George Crumb: MACROCOSMOS I & II

Macrocosm Volume I
Twelve Fantasy Pieces after the Zodiac for Amplified Piano (1972)

Part One I-IV
[01] I Primeval Sounds (Genesis I; Cancer) 04:58
Darkly mysterious
[02] II Proteus (Pisces) 01:35
Very fast; whimsical, volatile
[03] III Pastorals (from the Kingdom of Atlantis, ca. 10,000 BC; Taurus) 02:01
Moderately, with incisive rhythm
[04] IV Crucifixus (Symbol; Capricorn) 03:05
Darkly mysterious – Adagio molto; serene, transcendental

Part Two V-VIII
[05] V The Phantom Gondolier (Scorpio) 03: 33
Eerily, with a sense of malignant evil
[06] VI Night Spell I (Sagittarius) 03: 58
Poised, expectantly—Serene, hauntingly; echoing (like an Appalachian valley acoustic)
[07] VII Music of Shadows (for Aeolian Harp; Pound) 02: 20
Gracefully, with elastic rhythm
[08] VIII The Magic Circle of Infinity (Moto perpetuo – symbol; Leo) 02: 12
Luminous - Joyously, like a cosmic clock-work; with mechanically precise rhythm

Part Three IX–XII
[09] IX The Abyss of Time (Virgo) 02:46
Dark, with a sense of profound mystery - Sinister
[10] X Spring Fire (Aries) 02:11
prestissimo; breathlessly, with élan
[11] XI Dream Images (Love Death Music; Gemini) 04:30
Musingly, like the gentle caress of a faintly remembered music
[12] XII Spiral Galaxy (Symbol; Aquarius) 03:11
Vast, lonely, timeless

MACROCOSMOS Volume II
Twelve Fantasy Pieces after the Zodiac for Amplified Piano (1973)

Part One I-IV
[13] I Morning Music (Genesis II; Cancer) 03:04
Exuberantly, with primitive energy
[14] II The Mystic Chord (Sagittarius) 02:21
Adagio molto; serene, desireless, like a Nirvana trance
[15] III Rain Death Variations (Pisces) 01:52
Crystalline, with elegance (tempo metronomico)
[16] IV Twin Suns (Double from Eternity, symbol; Gemini) 03:41
Majestic – Solemn (Hymn for the Advent of the Star-Child)

Part Two V-VIII
[17] V Ghost Nocturne: for the Druids of Stonehenge (Night Spell II; Virgo) 02:10
Dark, fantastic, subliminal
[18] VI Gargoyles (Taurus) 01:37
Marcia grottesca; savagely, with irony
[19] VII Torah! Torah! Torah! (Cadenza Apocalittica; Scorpio) 02:36
dramatic, with great intensity; violent, relentless
[20] VIII A Prophecy of Nostradamus (Symbol; Aries) 03: 47
Stark, powerful (molto pesante) - Fatefully (Tema enigmatico) - Come prima

Part Three IX–XII
[21] IX Cosmic Wind (Pound) 02:27
Ghostly, shadowy, tremulous
[22] X Voices from “Corona Borealis” (Aquarius) 04:43
Passacaglia: very slow, with majestic calm
[23] XI Litany of the Galactic Bells (Leo) 03: 04
celebrant; metallic, incisive, echoing (including Beethoven – Hammerklavier Sonata)
[24] XII Agnus Dei (Symbol; Capricorn) 04:09
Very slow, like chanting - Very slow, tender, whistful - Very slow; like a vision;
as if suspended in endless time (prayer wheel)

CD total playing time: 72:25

Markus Stangepiano

“Beyond the Plain Sound”

On May 05.05.2019th, XNUMX Dr. Jürgen Schaarwaechter up www.classik.com:

(...) The fact that mostly specialists of the new and newest music take on the works, testifies to the immense demands on the one hand, and the great problems of understanding 'traditional' performers on the other hand (the pianist not only has to master his instrument perfectly, he also has to whisper, sing, sigh , shout, whistle and not be afraid of any of it). Markus Stange (in the recordings from 2007/08) fulfills all these challenges happily; perfect recording sound conveys all the subtleties of its interpretation with the greatest transparency. The booklet is also a great pleasure (only one would have liked to have been told which type of piano made its decisive contribution).

read the full review here

February 2016

Pierre Rigaudiere

Classica, February 2016