Writings about Music

Listening Suggestions from Michael Robinson

My music is intended for close, even meditational listening on both intellectual and spiritual planes, including elements of adbhuta rasa (wonderment, exhilaration) and shanta rasa (tranquility). Daedal aural constellations spring from a passion for meticulously fired musical elements born from my evolving thought processes and temperament. There is an expressive feel related yet varied from traditional performance that may deter some, but hopefully you will give my medium an opportunity beyond entirely familiar expectations and allow the import of the music to manifest. 

For an introduction to my music, I suggest any of the albums from the first two categories shown below, "Post-Raga CDs for Meruvina" and "Albums for Meruvina Based on Indian Ragas". These albums represent my current musical direction, which uses the meruvina and Indian ragas as a basis for composition. That said, Chinese Legend (1997), Kaunsi Kanada (2000) and Darbari Kanada (2007) are good places to start. The Listening Earth (1998), a compilation of shorter compositions, is also a good introduction to my music. 

If you visit the individual albums pages, there is information regarding specific instrumentation, and liner notes explaining the aesthetic and technical nature of the music. 

All Azure Miles albums manifest a continuum of my experiences and perceptions of the inner and outer worlds through the realm of music. The recordings are divided into four main categories as follows:

 

Post-Raga Albums for Meruvina

CDs from 2012 to present 

Music that is not based on specific ragas, yet exhibits a strong influence from my previous use of ragas. 

 

Albums for Meruvina Based on Indian Ragas

CDs from 1995 to 2011

Music that uses Indian ragas as a basis for composition, simultaneously engaging your intellect, and inducing a trancelike state.

 

Pre-Raga Albums for Meruvina

CDs from 1987 to 1994

The 2000 series features music composed during the five years prior to my study of Indian classical music. These compositions are highly colorful, rhythmic and contrapuntal, containing elements from both Western and World Music, including some tunings other than equal temperment. 

 

Albums with Meruvina Realizations of Compositions Originally for Acoustic Instruments

Albums from 1981 to 1984

These are meruvina realizations of my second and third symphonies for orchestra, and second and third string quartets. Rather than attempting to recreate the sounds of a symphony orchestra and string quartet, I used the meruvina found on the 2000 series to create glockenspiel and vibraphone timbres chosen for their spare, transparent nature. The music is extremely contrapuntal and energetic, and you will notice traces of musical characteristics that define my later works. 

The Lotus Girl and The Abode of Joy each contain five of my earliest compositions, including the first piece I ever wrote: Promenade des Tortues, which is really fun to listen to, and the last piece I wrote for live musicians, Demesne, which is also a lot of fun to listen to. 

Other compositions originally for live musicians include two Piano Sonatas, four One-Act Music Dramas, a song cycle, numerous songs for voice and piano, and miscellaneous works, all of which I hope to make available in the future.

 

Albums for the First Meruvina Incarnation

Albums featuring music from 1984 to 1989

These albums are available here.

 

Piano Improvisation Albums

Albums featuring music from 2018 to present

These albums are available here.