Youtube again unearths fascinating rarities: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14jPvnWhdNM Who needs an orchestra when you got a grand They could have been a bit more creative with the percussion, but otherwise very entertaining.
Chris, Truly wonderful, and thanks for posting this. OTOH, it made me rather nervous for the instrument's sake...
Chris, Interesting post! I am not able to access the youtube due to access restrictions, but, I was able to visit http://bowedpianoensemble.com/ and download the suncatcher from the vikings of the sunrise. Yes, the rhythm seems to be just a metronomic pulse, but the sonic textures and the picture of a nine people gathered around a concert grand is quite interesting. I think The Piano Guys had an episode like this. But they were slapping the side of it, like it was a bongo drum. This seems more reverent than that! Gives an entirely different meaning to "piano music" I have to say, this prepared piano (I would even qualify it more as string piano) and with the damper pedal released it sounds a lot like a orchestra harp which it is in a very crude way, I suppose... nevermind the intentions of Cristofori who probably solely playing the piano as by means of the playing the keyboard part of the piano..
Hi Chris, I had found that Bowed Piano Ensemble on my own awhile back. Some contemporary composers for piano have for years been using "prepared pianos". I always thought of it as a sacrelege. The piano was never designed for any of that nonsense. This ensemble in my opinion takes that to an extreme. I think it's outrageous. Dreadful! David
Outrageous it is indeed. Dreadful, no I would not say that. Good clean fun, and a musically worthwhile result. The piano as as much right of being mocked as anything else