LAST BLOG!!!!! AHAHSKUDHKAJSHDKJAHDSFKJH!! (3:03 AM)

John Cage (1912 - 1992)

Pretty odd character, and really took new extended techniques to a whole new level. He is most famous for is Sonatas and Interludes, which is famous for its use of prepared piano. Certain random items are placed in certain places on certain strings to produce certain sounds. Its actually not that random at all, its EXTREMELY specific, and usually a pain to set up, and most piano techs can't stand John Cage. However, some of the sounds that are produced from the piano with all that material inside is completely different than any other piano music. It is actually meant to sound like drums and percussion instruments, perhaps Balinese Gamelan.

John Adams

Minimalist composer. Not too significant.
Only real popular work is China Gates.
China Gates is actually quite pretty, or at least for the first 10 seconds. Then, once you realize that it is the same thing over and over and over and over (but wait! the left hand is different!!!) and over and over - you start to hate it. There is a 5 note pattern repeated in the right hand throughout the entire thing (thus, minimalist music), which starts to grow on you. However, if you can completely immerse yourself into the music, and get over the repetitions, it can become quite hypnotic.

George Crumb

Crumb (1929 - )

Influenced by a number of very important people, which is clearly evident in his music. His biggest influence is probably Debussy. His music is almost entirely foreground with very little background, nearly always. His use of silences, timings, and production of specific sonorities and sound qualities are directly related to his Debussy influence. His other most important influence is through Bartok's formal structure. Bartok's arc form is apparent in much of Crumb's work. Including the 5 Piano pieces.

The first piece is very quiet and sparse. There are some repeated notes, but they never get to intense. And then all of a sudden OH MY GOD! dont turn the volume up too loud! There is a scare right in the middle of the first piece. Some crazy randoms get a little hairy, and then settle down again to end softly. ARC FORM!

The second piece is a little different. This one begins with the scare and settles down eventually. The Silences between the loud stuff is almost worht listening to on it's own. If this one had a shape, it would start off high and gradgually decesned.

The third piece starts going inside the piano. Starts low and ascends, arpeggioes.

The fourth piece also goes inside the piano. It sounds very much like the third piece, however, there are more silences in this one than the last.

The last piece uses strumming and sweeps inside the piano, as well as traditional playing techniqie. This piece is quite ominous. just when you think things are settled down, there is some weird pluck or sound that jumps out at you.

Stockhausen and Cowell

Stockhausen (1928 - 2007)

This guy wrote alot of Klavierstuck. A very interesting character - Stockhausen worked pretty much all day, very diligently. He, unlike Beethoven, or many composers before him, actually told you the meaning behind his music, so there was no confusion. The one I am listening to is Kalivierstuck IX.

Stockhausen was famous for being one of the first composers to use aleatoric music, or chance music. Much of his music depends on the rolling of dice or random chance, which both arguably music, and non music...

The piece begins with the same chord, repeated over and over, several times, at different dynamics. It sounds like it could be serial, but I'm not certain. Not the best piece in the whole world, but some small interesting things hidden in there.


Cowell (1897 - 1965)

Not too much to say. Cowell was one of the first to explore different piano echniques in the 21st century, which would later be taken over by Cage and Crumb. Cowell indicated the use of entire palms and forearms to play certain chords and clusters, which he was fond of using. He was also one of the first to go inside the piano and mess with strings.

The Banshee is a piece played entirely on the inside of the piano. The performer is required (have someone) hold the pedal down, and strum, rub, and pluck strings inside the piano. It makes for a pretty interesting effect. This piece is actually pretty scary. Some of the sounds produced by the strings on the inside of the piano can sounds like screams and scary sounds. Its a pretty effective piece. Most pieces like this are rather simple once the coereography is sorted out.

Aeolian Harp is another piece which requires the performer to play inside the piano. In this case, the performer silently holds down certain keys, (chords) while struming the inside. once the giberish noise is settled, all that remains is the left over sound of the chords from the keys that are held down. It sounds pretty cool. Less effective than the Banshee.

Messiaen

Oliver Messiaen (1908 - 1992)

Messiaen's most famous piece for solo piano are the "Jesus Pieces"... The entire collection takes about 2 hours to perform in one sitting. The only two I'm listening to are regards 10 and 15. I begin in reverse. Regard 15, or "Le Baiser de l'Enfant-Jesus" is very slow and chordal. Like pretty much all of Messiaen's music, it is nearly all foreground and little background, and like Debussy, it is centered on production of specific sonorities. This usually runs the longest in the entire set, clocking in at about 12 minutes or so.

The 10th regard, or "Regard de l'Esprite de joie," is very much the complete oposite. This is fast Messiaen, which is very rhythmic, and driving, begining in the bass and working its way around. This is most difficult of the entire set, and comes as a complete shock in the set, being randomly difficult and scary compared to the rest.

The last Messiaen piece I am listening to is the "Mode de caluers et d'intensities." This is a pretty cool piece, for sure. It uses complete serialism, where each pitch is assigned a certain articulation, dynamic, duration, etc, and pitches appear in serial orders. Pretty cool - it's one of the only pieces to use complete serialism.

Copland and Barber

Aaron Copland (1900 - 1990)

American Composer who did alot of experimenting with American folk tunes. His most important pieces for solo piano are the Variations, and the Sonata. I will be listening to the Variations.

Awesome piece! The theme is based around 4 notes, and moved all around and played with extensively. It is often displaced by octaves, and appear only in close form once I believe. It's a very "ugly" piece, but it is incredibly cool. The story is that it was meant to be premiered by Walter Gieseking, but he refused, saying that no ordinary concert-goers would enjoy such an ugly piece, so Copland ended up premiering it himself, and thereafter it was famous. I love this piece, and deffinitly want to play it one day.


Sammy Barber (1910 - 1981)

Only famous for a few pieces for piano, the excursions being the most popular, also the piano concerto, and the Sonata, Op. 26. The first movement of the Barber Sonata open with rapid reverse-dotted rhythms which sound like some kind of antiphonal dialogue. The second movement begins with a falling figuration which is repeated a couple of times, softly, before it is played with and varried, then repeated. The same figuration persits, expands, and eventually unfolds and contracts, with different accompaniment. The best one is the um-pa pa accompaniment that appears for only a measure or two, but it comes out of nowhere. The third movement is slow. The opening sounds almost like the opening to the Copland variations, but then a real melody comes in. Of course the whole thing is over "odd" accompaniment, which sounds kind of modal, but not quite atonal. The final movement is a fast fugue, and sounds like a bitch to play. It just keeps going..

Shostakovich

Shostakovich (1908 - 1975)

Shostakovich was unfortunately always living under the Stalinist regime, which completely shaped his music. There were ridiculous amounts of censorship and control over the arts during Stalin's time, and Shostakovich couldn't really develop into what he wanted to break out of, so he developed into it. There is deffinitily a certain degree of opression which can be heard in his music, the sonatas and the preludes and fugues. He copied Bach, 48 P's and F's, two in each key.

The D minor prelude and fugue from the second book (Op. 87) is the best, and last one. In one word it is simply:

Epic

Good piece, a very strong sense of power behind the music. The Prelude especially. It begins very chordal and grows into passionate orgasims. The fugue begins simple, but like the prelude grows. The subject begins with perfect 4ths, A - D, A - D.. etc. It sounds heart-wrenching as it develops. Beautiful.

Prokofiev Sonata No. 6

Prokofiev (1891 - 1953)

6th sonata

1st movement has a recognizable rhythmic figure which is repeated, feeling in an unusual meter. cool movement, sounds difficult. Winds down into a steady, beautiful flowing melody, sounding at first pentatonic. The second movement is all staccato chords, easily recognizable. The third movement is slow and quite beautiful, there is a long melody over the top of some interesting sounds underneath it. Sounds almost tonal, but not Atonal. The last movement is exciting, vivace, sounds to me like a chase - very fun.