Mauricio Kagel: Die Stücke der Windrose (2005)

performed by Schoenberg Ensemble, Reinbert de Leeuw (conductor)
composed by Mauricio Kagel

Argentine composer Mauricio Kagel has done wonderful things over the past five decades in creating avant-garde music for arcane kinds of instrumental ensembles. In Die Stücke der Windrose (The Pieces of the Compass Rose), Kagel takes on the early twentieth century "tea time" ensemble of clarinet, strings, piano, harmonium, and percussion. Kagel provides the percussionist with additional instruments native to the region represented in three movements ("compass points") selected from the work -- "Südwesten" (Southwest), ... Read More

Argentine composer Mauricio Kagel has done wonderful things over the past five decades in creating avant-garde music for arcane kinds of instrumental ensembles. In Die Stücke der Windrose (The Pieces of the Compass Rose), Kagel takes on the early twentieth century "tea time" ensemble of clarinet, strings, piano, harmonium, and percussion. Kagel provides the percussionist with additional instruments native to the region represented in three movements ("compass points") selected from the work -- "Südwesten" (Southwest), "Norden" (North), and "Westen" (West). One will swear there are more winds employed than the mere clarinet listed in the credits, but apparently, this is not the case. Die Stücke der Windrose is a very nicely packaged release from the German label Winter & Winter. The performance, on its own terms, is spectacular -- the Schönberg Ensemble under Reinbert de Leeuw should be congratulated for delivering such a terrific rendering of this difficult music. The recording is also great --... Read Less