Most pianos have 88 keys, but the notes that they produce are just the beginning of the sonic possibilities available to the keyboardist. This week we’ll listen to how boundary-shattering composers from John Cage to Conlon Nancarrow unlocked and exploited keyboard instruments’ aural potential.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Jesse McQuarters
Playlist
◦ Cage: The Perilous Night; Marcus Hinterhauser, p.
◦ Satie: La Piège de Medusa (excerpt); Alexandre Tharaud, p.
◦ Cowell: Aeolian Harp & The Banshee; Henry Cowell, p.
◦ Nancarrow: Study No. 40a for Player Piano
◦ Zappa: Jazz From Hell; Zappa, syncalvier
◦ Zappa: Ruth is Sleeping; Ensemble Modern
◦ Reich: It’s Gonna Rain (excerpt); Brother Walter, nar.
◦ Reich: Piano Phase (excerpt); Josef Christof, Steffen Schleiermacher, pnos.
◦ Glass: Metamorphosis 1; Bruce Brubaker, p.
◦ Crumb: Night Spell & Dream Images fr. Makrokosmos; Margaret Leng Tan, p.
◦ Choi: To Unformed; Choi, piano