George Crumb’s reputation as a composer of hauntingly beautiful scores has made him one of the most frequently performed composers today. Songs, Drones, and Refrains of Death, scored for baritone, electric instruments and percussion, is based on the poetry of Federico García Lorca, with its fantastically rich expression and evocative power. It provides an admirable vehicle for musical re-creation: ‘...a language to complement this very beautiful poetry’ in the composer’s words. It is coupled on this disc with Quest, a sextet led by an acoustic guitar and featuring a host of unusual percussion instruments, including the Appalachian hammered dulcimer, the African talking drum, and the Mexican rain stick.