In the winter of 2012/13, the Haus der Kunst in Munich - one of Europe’s most important museums for contemporary art - hosted the exhibition ‘ECM - A Cultural Archaeology’. The goal of curators Okwui Enwezor and Markus Müller was to show the range of the label’s artistic endeavours in music, graphic art, and photography and its creative interchanges with film, theatre and literature. For this exhibition, Manfred Eicher and Steve Lake created this six-CD box-set accentuating directions in ECM’s rich musical history.

Many themes and streams are touched upon here including the range of composition in the New Series, music for and from films, imaginative historical reconstructions, transcultural music, ambient minimalism, and jazz and improvisation of many hues, in a collection with a playing time of more than seven hours.

Featuring: Heiner Goebbels, Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt, Gidon Kremer, Keith Jarrett, György Kurtág, Tigran Mansurian, Rosamunde Quartet, Betty Olivero, Kim Kashkashian, Meredith Monk, Giya Kancheli, Keller Quartet, Hilliard Ensemble, Valentin Silvestrov, Eleni Karaindrou, Jan Garbarek, Jon Balke and Amina Alaoui, Rolf Lislevand, Nils Petter Molvær, Eivind Aarset, Stefano Battaglia, Tord Gustavsen, Egberto Gismonti, Norma Winstone, Ralph Alessi, Anja Lechner, Vassilis Tsabropoulos, Colin Vallon, Christian Wallumrød, Tomasz Stanko, Jimmy Giuffre, Paul Bley, Evan Parker, Barre Phillips, Robin Williamson, Old & New Dreams, Sinikka Langeland, Frode Haltli, Gary Peacock, Steve Kuhn, Wadada Leo Smith and many others.

Disc 1 - Selected Signs III
1. Heiner Goebbels: In einem alten Fahrstuhl (from Der Mann im Fahrstuhl)
2. Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians (excerpt) (Steve Reich and Musicians)
3. Arvo Pärt: Fratres (Gidon Kremer, Keith Jarrett)
4. Arvo Pärt: Ludus from Tabula rasa (Gidon Kremer, Tatjana Grindenko, Alfred Schnittke, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra/ Saulius Sondeckis)
5. György Kurtág; Aus der Ferne (from Játékok) (Márta Kurtág)
6. J S Bach: Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (Sonatina from ‘Actus tragicus’, BWV 106 transcribed by György Kurtág) (Márta & György Kurtág)
7. Tigran Mansurian: Testament (Rosamunde Quartet)
8. Betty Olivero: Neharót Neharót (excerpt) (Kim Kashkashian, Münchener Kammerorchester/Alexander Liebreich)
9. C P E Bach: Fantasie für Klavier fis-Moll (Alexei Lubimov)
10. Joseph Haydn: The Seven Last Words of our Saviour on the Cross - IV. Largo (Rosamunde Quartet)
11. River
12. Meredith Monk: Scared Song (from Do You Be)
13. Heiner Goebbels: Der Chef (from Der Mann im Fahrstuhl)

Disc 2 - Selected Signs IV
1. Heiner Goebbels: Hörstück II (“Ich möchte Ihnen einen Vorschlag machen...”) / Kleine Passacaglia/Über den Selbstmord (from Eislermaterial)
2. Giya Kancheli: Vom Winde beweint - I. Largo molto (Kim Kashkashian, Orchester der Beethovenhalle Bonn/Dennis Russell Davies)
3. John Tavener: Funeral Canticle (excerpt) (with kind permission of Harmonia Mundi)
4. Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet No.15 - I. Elegy (Keller Quartet)
5. Arvo Pärt: Most Holy Mother of God (from Officium Novum) (The Hilliard Ensemble)
6. Tres morillas m’enamoran (Spanish anonymous) (from Officium Novum) (Jan Garbarek, The Hilliard Ensemble)
7. Dmitri Shostakovich: Chamber Symphony op. 110 bis - I. Largo (Stuttgarter Kammerorchester/ Dennis Russell Davies)
8. Valentin Silvestrov: I. Postludium ‘DSCH’ (Maacha Duebner, Simon Fordham, Anja Lechner, Silke Avenhaus)
9. Valentin Silvestrov: III. Postludium (Anja Lechner, Silke Avenhaus)

Disc 3 - Selected Signs V
Eleni Karaindrou: Concert In Athens
1. Voyage / 2. Closed Roads / 3. Invocation / 4. Tango of Love / 5. Tom’s Theme / 6. Laura’s Waltz / 7. Adagio / 8. After Memory / 9. Farewell Theme / 10. Seeking Theme / 11. Nostalgia Song / 12. Requiem for Willy Loman, var.
13. Eleni Karaindrou: The Weeping Meadow
14. Karaindrou: Memories (from Elegy of the Uprooting)
15. Jan Garbarek: Dis (from Dis)
16. Jon Balke /Amina Alaoui: O Andalusin (from Siwan)
17. Jon Balke /Amina Alaoui: Ashiyin Raïqin (from Siwan)
Rolf Lislevand Ensemble: Music based on early baroque compositions, arr. Rolf Lislevand (from Nuove musiche)
18. Passacaglia andaluz II
19. Toccata
20. Passacaglia cromatica
21. Arpeggiata addio

Disc 4 - Selected Signs VI
Andrey Dergatchev: Music for the film ‘The Return’
1. Underwater / 2. In The Bedroom / 3. The Road / 4. Mugam / 5. Japan / 6. Port / 7. Rehearsal / 8. Piano / 9. Georgians / 10. Final Titles / 11. Wolf Nils Petter Molvær: 12. Khmer / 13. Tløn / 14. Access/Song Of Sand I / 15. On Stream / 16. Platonic Years / 17. Plum / 18. Song Of Sand II (from Khmer) 19. Eivind Aarset: Close (For Comfort) (from Dream Logic)

Disc 5 - Selected Signs VII
1. Stefano Battaglia Trio: Euphonia Elegy (music Battaglia) (from Songways)
2. Food: Celestial Food (music Strønen/Ballamy/Fennesz) (from Mercurial Balm)
3. Tord Gustavsen Quartet: Prelude (music Gustavsen) (from The Well)
4. Egberto Gismonti: Memoria e Fado (marrom) (from Dança dos Escravos)
5. Norma Winstone Trio: Like A Lover (music: Dori Caymmi) (from Stories Yet To Tell)
6. Norma Winstone Trio: Cradle Song (Hoy Nazan) (music Komitas arr. Tigran Mansurian) (from Stories Yet To Tell)
7. Jan Garbarek/Egberto Gismonti /Charlie Haden: Carta de Amor (music Gismonti) (from Magico - Carta de Amor)
8. Ralph Alessi: Zone (from Baida)
9. & 10. Anja Lechner/Vassilis Tsabropoulos: Trois morceaux après des hymnes byzantins I & II (music Tsabropoulos) (from Chants, Hymns and Dances)
11. Colin Vallon Trio: Telepathy (music Patrice Moret) (from Rruga)
12. Christian Wallumrød Ensemble: Solemn Mosquitoes (music Wallumrød)
13. Christian Wallumrød Ensemble: Blop (music Wallumrød) (from Fabula Suite Lugano)
14. Tomasz Stanko Quartet: Song for Ania (music Stanko) (from Lontano)

Disc 6 - Selected Signs VIII
1. Jimmy Giuffre 3: Jesus Maria (music Carla Bley)
2. Paul Bley /Evan Parker /Barre Phillips: Time Will Tell
3. Barre Phillips/Feichtner /Surman/Martin: Mountainscapes V
4. Old And New Dreams: Lonely Woman (music Ornette Coleman)
5. Robin Williamson: The Four Points Are Thus Beheld (music Williamson / Dunmall / Möller)
6. Sinikka Langeland: Langt innpå skoga
7. Frode Haltli: Psalm (traditional, arr. Haltli)
8. Gary Peacock: Voice from the Past
9. Steve Kuhn Trio with Joe Lovano: Spiritual (music John Coltrane)
10. Wadada Leo Smith: Kulture of Jazz
11. Robin Williamson: The World