George Crumb Metamorphoses – exceptional in every way
The announcement of George Crumb’s death came from Bridge Records. It showed the intimate relationship the label — specifically David and Becky Starobin — had with the composer. This release is the twentieth volume of Crumb’s music released on Bridge. And most of it, like this recording, do so in collaboration with the composer.
The two works featured here are recent. Crumb completed Metamorphoses Book I in 2017, Book II in 2020. Both books include “Ten Fantasy-Pieces (after celebrated paintings)” for amplified piano.
Crumb acknowledges the inspiration of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” But while Mussorgsky tried to convey the images he saw in his music, Crumb had a different focus. According to the liner notes Crumb responded: “to the ethos, the characteristic tone of the painting, and often to the title as well.”
These works were composed for a piano using extended techniques. Some have become common, such as strumming the strings or placing objects on them. But Crumb continues to innovate. There’s a passage for toy piano. The performer sings, barks, and chants.
Every work is different, and each one exists in its own soundscape. A soundscape that works within its own self-contained logical framework.
Marcantonio Barone is an exceptional pianist. In this collection, he excels. His performances bring out the underlying logic of each piece. He brings together the traditional and unconventional sounds Crumb uses into a cohesive whole.
Credit should also go to the Bridge Records recording team. In my opinion, they’re among the best for solo piano recordings. They make the piano sound natural.
Every note (or sound) is clean and clear, with just the right amount of resonance. And in this case, that’s crucial. Crumbs packs many details into incredibly soft passages. Passages that could just be a smear without careful recording.
This is an exceptional release. It shows a composer as creative and innovative in his nineties as he ever was. I hope Bridge recorded more with George Crumb before his passing.
