Some of the finest major works for percussion collected on one disc for the first time. Former Merce Cunningham Dance Company percussionist Michael Pugliese’s recital was recorded live with its raw energy in spectacular sound. The program begins with Xenakis’ ominous, virtuostic Psappha for solo percussion, making vivid contrast to Feldman’s The King of Denmark, a delicately detailed work played piannisimo throughout. Vigeland’s Progress sets Pugliese’s live performance against a backdrop of taped percussion sounds, with bursts of pitched and non-pitched percussion sounds standing out against a layer of shimmering, harmonically elusive marimba figures. Cage’s Music for Four, scoredfor four percussionists playing over 200 instruments, received its world premiere at the concert. Nørgård’sWaves builds pulsating waves of sounds from congas, almglocken, tam-tams, cymbals and the bouncing of rubber balls on timpani. The recital climaxes with Pugliese’s arrangement of the classic Mancini TV-theme for PETER GUNN for four percussionists, of which Allan Kozinn of the New York Times said: “…(an) astonishingly vital, amusing and rambunctious arrangement.” 76 minutes of music!

In this album:

• Progress