This disc has been
a sheer pleasure to review. Naxos are
to be commended on their rapidly broadening
repertoire and its extent. This disc
also has playing and recording of excellent
quality.
The first of the two
works is based on and inspired by poems
of Lorca. The singing and recitative
is for bass voice with electric guitar,
amplified double bass, piano, harpsichord
and percussion. The image from Lorca's
works of the guitar as the primitive
voice of the world's darkness and evil
underpins the work, which sets four
poems (the named movements) on the theme
of death, embodying ancient Spanish
tradition. Despite the darkness of the
material, there is a haunting mystical
beauty in the resulting music which
makes it complex and thought-provoking
rather than unremittingly gloomy.
Its structure and sound-world
are immediately recognisable to anyone
familiar with the composer's better
known piece, 'Black Angels' recorded
by the Kronos Quartet, although also
by the Tale Quartet from Denmark. Despite
the similarities, this work has greater
subtlety and nuance; it come out of
a lengthy project in which Crumb set
Lorca's poetry in four different works,
of which this is one.
Naxos now have a policy
of putting additional information on
their website, www.naxos.com, rather
than giving some of this information
on disc covers or accompanying notes.
Whilst this understandable where the
details are very lengthy, such as a
two-disc set in the Very Best of..
series, here I would have liked to have
the text of the poems set in the disc
booklet so that they were readily to
hand whilst listening to this otherwise
excellent recording of a complex and
unusual work.
The second piece was
written for the guitarist David Starobin,
who has played on all Crumb's recorded
works for plucked instruments - mandolin
in The Ancient Voices of Children,
electric guitar in Songs, Drones
and Refrains of Death, sitar in
Lux Aeterna and banjo in The
Four Moons. He asked that this work
be for acoustic guitar. The resulting
piece is a mini-concerto with the guitar
taking a 'solo' role against a small
ensemble. The soprano saxophone has
quite a prominent role - for example
in the opening of the second movement,
where it introduces a quotation from
the Scottish hymn 'Amazing Grace' -
making this almost a 'double concerto'
for small ensemble. Accompanying this
are double bass, harp and percussion.
The combination of the guitar with this
group creates a mesmerising and beautiful
effect, with a glistening resonance
of sound.
The work repays listening
a number of times; it is not entirely
straightforward to grasp but grows on
the listener with repetition. Although
the first, and slightly longer, work
is the title track, I like this second
work very much and have found it quite
fascinating. I have replayed it several
times and enjoyed it more each time
than the last.
If you like 'Black
Angels' you will find this a recognisable
approach. If you find 'Black Angels'
rather intense, dissonant and hard hitting,
this disc may help you to reconsider
Crumb's work in a more positive light.
If you are interested in modern writing
for the guitar, the second work is a
gem. If you have any interest in contemporary
music, this is interesting music performed
and recorded very well for a bargain
price.
Julie Williams
NAXOS 8.559290 [54:45] 
