George Crumb. The complete Makrokosmos I - IV


Crumb, G: Makrokosmos I (Twelve fantasy-pieces after the zodiac for amplified piano)

Ya-ou Xie (piano); 33:03

  • Part I: I. Primeval sounds (Cancer) - 4:39
  • Part I: II. Proteus (Pisces) - 1:11
  • Part I: III. Pastorale (Taurus) - 2:16
  • Part I: IV. Crucifixus (Capricorn) - 2:39
  • Part II: V. The Phantom Gondolier (Scorpio) - 2:47
  • Part II: VI. Night-Spell I (Sagittarius) - 3:46
  • Part II: VII. Music of Shadows (Libra) - 2:35
  • Part II: VIII. The Magic Circle of Infinity (Leo) - 1:53
  • Part III: IX. The Abyss of Time (Virgo) - 2:55
  • Part III: X. The Spring-Fire (Aries) - 1:34
  • Part III: XI. Dream Images (Gemini) - 3:49
  • Part III: XII. Spiral Galaxy (Aquarius) - 2:59

Crumb, G: Makrokosmos II (Twelve fantasy-pieces after the zodiac for amplified piano)

Ya-ou Xie (piano); 33:16

  • Part I: I. Morning Music (Cancer) - 2:45
  • Part I: II. The Mystic Chord (Sagittarius) - 2:43
  • Part I: III. Rain-Death Variations (Pisces) - 1:22
  • Part I: IV. Twin Suns (Gemini) - 2:58
  • Part II: V. Ghost-Nocturne - for the Druids of Stonehenge (Virgo) - 2:11
  • Part II: VI. Gargoyles (Taurus) - 1:17
  • Part II: VII. Tora! Tora! (Scorpio) - 2:01
  • Part II: VIII. A Prophecy of Nostradamus (Aries) - 3:12
  • Part III: IX. Cosmic Wind (Libra) - 2:38
  • Part III: X. Voices from Corona Borealis (Aquarius) - 3:32
  • Part III: XI. Litany of the Galactic Bells (Leo) - 2:26
  • Part III: XII. Agnus Dei (Capricorn) - 6:11

Crumb, G: Makrokosmos III (Music for A Summer Evening)

Berlin PianoPercussion Ensemble; 36:45

  • I. Nocturnal Sounds (The Awakening) - 5:33
  • II. Wanderer-Fantasie - 5:40
  • III. The Advent - 8:33
  • IV. Myth - 5:14
  • V. Music of the Starry Night - 11:45

Crumb, G: Makrokosmos IV (Celestial Mechanics)

Berlin PianoPercussion Ensemble; Prodromos Symeonidis (piano), Sawami Kiyoshi (piano); 22:21

  • I. Alpha Centauri - 3:45
  • II. Beta Cygni - 4:11
  • III. Gamma Draconis - 5:59
  • IV. Delta Orionis - 8:26

Telos Music, TLS 093, length: 2 hours 5 minutes

MaerzMusik / Berliner Festspiele
live-recording, Double CD

George Crumb’s compositions are evocative of fantastical, dreamlike soundscapes. It is music of perspective in which foreground and background are composed of diverse and insinuatory layers. Sonic effects and extended playing techniques as well as the use of musical quotation are woven into a dense web.

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