October 24, 1929:
George Henry Crumb, Jr. is born in Charleston, West Virginia, USA, eldest of two children born to George Henry Crumb, Sr. a professional clarinetist, copyist, and arranger, and Vivian Reed, a professional cellist.
May 21, 1949:
George Crumb (19) marries Elizabeth May Brown, a fellow student at Mason College in Charleston, West Virginia.
March 15, 1957:
Sonata for solo cello by George Crumb (27) is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
February 12, 1963:
Five Pieces for piano by George Crumb (33) is performed for the first time, at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
January 30, 1964:
Night Music I for soprano, piano, and percussion by George Crumb (34) to words of Garcia Lorca, is performed for the first time, at Le Centre de Musique, Paris.
February 3, 1965:
Four Nocturnes (Night Music II) for violin and piano by George Crumb (35) is performed for the first time, in Buffalo the composer at the piano.
May 8, 1965:
Two new works are performed for the first time, in Cincinnati: George Crumb’s (35) Variazioni for percussion, harp, celesta, mandolin, and strings; and George Rochberg’s (46) Zodiac, an orchestration of his Twelve Bagatelles for piano.
March 11, 1966:
Two books of Madrigals by George Crumb (35) to words of Garcia Lorca, are performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington: Madrigals Book I for soprano, double bass, and vibraphone; and Madrigals Book II for soprano, flute/piccolo/alto flute, and percussion.
August 10, 1966:
Eleven Echoes of Autumn (Echoes I) for violin, alto flute, clarinet, and piano by George Crumb (35) is performed for the first time, at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.
May 26, 1967:
Echoes of Time and the River: Four Processionals for Orchestra (Echoes II) by George Crumb (37) is performed for the first time, in Mandel Hall, Chicago. See 6 May 1968.
May 6, 1968:
George Crumb (38) wins the Pulitzer Prize in Music for his Echoes of Time and the River. See 26 May 1967.
March 29, 1969:
Songs, Drones and Refrains of Death for baritone, electric guitar, electric contrabass, amplified piano, and percussion by George Crumb (39) to words of Garcia Lorca is performed for the first time, at the University of Iowa, Iowa City.
March 6, 1970:
Two works to words of Garcia Lorca by George Crumb (40) are performed for the first time, in Seattle: Madrigals Book III for soprano, harp, double bass, and percussion, and Madrigals Book IV for soprano, flute/alto flute/piccolo, harp, double bass, and percussion.
April 3, 1970:
Night of the Four Moons for alto, alto flute, banjo, electric cello, and percussion by George Crumb (40) to words of Garcia Lorca, is performed for the first time, in Springfield, Pennsylvania. The work was composed exclusively during the flight of Apollo 11, 16-24 July 1969.
October 23, 1970:
Black Angels (Thirteen Images from the Dark Land) for electric string quartet by George Crumb is performed for the first time, in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the eve of the composer’s 41st birthday.
October 31, 1970:
Ancient Voices of Children for soprano, treble, oboe, mandolin, harp, electric piano, and percussion by George Crumb (41) to words of Garcia Lorca is performed for the first time, in the Library of Congress, Washington. The work receives a standing, cheering ovation from the listeners assembled. Also on the program is the premiere of the String Quartet no.4 of Milton Babbitt (54), Changes for tape and electronics by Charles Dodge (28), Mass for soprano, clarinet, and electronics by John C. Eaton (35), and Sappho for mezzo-soprano, harp, piano, guitar, and percussion by R. Murray Schafer (36).
January 16, 1972:
Lux Aeterna for soprano, bass flute, recorder, sitar, and two percussionists (all masked) by George Crumb (42) is performed for the first time, in Richmond, Virginia.
February 26, 1972:
All of George Crumb’s (42) works to the words of Federico Garcia Lorca are performed together for the first time, at Oberlin Conservatory. The works are Madrigals Books I-IV, Night Music I, Songs, Drones and Refrains of Death, Night of the Four Moons, and Ancient Voices of Children.
March 17, 1972:
Vox Balaenae for electric flute, electric cello, and amplified piano (all masked) by George Crumb (42) is performed for the first time, at the Library of Congress, Washington.
February 8, 1973:
Makrokosmos Vol. I for amplified piano by George Crumb (43) is performed for the first time, at Colorado College, Colorado Springs. See 12 June 1980.
March 30, 1974:
Music for a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III) for two amplified pianos and two percussionists by George Crumb (44) is performed for the first time, at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. See 12 June 1980.
November 12, 1974:
Makrokosmos (Volume II) for amplified piano by George Crumb (45) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York. See 12 June 1980.
February 4, 1975:
The first two volumes of Makrokosmos by George Crumb (45) are heard together for the first time, in Wichita, Kansas. See 12 June 1980.
October 17, 1976:
Dream Sequence (Images II) for violin, cello, piano, percussion, and glass harmonica by George Crumb (46) is performed for the first time, in Brunswick, Maine.
May 5, 1977:
Star Child for soprano, children’s choir, male choir, bell ringers, and orchestra by George Crumb (47) to words from the Dies Irae, the Massacre of the Innocents, and the Bible, is performed for the first time, in New York conducted by Pierre Boulez (52).
November 18, 1979:
Celestial Mechanics (Makrokosmos IV) for amplified piano four hands by George Crumb (50) is performed for the first time, in Alice Tully Hall, New York. See 12 June 1980.
June 12, 1980:
George Crumb’s (50) complete Makrokosmos cycle is performed together for the first time, in Buffalo. See 8 February 1973, 30 March 1974, 12 November 1974, 18 November 1979.
December 14, 1980:
A Little Suite for Christmas, AD 1979 for piano by George Crumb (51) is performed for the first time, at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington.
January 13, 1981:
Apparition-elegiac songs & vocalises, a cycle for soprano and amplified piano by George Crumb (51) to words of Whitman, is performed for the first time, at the 92nd Street Y, New York.
December 12, 1982:
Gnomic Variations for piano by George Crumb (53) is performed for the first time, at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
June 7, 1984:
A Haunted Landscape for orchestra by George Crumb (54) is performed for the first time, in Avery Fisher Hall, New York.
June 27, 1984:
Pastoral Drone for organ by George Crumb (54) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.
July 26, 1984:
Processional for piano by George Crumb (54) is performed for the first time, at Tanglewood, Lennox, Massachusetts.
December 4, 1984:
The Sleeper for soprano and piano by George Crumb (55) to words of Poe is performed for the first time, in Carnegie Hall, New York.
November 16, 1986:
An Idyll for the Misbegotten (to be heard from afar, over a lake, on a moonlit evening in August) for amplified flute and three percussionists by George Crumb (57) is performed for the first time, in Toronto.
January 17, 1988:
Zeitgeist (Six Tableaux for Two Amplified Pianos, Book I) by George Crumb (58) is performed for the first time, in Duisberg.
June 12, 1988:
Federico’s Little Songs for Children, a cycle for soprano, flutes, and harp by George Crumb (58) to words of Garcia Lorca, is performed for the first time, in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.
March 30, 1990:
Quest for guitar, soprano saxophone, harp, contrabass, and percussion by George Crumb (60) is performed for the first time, in Philadelphia.
June 13, 1992:
Easter Dawning for carillon by George Crumb (62) is performed for the first time, in Dayton, Ohio.
January 20, 1998:
Mundus Canis for guitar and percussion by George Crumb (68) is performed for the first time, in Cannes. The composer plays the percussion part.
February 22, 2001:
George Crumb (71) receives a Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition for his Star Child.
October 5, 2002:
Unto the Hills for soprano, piano, and percussion by George Crumb (72) to words of Appalachian folk songs is performed for the first time, in Trinity Center, Philadelphia.
November 15, 2003:
A Journey Beyond Time for soprano, piano, and percussion by George Crumb (74) to words of African-American spirituals, is performed for the first time, in Trinity Center, Philadelphia.
December 4, 2003:
Otherworldly Resonances for two pianos by George Crumb (74) is performed for the first time, in Weill Recital Hall, New York.
July 31, 2009:
Sun and Shadow, a cycle for soprano and piano by George Crumb (79) to words of García Lorca, is performed for the first time, in Brunswick High School, Brunswick, Maine.
January 28, 2012:
Voices from the Heartland for vocal soloist, amplified piano, and four percussionists by George Crumb (82) is performed for the first time, in Trinity Center for Urban Life, Philadelphia.