The first one dates from student days, the second (1944) is already concerned with the special sonorities possible in this medium, the third (1951) is more complex in texture and probably the most dissonant, the fourth (1954) is more simple and lyrical, and the fifth (1961) again is much taken up with special sonorities. "The six string quartets which I have written might be considered as a musical diary which I have kept through the years. At certain points in the score there occurs a kind of ritualistic counting in various languages, including German, French, Russian, Hungarian, Japanese, and Swahili. An important pitch element in the work - ascending D-sharp, A, and E - also symbolizes the fateful numbers 7-13. in terms of phrase-length, groupings for single tones, durations, patterns of repetition, etc. These "magical" relationships are variously expressed - e.g. The numerological symbolism of Black Angels, while perhaps not immediately perceptible to the ear, is nonetheless quite faithfully reflected in the musical structure. The three stages of this voyage are Departure (fall from grace), Absence (spiritual annihilation), and Return (redemption). The underlying structure of Black Angelsis a huge arch-like design which is suspended from the three " Threnody" pieces. The image of the "black angel" was a conventional device used by early painters to symbolize the fallen angel. The numerous quasi-programmatic allusions in the work are therefore symbolic, although the essential polarity - God versus Devil - implies more than a purely metaphysical reality. Truly, at times, it sounds like the devil’s own work." ( Vanity Fair, November 2003)īlack Angels (Thirteen Images From The Dark Land) was conceived as a kind of parable on our troubled contemporary world. It’s still hard for me to hear this piece without a sense of foreboding. At the time, Crumb was one of the new voices in composition and Black Angels one of his most chaotic works. I heard this piece for the first time in the darkest time of my own 70s, and it scared the bejabbers out of me. But it is also a study in spiritual annihilation. Probably one of the only concert pieces inspired by the Vietnam War. So, without chronology, genre, or reason, herewith, in no particular order, 25 albums that could change your reputation. "If you can possibly get your hands on any of these, I guarantee you evenings of listening pleasure, and you will encourage a new high-minded circle of friends, although one or two choices will lead some of your old pals to think you completely barmy.
I’d say half of this list below is now on my CD racks, but many are finding impossible to trace. I have little time, and there are just too many to sort through. I’ll look through the albums and pull together a list of those I have rebought or am in the process of re-buying on CD. "There is really no way to do a list of my favorite albums with any rationality. New York String Quartet: Paul Zukofsky, violin Romuald Teco, violin Jean Dupouy, viola Timothy Eddy, cello Gilbert Kalish, pianoįrom David Bowie's Confessions of a Vinyl Junkie
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