No.25.
Until you’ve heard a piece of Conlon Nancarrow’s music, you will not likely have even fathomed such a sound. It is, genuinely, like no other sound on this Earth. Due to human limitations, he adopted the use of the player piano, sometimes more than one, to undertake the performance of his compositions. Whether the player piano gave rise to his ideas, rather than being pre-conceived is sadly a matter beyond me. Whether one likes said ideas or not is another matter indeed, and one few see eye to eye on. Personally, whilst his music often makes me laugh out loud, I really do see something truly fruitful, even magical, in this format of musical thought. This particular piece is one of the most shocking and entertaining examples, particularly due to its wonderfully neat presentation - Not as to its tonal sensibilities, but rather its tight rhythmic structure displayed on multiple levels.
Listen and react however you wish.. this is ‘further out there’ than the realms of convention have reached.
The largely unknown and utterly unique composer, Conlon Nancarrow, pictured here with his cat.
Here, in the exceptionally unique and charming Ebony Concerto written in 1946, Stravinsky shows his typical levels of ingenuity, organising a well-balanced work for the Woody Herman jazz band. This is an early example of the modernist approach straying considerably outside of normal scenes of orchestration, and to great effect. Like with all music, its interpretation is solely at the listener’s discretion, yet Stravinsky referred to the piece as “a very delicate and very sad piece”.
Stravinsky at his player piano in his Paris studio, 1923.
Composing 555 sonatas for the keyboard, Scarlatti is best known for his charming style of writing, yet meticulous economy and his frequently used AABB (binary) form. Despite being more than proficient in many areas of composition, his sonatas remain, by far, the most popular of his works, celebrated by a great number of the great pianists in the centuries to follow. Here is L.385/K.445, a typical display of the great master Scarlatti’s genius.
Domenico Scarlatti, painted by Domingo Antonio Velasco in 1738.
This very well known piece, originally intended for the orchestra, is a great example of Liszt’s understanding of composition; a number of authorities criticising Liszt for over a century, suggesting that his pieces were little more than technical exercises written by a pianist for a pianist. Whilst his works are not, perhaps, as deep as many composers of his time, they are more than evidence enough for his mastery of theory to be proven. Here, in the programmatic ‘Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke’ (otherwise known as Mephisto Waltz No.1), Liszt conveys a well thought out journey, described below:
“There is a wedding feast in progress in the village inn, with music, dancing, carousing. Mephistopheles and Faust pass by, and Mephistopheles induces Faust to enter and take part in the festivities. Mephistopheles snatches the fiddle from the hands of a lethargic fiddler and draws from it indescribably seductive and intoxicating strains. The amorous Faust whirls about with a full-blooded village beauty in a wild dance; they waltz in mad abandon out of the room, into the open, away into the woods. The sounds of the fiddle grow softer and softer, and the nightingale warbles his love-laden song.”
Liszt at the piano, painted in 1840 by Josef Danhauser.
The third movement from Mozart’s suite K399. The suite is frequently played on the piano, and to great effect, yet there are conflicting sources as to its intended instrument. It appears that the piece, in its entirety, was intended for the organ, although the overture is often heard on its own; its florid counterpoint well suited to the King of instruments. Many publications read similarly to “Suite for the pianoforte”, so the answer is down to the individual, one would wish to conclude for harmony’s sake. Here, the courante displays a wonderful amount of grace through economy.
A young Mozart at the keyboard alongside his father and older sister, painted by Louis Carmontelle in 1763.
As heard in many of his works, Janáček speaks a musical dialect of his own to some extent, especially so here, in the third movement of his violin sonata. Janáček sadly lost his daughter in 1903, causing a long strain on his work and marriage, thankfully overcoming the tremendous grief and continuing to compose many outstanding compositions up until his death in 1928.
Janáček, pictured with his wife, dated 1881.
A conservative approach from Szymanowski, this clip beginning at his seventh variation from his Op.10. This work is a great contrast to his better known pantonal/fringe-atonal orchestral works. Displaying an extremely keen tonal understanding, Szymanowski created this work between the years of 1900-1904; Szymanowski being 18-22 years old at this time. An exceptional level of emotional depth defined at such an age, for a composer not especially well regarded for his truly tonal contributions.
Also check out Variation I,IV,V and IX for the same display of tactful lavishness, although I’d suggest listening to the whole set!
Szymanowski, a fairly well known composer to date, pictured in 1927.
