Program Note

Night of the Four Moons, commissioned by the Philadelphia Chamber Players, was composed in 1969 during the Apollo 11 flight (July 16–24).

The work is scored for alto (or mezzo-soprano), alto flute (doubling piccolo) banjo, electric cello, and percussion. The percussion includes Tibetan prayer stones, Japanese Kabuki blocks, alto African thumb piano (mbira), and Chinese temple gong m addition to the more usual vibraphone, crotales, tambourine, bongo drums, suspended cymbal, and tam-tam. The singer is also required to play finger cymbals, castanets, glockenspiel and tam-tam. —George Crumb