Aitsi (1974), for amplified and distorted piano, 7’

by Giacinto Scelsi
Compared to the many earlier works Scelsi wrote for the piano, Aitsi for amplified piano is remarkably harsh and unforgiving. It is also a perfect example for the way the enigmatic Scelsi composed. In this case he incidentally recorded himself playing the piano with a broken tape recorder. The result was a distorted piano sound which he then passed on to his assistants. What is striking though is that he ordered them to keep the distortion and find a way to integrate it in the composition. Two works were thus written from the tape, the String Quartet No.5 and Aitsi.
 

Slot Machines (2009), for piano and Mp3-Player, 8’

by Johannes Kreidler
Slot Machines matches the wish to realise the aesthetics of a “music with music” as technical easy as possible. Furthermore it is the revenge for all mp3-listeners who fill complete train compartments with music.
 

Arbeit (2007), for virtual hammond organ, 13’

by Enno Poppe
“[...] The virtual hammond organ is a computer simulation of a real hammond organ and has the advantage of having free access to micro-intervals. Like in other compositions, I work with a keyboard layout which assigns the gripped key to other sounds. With this special keyboard layout it is possible to play octaves with keys which are located close to each other. Hence, I can place the complete compass in a very narrow space. This enables the creation of complex models.” (E. Poppe)
Arbeit is a preliminary study for Arbeit Nahrung Wohnung (piece for music theatre) which was produced by Münchener Biennale and co-produced by ZKM | IMA.
 

Keyboard Study #1 (1966), for keyboard and video, 18’

by Terry Riley
Keyboard Study #1 by Terry Riley present the minimalist style of the 1960‘s and is almost a schoolbook case of pattern music. It was written in 1966 and, contrary to Steve Reich with shifting layers and Philip Glass changing the length of the layers, Riley stacks patterns. Each hand plays different patterns in a fast tempo and together with the high volume the brainwave entrainment has a mesmerizing effect. The video was made for the Hamburg Planetarium by Thomas Ploentzke based on an idea by artist Jan-Peter E.R. Sonntag (Berlin). It was produced by analyzing and using the MIDI data of a recording of the piece.
 

Move (2006), for piano, live-electronics and video, 17’30”

by Ludger Brümmer
Move evolves gradually from a sound surface into a fully worked out chordal and rhythmic composition. This rhythmicised soundstructure consequently develops into a climax full of suspense. The structure of the piece, completely derived from algorithms shows this characteristic most obviously. Process as means of composition should in this case not only be understood as a topic related to minimal music. It constitutes per se an extreme form of variation in which certain units of information change gradually. Slow yet consistent change creates an enormous potential for tension. The video takes on different roles. Starting out as a reduced and realt-time-controlled element at the beginning of the work it develops into an independent narrative line, which, however, supports the structure of the piece at all times. In this work the piano represents a kind of meta-instrument since it triggers the video, sounds and a layer of processed sounds.

Organization / Institution

ZKM

Partners

ACROE ; Ionian University