O r d e r i n g
S u g g e s t i o n s
From Michael Robinson
For an introduction to my music, I suggest any of the CDs from the first category. These CDs represent my current musical direction, which uses the meruvina and Indian ragas as a basis for composition.
That said, Chinese Legend, Kaunsi Kanada and Puriya Dhanashri are a good place to start. The Listening Earth, a compilation of shorter compositions, is also a good introduction to my music.
If you visit the individual CDs on the homepage, there is information regarding specific instrumentation, and liner notes explaining the aesthetic and technical nature of the music.
All Azure Miles CDs 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:
Music For Meruvina Based On Indian Ragas
These CDs use Indian ragas as a basis for composition, simultaneously engaging your intellect, and inducing a trancelike state.
4006 Dhani: Drut, Ati Drut & Ati Ati Drut Gats
3026 Bhimpalasi: Vilambit, Madhya & Drut Gats
3014 Indian Ocean (Nat Bhairav)
3013 Snow Leopard Meadow (Ahir Bhairav)
3012 Monsoon Clouds (Madhuvanti)
3010 The Listening Earth (Compilation featuring shorter pieces from eight of the CDs in this series)
3008 Luminous Realms (Marwa & Durga)
3007 Lunar Mansions (Lalit & Simendra Madhyam)
3006 Chinese Legend (Udaya Ravichandrika, Bilaskhani Todi & Gunkali)
3005 Indian Jasmine (Jog, Bhupali & Kedara)
3004
Adorned With Pearl (Basant Mukhari, Jaijaivanti & Chandra Lekha)
3003 Rainbow Thunder (Vasanta, Shri & Chandra Lekha)
3002 Tendrils (Nand Kedar, Kirvani, Madhu Kauns & Chandra Kauns)
3001 Hamoa (Mayamalavagaula & Mechakalyani)
Music For Meruvina Based On Alap
Alap, which translates to mean evocation, or conversation with God, is the opening section of Indian ragas.
The musical profile, and rasa are presented by a melodic voice floating over a tanpura or tanpuras. There is no tempo or percussion.
Indians compare alap to the earth before it was created.
The 2000 series CDs listed in this section were composed before I became involved with Indian classical music, yet they anticipate the form and feeling of alap.
The 3000 and 4000 series CDs listed here are actual alaps.
Please note that almost all of the CDs based upon ragas begin with alap before continuing with jor, jhala and gats, the later featuring percussion.
If you happen to be looking for a CD to fall asleep to, Inspiration Point is extremely effective. Just set your CD player to repeat, and the hour-long piece will lull you away. What's great is that it is also interesting to listen to on an intellectual level. After hearing Inspiration Point in concert, a journalist approached me to enthuse that Inspiration Point was one of the greatest pieces of music he had ever heard.
Music For Meruvina
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. This music will challenge your intellect, and charm you at the same time.
Meruvina Realizations of Compositions Originally For Acoustic Instruments
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. The Abode of Joy has the first piece I ever wrote: Promenade des Tortues, which is really fun to listen to. The Lotus Girl includes the last piece I wrote for live musicians, Demesne, which was once played by Lee Konitz and Harold Danko. Demesne 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.
1001 The Lotus Girl (Symphony No. 2 plus five shorter works
1002 The Abode of Joy (String Quartet No. 2 plus five shorter works)
1003 The Jewel Treasure of the Ocean (Symphony No. 3)
1004 The Abode of Snow (String Quartet No. 3)
We have audio samples linked to the homepage, but please remember that this is classical music, with subtle timbres and dynamics, and the limitations of internet audio, and the very nature of excerpts, do not do justice to the compositions. You really must hear a CD directly to experience my music! You will also enjoy the packaging, which some have termed among the most attractive in music.