Performance Technical Guide of Makrokosmos Volume II by George Crumb

George Crumb often writes music in a radical way for the piano, constantly asking the performer to play on the inside of the piano, a technique in which he is pretty much a pioneer. The exploitation of a new and hitherto unexplored range of colour which can be accessed with the hands and fingers inside the piano or by inserting sound-altering devices into the strings. However, he writes in textures and styles that clearly relate to Debussy and Chopin, particularly in his use of the sustaining pedal and in the way he sets up a layer of sustained sound through the pedal, into which he then places his melodic and rhythmic ideas. He often mentions his indebtedness to these great masters of the past in his music programme notes. He even sometimes quotes directly the music of Chopin or Beethoven within his own compositions. In that regard, Crumb sees his music in an evolutionary way. In George Crumb's piano music Makrokosmos Volume II, the pianist has the added issues of often having to play while standing including playing on the keys and inside the piano while standing. These, and many other physical difficulties abound in this music, and are dealt with throughout this guide book.