DVDS

George Crumb: Voice of the Whale

color & b/w. 54 min. Robert Mugge, dist. by MVDvisual, www.mvdb2b.com. 2016. DVD UPC 76013749998. $19.95. MUSIC
COPY ISBN
In the mid-20th century, when American composer George Crumb, now 84, heard a recording of humpback whale songs, he decided to discover how they might be imitated by a piano, flute, and cello working in concert and amplified. The result was Vox balaenae (Voice of the Whale). On a stage bathed in sea-blue light, performers wear masks, and to further the otherworldly atmosphere the flutist sings into the instrument, the pianist slides a chisel along a string, and the amplified cello is tuned irregularly. This 1976 film documents a performance of the work and features interviews with the composer and his wife. Because the piece remains in the repertoire of adventurous chamber music groups and continues to draw audiences, this "lovingly restored" digital edition should find new enthusiasts.
VERDICT A useful restoration in HD format of a film many libraries offer in VHS.
Reviewed by Bonnie Jo Dopp, Libn. Emerita, Univ. of Maryland, College Park , Nov 01, 2016
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