Black Angels

Black Angels

Cuarteto Latinoamericano; members of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic; Juan Pablo Izquierdo, conductor George Crumb’s amplified, hardcore classic Black Angels is already tough as nails. However, in hopes of giving it a new edge, or maybe just jumping on the Metallica bandwagon, conductor Juan Pablo Izquierdo convinced the composer to allow him take a stab at… Read more »

Written By

NewMusicBox Staff

Cuarteto Latinoamericano; members of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic; Juan Pablo Izquierdo, conductor

George Crumb’s amplified, hardcore classic Black Angels is already tough as nails. However, in hopes of giving it a new edge, or maybe just jumping on the Metallica bandwagon, conductor Juan Pablo Izquierdo convinced the composer to allow him take a stab at arranging the work to include an entire string orchestra alongside the original electrified quartet. The new arena-sized version is no more earth shattering than the original—in fact, believe it or not, some of the work’s harsher sonorities are made more lush by adding more troops to the ensemble. In any case, Crumb’s piece seems just as poignant and relevant today as it ever has.

—RN