Ordering Suggestions from Michael Robinson

My music is intended for close, even meditational listening, with elements of both adbhuta rasa (exhilaration) and shanta rasa (tranquility). There is an expressive feel different from live musicians that may deter some, but hopefully, you will give my medium an opportunity beyond that traditional expectation, and allow the import of the music to manifest.

For an introduction to my music, I suggest any of the CDs from the first two categories. These CDs 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 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 five main categories as follows:

 

Post-Raga CDs for Meruvina

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

5012 Ocean Avenue

 

5011 Nectar-Spells

 

5010 Mango-Bird

 

5009 Viridian Seas

 

5008 Lilac Dawn factory pressing

 

5007 Lilac Dawn

 

5006 Celestial Crocodile and Honu Morning

 

5005 Moonrise and Rain-Mist

 

5004 Rajasthani Spring

 

5003 The Spirit Pool

 

5002 Hummingbird Canyon

 

5001 Lucknow Shimmer

 

4042 Lahaina Lanterns

 

4041 The Fiddler of Dooney

 

4040 Ruby Soul

 

4039 Nightmarchers

 

CDs for Meruvina Based on Indian Ragas

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

 

4038 Emerald Anklets (Kalyani)

 

4037 Carnelian Compass (Kirwani)

 

4036 Amethyst Labyrinth (Charukeshi)

 

4035 Peridot Pond (Vanaspati)

 

4034 Onyx Sands (Gangeyabhusani)

 

4033 Pink Sapphire

 

4032 Pink Monkey

 

4031 Summer Morning

 

4030 Ganamurti

 

4029 The Girl In The Photograph (Varunapriya)

 

4028 Tanarupi

 

4027 Ramapriya

 

4026 Kamavardhani

 

4025 Kanakangi

 

4024 Kokilapriya

 

4023 Chakravaka

 

4022 Latangi

 

4021 Dhirasankarabharanam

 

4020 Dharmavati

 

4019 Rusabhapriya

 

4018 Hansadhvani

 

4017 Gamanapriya

 

4016 Bhairavi

 

4015 Bhairava

 

4014 California Spring (Suryakanta)

 

4013 Todi

 

4012 Darbari Kanada

 

4011 Natabhairavi

 

4010 Shankara

 

4009 Nat Narayan

 

4008 Yaman

 

4007 Vachaspati

 

4006 Dhani: Drut, Ati Drut & Ati Ati Drut Gats

 

4005 Dhani: Jor & Jhala

 

4004 Dhani: Alap

 

4003 Mian Ki Malhar

 

4002 Gangadhara (Bhupali)

 

4001 Charukeshi

 

3027 Puriya Dhanashri

 

3026 Bhimpalasi: Vilambit, Madhya & Drut Gats

 

3025 Bhimpalasi: Jor & Jhala

 

3024 Bhimpalasi: Alap

 

3023 Rageshri

 

3022 Madhmad Sarang

 

3021 Bairagi

 

3020 Kirvani

 

3019 Kaunsi Kanada

 

3018 Patdeep, Jait & Megh

 

3017 Bhoop

 

3016 Jaunpuri

 

3015 Astral Palace (Malkauns)

 

3014 Indian Ocean (Nat Bhairav)

 

3013 Snow Leopard Meadow (Ahir Bhairav)

 

3012 Monsoon Clouds (Madhuvanti)

 

3011 Sagarmatha (Shuddha Nat)

 

3010 The Listening Earth (Compilation featuring shorter pieces from eight of the CDs in this series)

 

3009 Nagamani

 

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)

 

CDs 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 used in these CDs. Indians compare alap to the void that existed the world 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 if you are prepared for doing that. 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.

2005 Sea of France

 

2004 Dark Yellow

 

2003 Inspiration Point

 

3015 Astral Palace (Malkauns)

 

4002 Gangadhara (Bhupali)

 

4004 Dhani: Alap

 

4030 Ganamurti

 

4029 The Girl In The Photograph (Varunapriya)

 

4028 Tanarupi

 

4025 Kanakangi

 

4024 Kokilapriya

 

4021 Dhirasankarabharanam

 

4020 Dharmavati

 

4019 Rusabhapriya

 

4018 Hansadhvani

 

4015 Bhairava

 

4014 California Spring (Suryakanta)

 

2014 Ruby Cars


2015 Yellow Silk


2016 Buki


2017 Yellow and Black

 

2018 Irish Ghost


2019 August


2020 Wings of the Owls

 

Pre-Raga CDs 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.

 

2001 Trembling Flowers

 

2002 Fire Monkey

 

2003 Inspiration Point

 

2004 Dark Yellow

 

2005 Sea of France

 

2006 Robinson Gardens

 

2007 North Africa

 

2008 Photosynthesis

 

2009 The Forest

 

2010 Night of Fire

 

2011 Purple and Brown

 

2012 Polynesian Woman

 

2013 Snow and Wood

 

2014 Ruby Cars


2015 Yellow Silk


2016 Buki

 

2017 Yellow and Black


2018 Irish Ghost


2019 August


2020 Wings of the Owls


2021 Lion Dance

 

2022 Earth's Pebbles


2023 Movement of Time


2024 African Pillows

 

2025 Wine Breath

 

2026 Like Rain


2027 Crayons


2028 Teahouse


2029 Hawaiian Rain


2030 Portrait


2031 Bouquet

 

2032 Family of Cardinals

 

2033 Azure Miles

 

2034 Yellow Lights

 

CDs with 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, 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.

1001 The Lotus Girl (Symphony No. 2 and five shorter works)

 

1002 The Abode of Joy (String Quartet No. 2 and five shorter works)

 

1003 The Jewel Treasure of the Ocean (Symphony No. 3)

 

1004 The Abode of Snow (String Quartet No. 3)

 

 

Albums For the Original Meruvina 1984-1989

 

7001 A Danish Princess

 

7002 A Demon's Leisure

 

7003 Above the Door

 

7004 April

 

7005 Black Waves

 

7006 Cave Pond

 

7007 Charcoal Notes

 

7008 Distant Times

 

7009 Early Spring

 

7010 Foreign River

 

7011 Gift

 

7012 March Wind

 

7013 Neptune

 

7014 Oil Drops

 

7015 Persia

 

7016 Pictures On the Wall

 

7017 Pink Carnation

 

7018 Silver Grey

 

7019 Smokestack

 

7020 Stained Light

 

7021 Thursday Evening

 

7022 Welsh Witch

 

7023 Winter Fantasy