Le Balcon

A leading figure in contemporary music, drawing as much inspiration from John Cage as from Indian music, and citing influences ranging from Webern and Bartók to Thelonious Monk, George Crumb has always engaged with the words of poets – such as Federico García Lorca, who is at the heart of this concert. In Sun and Shadows, the words are shattered to the point of abstraction, whilst, far from being harmless, the Little Songs for Children explore the most dangerous nuances of innocence…

A fine introduction to the work of the composer, who passed away this year, and who described his musical language as lying ‘between peaceful mood and nightmare’. As an echo, Le Balcon will present a contemporary of Crumb’s: the ever-intense Stockhausen.

Program