Customer Reviews

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

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4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.