josephus07

So, concerning the piano resonance...

If you play a D4 into the piano with the D4, F4, A4, C5, D5, F5, A5, C6 keys depressed (a two-octave dm7 chord), what strings will actually resonate?

Jimi Michiel

D4, D5, A5 I think... Check out Bernstein's The Unanswered Question, DVD 1.He does a great job explaining the overtone series, explaining all the intervals and their mathematical equivolents (sp?). I would think that his linguistic models would help explain the Berio... or maybe not. The Sequenza is one of those pieces that I pretend does not exist so that I don't have to have nightmares about trying to play is...
-Jimi

Edit: Ed-Sorry about beating you to the punch, I didn't realize I was responding in your forum and that generally you get the first shot. mea culpa...

ecarroll

Josephus,

I've followed your Sequenza X questions elsewhere with interest. It's become a very commonly played piece in the past 10 years -- lots of recorded versions, etc. A highschooler played it at Lake Placid in '03, much to the delight of Tom Stevens. Many of my students find when they wrap their brains around it that it's not so terribly difficult and Berio, as you know, is one of the most important composers of the last fifty years to have contributed to our repertoire.

There were two versions pre-dating the one that's published, by the way, and my favorite is the fourth, and last, version called Kol-Od (Chemins Vi) for trumpet and orchestra. Fabulous. You should hear Cassone play it from memory sometime.

Try asking somebody to depress the keys for you and play forte Ds, Cs, etc. into the piano. You'll hear pretty clearly which overtones resonate.

Good luck and I hope others take a crack at the Sequenza as well...
EC

josephus07

Thanks much for the info Mr. Carroll.

I'm very aware of Kol-Od and I am currently trying to put together a thesis proposal that will allow me to write my thesis on the third movement of Sinfonia, the Scherzo from Mahler 2, Sequenza X, and Kol Od.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the process so far has been listening to Mr. Cassone's recording.

I've got a recording (the only one commercially available?) of Kol Od on the way.

Now the tough stuff begins...

ecarroll

J,

I heard Gabri play Kol-Od with Ollie Knussen and the London Sinfonietta at Amsterdam's Concertgebouw once. Just terrific. John Wallace was in the orchestra, by the way.

I'm sure that he'll perform Sequenza X at Chosen Vale next summer. Berio, as you know, chose him to record it and he plays it like water running off of a duck's back.

Best,
EC

josephus07

I would love to hear Cassone play that live! Does he tour much in America? Will there be any recordings of concerts at the Chosen Vale Institute?

ecarroll

J,

I'm sure that archival recordings will be made.

Gabri rarely tours in the US -- little point, really, as most concert venues for new music, with notable exceptions in NYC & LA, are in Europe these days.

Best,
EC

josephus07

This is a HUGE topic, but do you have any thoughts on what could specifically be done to raise more demand for contemporary classical music in the US?

I know that much new music has been confined to universities - the composers are teaching there, the concerts are being performed there...

When I was in my undergrad in Chicago, the CSO had a contemporary music series that was often led by Cliff Colnot, and Steven Burns has his group "Fulcrum Point."

What exactly is the seen like (how does it function) in LA and NY?

Thanks much.

ecarroll

J,

Steve's Fulcrum Point (www.fulcrumpoint.org) is a marvelous example of a group becoming successful by programming new music and presenting multi-disciplinary art. I believe that they were in residence at Ravinia last summer -- a testament to their ability to plow new ground in traditional fields.

In addition to the academic world that you correctly identify, New York has long had an uptown and downtown scene (the latter found in clubs, lofts, Off-Broadway theaters, etc.). There's a rich experimental tradition there that has fostered many great musicians. Do you know Ben Neil's work? If not, you should. Jon Nelson and Dave Douglas have been recently succesful in putting a public face on this work and these musicians through FONT (www.fontmusic.org), but it's happening throught the year as well. You just have to dig for it a little bit.

Take a look at REDCAT (www.redcat.org), the fantastic black box theater in Frank Gehry's Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Everything presented there is new and it's doing very, very, well.

The "secret" to success in this world (the penny drops) is having the ability and imagination to present worthwhile work. There is no template and no well-trodden path to follow. I believe, however, that if the art is compelling enough it will attract an audience over time.

(knocking wood),
EC

josephus07

Just got the recording of Kol Od from the 1996 Donaueschinger Music festival.

I believe it is a live recording (Col Legno #20008)

It's really great to hear this piece in this transformation.

For anyone interested, Mr. Cassone is playing on this recording.