The eight percussionists play nontraditional instruments such as iron chains, flexatones, pot lids, sizzle cymbals, metal thunder sheets, log drums, and wind machines. During this same movement, a fourth conducts another smaller group consisting of the clarinets, flutes, and vibraphone. When this happens, he/she directs the brass and three percussionists. The third only directs during the last movement when the brass and winds divide into smaller groups. The second leads all of the strings and two of the percussionists. The first conducts all of the vocal passages, the winds, and six of the percussionists until the very end of the piece. įour conductors are required to conduct all of the musicians in Star-Child. In contrast, children’s singing and handbells are prominent at the end of Star-Child. The piece begins with the dark section featuring the lower, darker-sounding instruments. This theme is reflected in both the progression of the music as well as in the text. Throughout the piece is a sense of leaving a place of despair and darkness and reaching the freeing nature of lightness. Star-Child, much like other pieces written by Crumb, deals with Biblical quotations and a contrast between light and dark. In this piece, there is a section called “Hymn for the Advent of the Star-Child". The title for Star-Child came from Music for a Summer Evening ( Makrokosmos III), another one of Crumb’s compositions. The score is also dedicated to Crumb's two sons, David and Peter. Gubrud, the Boys' Choirs of the Little Church Around the Corner and Trinity School, and the Bell Ringers of Trinity School in New York all sang in the premiere. Boulez, David Gilbert, James Chambers, and Larry Newland conducted the piece. Star-Child was specifically written for Irene Gubrud (soprano), Pierre Boulez, and the New York Philharmonic, and they all performed the premiere of the piece on May 5, 1977. 2 primary conductors and 2 secondary conductors are also needed. The current personnel lists calls for 4 flutes (also playing 4 piccolos), 4 oboes (1 doubling on English horn), 3 clarinets in Bb, 1 clarinet in Eb, 3 bassoons, 1 contrabassoon, 6 french horns, 5 trumpets in C, 2 trumpets in D, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, 8 percussionists, 1 organ, 1 solo soprano, children's voices I and II (SASA), male speaking choir playing handbells, violins I, violins II, violas, cellos, and contrabasses. Originally, the orchestra members spoke as well as played, and the children’s choir also played the handbells, but this was later revised in 1979 to the current personnel list. It calls for soprano, antiphonal children's voices, male speaking choir, bell ringers, and large orchestra. It is Crumb's largest work and requires 47 instrumentalists as well as many vocalists. Star-Child was commissioned by the Ford Foundation and written in 1977. Crumb has tied everything together, creating a score that transcends any derivations." Composition and premiere Crumb has been doing and of many contemporary techniques. In a way, it is a synthesis both of what Mr. This is big music and even passionate music. Schonberg of The New York Times said of the work, " Star-Child…is sensitive, powerful, full of personality, and it marks a significant step in Mr. Star-Child is a piece written in 1977 for orchestra and voices by the American composer George Crumb.
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