“The Brain of the Purple Mountain”

The printed music for “TheBrain of the Purple Mountain” is sold as an individual transcription.

Kottke’s seminal recording, 6- and 12-String Guitar, released at the end of 1969, was a fresh admixture of dazzling technique and expressive depth. Altogether, the compositions sketched out a new landscape for the future of finger-style guitar. Some of these compositions have remained in Kottke’s performance repertoire almost unchanged, some have been edited over time, and some have recombined. In concert today, “The Brain of the Purple Mountain” is the opening for “Airproofing,” stirring our collective recollection of the armadillo recording.

This transcription corresponds to the original audio recording of “The Brain of the Purple Mountain” on Leo Kottke/6- and 12-String Guitar. On this recording Kottke is playing a Gibson B-45 12-string guitar in standard tuning, tuned approximately two half-steps low. The resultant pitches are D3D2 G3G2 C4C3 F4F3 A3A3 D4D4.