Complete George Crumb Editon, Volume 7 - Unto the Hills, Black Angels

George Crumb (Performer), Ann Crumb (Performer), Orchestra 2001 (Performer), James Freeman (Performer), Marcantonio Barone (Performer), Miro String Quartet (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: George Crumb, Ann Crumb, Orchestra 2001, James Freeman, Marcantonio Barone, et al.
• Audio CD (December 30, 2003)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bridge
• ASIN: B0000YTPRK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #311,409 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Volume Seven of Bridge's Complete Crumb Edition features the world premiere recording of Crumb's new Appalachian folk song cycle, "Unto the Hills". Performed by Crumb's daughter, soprano Ann Crumb, and an ensemble of percussion quartet and amplified piano, the thirty-six minute cycle features spectacularly colorful (more than 75 percussion instruments) and moving renditions of such classic folk tunes as "Black, Black, Black is the Color", "Poor Wayfaring Stranger"," The Riddle", and "All the Pretty Little Horses". Also included on this CD is a stunning new reading of Crumb's classic "Black Angels" for Electric String Quartet. Performed by the brilliant, young Miró Quartet, this performance, supervised by the composer, features a combination of early 21st Century virtuosity and state of the art recording technology.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not _great_, July 18, 2006

By 

Michael Suh - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Complete George Crumb Editon, Volume 7 - Unto the Hills, Black Angels (Audio CD)

I've been collecting the Crumb collection as it's been released, and like the other releases, this is a must-have for lovers of the contemporary music. Unto the Hills is easier on the ears than some of Crumb's earlier works without sacrificing the trademark Crumb array of percussion, but because he doesn't change the original melodies (besides stretching or contracting the rhythms in places), they feel a little tired and stale by the time song 5 rolls around. The interlude that comes in the middle of the 8 songs, though, is a very welcome change in pace and Crumb at his best -- moody, mysterious, dramatic.

Black Angels is the highlight -- and the letdown -- of this disc. Unlike other performances on other discs, the sound is really sharp; the quieter movements (for example, the Pavane) shine through as clearly as a live performance. But the huge disappointments are in some of the key movements. God Music and Devil Music feel very rushed and more than a little sloppy. Meanwhile, Black Angels! is played almost too crisply and loses its steam in what should be an explosive end to that movement. It's a very uneven performance.

Still, the fact that Crumb was involved in these recordings inherently means they carry authority. I'm very happy to own this disc and hope that Bridge continues to churn out the Crumb edition at the healthy pace they have done so far. But I wouldn't throw out my Kronos and Cikada Quartet recordings of Black Angels quite yet, either.

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Black Angels, December 8, 2009

By 

James D. Hainlen (Stillwater, Minnesota) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Complete George Crumb Editon, Volume 7 - Unto the Hills, Black Angels (Audio CD)

The Miro Quartet performance of Black Angels captures George Crumb's piece in a way I have not heard before. From the verbal commitment to the primal chanting during the piece - to the immediate surprises of the electric sounds and gongs - the quartet captures a true essence of Black Angels. Crumb calls this work a "human testament" and the Miro Quartet makes that come to life. Highly recommended.