Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano, Vol. I

Albumbeschreibung

Secluded in a quiet suburban district of Mexico City, Conlon Nancarrow has spent decades composing these incomparable pieces, punching the player piano rolls himself; these studies, of unparalleled rhythmic complexity and fascinating energy, were begun in 1949. A jazz trumpeter in the 1930s, the composer also studied world music in great detail, giving special attention to the musics of Africa and India. The consideration given to all those musical structures shows up in the studies, not in stylistic imitation but in re-thinking shared musical "problems" (in the good sense) and coming up with his own solution.
A brief discussion of selected studies will give some idea of their breadth. One of the best-known is the delightful five-movement "Boogie Woogie Suite," (study 3a-3e.) Number 3a is based on traditional boogie and jazz (like studies 1-10) but is maniacally sped-up and eventually attains eight superimposed layers of activity. Study number 20 is a more "pure music" piece (like numbers 21-27), a three-voice canon on aperiodic rhythmic patterns. Each pattern is given a certain restricted set of pitches, which are first introduced in a staggered, gentle manner, then later played in octaves over the full range of the piano resulting in a dramatic, impassioned angularity. All of Nancarrow's innovations and experiments make for wonderful listening.

© "Blue" Gene Tyranny /TiVo