Margaret Leng Tan - Crumb: Makrokosmos I & II (2004)

Makrokosmos I and II for amplified piano (1972-1973) are vintage works by George Crumb, composed during the highly productive period that yielded his mystical Songs, Drones and Refrains of Death; Ancient Voices of Children; and Black Angels -- an impressive output that had a tremendous influence on the experimental music of the 1970s. This 2004 recording of Crumb's 24 fantasy pieces on the Zodiac may seem a bit of a trip down memory lane, insofar as comparisons with the historic Nonesuch and Columbia Odyssey LPs are inevitable; and it is apparent now how widely Crumb's original techniques infiltrated the piano music of his contemporaries. To be fair, Margaret Leng Tan's recording for Mode should be heard with a clear head, apart from past recordings, and Crumb's music seems open to her fresh interpretation. Tan is fastidious in executing Crumb's ornately calligraphic scores, and presents the pieces' delicate effects -- on the keyboard and inside the piano -- with an appropriate otherworldly ambience. Her performance requires assistance from whistler and singer Alex Nowitz -- a compromise that may bother purists, but it was approved under the composer's supervision. While this fine recording is unlikely to supplant the superior originals by David Burge and Robert Miller, it is nonetheless an important addition to the catalog. Mode's sound quality is exceptional.