinger Musiktage 1992 [Box set]
      5. Donaueschinger Musiktage 1993
      6. Donaueschinger Musiktage 1995 [Box set]
      7. Donizetti: Chamber Works
      8. Dowland and Byrd: Goe Nightly Cares
      9. Dutch Masters of the 20th century
      10. Dvorák: String Quartets Nos. 4 & 5

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