With the aim of assembling a quartet to improvise on the transcriptions of birdsong that Olivier Messiaen had integrated into many of his works, Woodstock pianist Crispell, Norwegian Hardanger fiddler Maurseth, and Beacon clarinetist Rothenberg began working together at a 2018 Paris residency. The idea was, pun intended, a natural one for Rothenberg, who’s famously made albums that have him accompanied by his fascinating field recordings of the sounds of dolphins, whales, cicadas, pond life, and other elements of the natural world. In 2019, the three convened with Czech-born experimental violinist and vocalist Iva Bittova, a long-time Red Hook resident, to create these strange, haunting pieces. Their titles—“Unfolding,” “Ruffle,” “Crinkle,” “Soft Fall”—should give you just enough of an idea of the fluttering, moody vibes you’re in for. Of special note: “Magpie, Moth,” which interweaves Rothenberg’s samples of a death’s head hawk moth and an Australian magpie.
This article appears in July 2026.
