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Ann Louise Elliott
George Crumb - Black Angels
George Henry Crumb, Jr. ... His father, George Henry Crumb, Sn. ...
Crumb began composing at an equally early age and continued throughout his high school, college and university years. ... Also, financial need during college years led to Crumb working as pianist for a ballet school and organist for a Baptist church. ... 11)
One of Crumbs chamber pieces, entitled Black Angels, and subtitled Thirteen Images From the Dark Land, was completed in March, 1970, with the first performance taking place on the 23rd October that year. Black Angels was commissioned by the University of Michigan and was first performed by the Stanley Quartet in Ann Arbor, Michigan. ...
Black Angels contains many numerological references, such as using the prime numbers seven and thirteen for determining intervals, rhythms, repetitions and groupings of single notes, as well as using thirteen, a number traditionally associated with the Bible and bad luck, as the subtitle of the thirteen movements. It has been noted that Crumb completed Black Angels on Friday 13th March and this itself is inscribed on the score. ... Similarly, many of Crumbs works have been choreographed with Black Angels
being performed by Londons Ballet Rambert, The American Theater Laboratory of New York and The National Ballet of Canada amongst the extensive list. ... Yet, despite much of his work containing a proliferation of Biblical references, Crumb does not profess any organised religious belief. This impression is supported by the inscription on the score which reads in tempore bell which translates into in time of war,
and Black Angels was inspired by the events of Americas involvement in the Vietnam war. Crumb appears to become influenced by major cultural and political events; as when he composed Night of the Four Moons (1969) during the Apollo 11s nine days in space.
Further, Black Angels perpetuates Crumbs intertextual references from other composers including Schuberts Death and the Maiden quartet and the medieval Latin requiem of the Catholic church, Dies Irae. Concurrent with Ancient Voices of Children, which refers to Ravels Bolero and uses Japanese temple bells and Tibetan prayer stones, Black Angels also highlights Crumbs ability to embrace different cultures and languages despite his extensive professional travelling not starting proper until approximately 1973.
Approximate Word count = 1648
Approximate Pages = 6.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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