The PIANO

1. The PIANO • Massachusetts Gazette, March 21, 1771 • Jonas Chickering • 1829 - 2500 pianos • 1853 - Steinway and Sons • 1879 - Japan • 1910 - 360000 pianos • George Ives • Thaddeus Cahill “Telharmonium” • electronically produced sounds • 200 tons of dynamos etc.

2. Henry Cowell 1897-1965 • b. Menlo Park, CA March 11, 1897 • Oriental music, Irish traditional music, midwest folk music • Studied with Charles Seeger at the University of California • Tone Clusters, String Piano, Gamelan, Elastic Forms, • Founded the New Music Society • Published in “New Music Quarterly” along with music by Ives, Ruggles, Nancarrow • teacher of Gershwin, Cage, Harrison • Compositions: • Aeolian Harp • The Banshee • Piano Piece (Paris 1924) • Mosaic Quartet

3. Edgard Varese 1883-1965 • A different direction for American composers • Looking toward the 20th century for inspiration • Born in Paris • Studied with Bolzoni, d’Indy, Roussel, Widor • Knew Debussy, R. Strauss, Busoni • Came to the United States in 1915 and nearly all his compositions dissapeared • His creative output begins with Ameriques (1921) • 1921 founded the International Composers Guild • Conducted the Berlioz “Requiem” and formed the New Symphony Orchestra

4. Edgard Varese • Orchestra supported by the Guggenheims, Pulitzers, Vanderbilts, Whitneys • Founded the Pan-American Association of Composers in 1928 • The first “commercial” performance was “Ameriques” in 1925 with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Leopold Stokowski

5. Edgard Varese • “Poeme electronique” • 1957-1858 • A fully electronic piece • Created for the Philips Pavillion at the Brussel’s World’s Fair in 1958

6. Varese andLe Corbusierat theBrussle’sWorld’s Fairin1958.The PhilipsPavillion is in • The background. Xenakis (insert)

7. Poeme Electronique • In January 1956, an officer of Philips Corporation in the Netherlands called Le Corbusier, one of Europe's best-known architects, and asked him to design a pavilion for the Brussels World's Fair in 1958. Le Corbusier answered: "I will make you a poeme Èlectronique ..." The pavilion, as it turned out, was designed in large part by Iannis Xenakis, who was interested in shapes such as hyperbolic paraboloids. Xenakis was one of Le Corbusier's architectural assistants (and a composer).

8. Poeme Electronique • The program in the pavilion during the World's Fair was a multimedia show of sounds and images. The Poeme Electronique, a musique concrete composition containing electronically modified sounds based on percussion and melody instruments, voice, machines, and other sources, was played several times each day through speakers to the accompaniment of projections and a light show created by Le Corbusier. Iannis Xenakis' Concrete PH, made with sounds of smoldering charcoal, was played as an interlude between shows.

9. Poeme Electronique • Poeme Electronique was Varese's last completed work. It was created at the Philips Laboratories, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The original consisted of three synchronized tracks, to be played on multiple amplifiers and loudspeakers over diverse 'sound routes.' There were 10 or 20 amplifiers and 150 or 425 loudspeakers.

10. Harry Partch 1901-1974 • Born in Oakland, California • Self-taught composer and instrument maker • Based his theory on Ancient Greeks • He argued that music is a 'corporeal' rather than an intellectual art. • Between 1930 and 1972 he held no teaching posts but did have research posts at the Universities of California, Wisconsin, and Illinois • His compositions combine American folklore, African and Oriental literature, and mystical and pre-Christian magical thoughts, laced with parody, satire, studied naivety, and irony.

11. Zymo-Xylophone • Harry Partch died in San Diego on September 3, 1974.

12. Rotate the Body in All Its Planes - Ballad for Gymnasts (1961)

13. Harry Partch • Ratio Representation of Harry Partch's "Monophonic" Resources

14. John Cage 1912-1992 • born in Los Angeles in 1912 • studied with Richard Buhlig, Henry Cowell, Adolph Weiss, and Arnold Schoenberg • In 1938 composed the first prepared piano piece, Bacchanale, for a dance by Syvilla Fort • In 1951, he organized a group of musicians and engineers to make the first music on magnetic tape • His most famous composition is 4’33”Sonata V

15. Ben Johnston b. 1926 • born in Macon, Georgia • holds degrees from William and Mary College, the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and Mills College • He joined the faculty of the University of Illinois in 1951, and served as professor of composition and theory until his retirement in 1983. • Movement II

16. Conlon Nancarrow Mexican composer of American origin (1912–1997) • born in Texarkana • studied composition with Slonimsky, Sessions, and Piston • played jazz trumpet in local bars • joined the Lincoln Brigade and fought Franco's fascists in 1930's Spain • became a member of the Communist Party • associated with other new radicals in the New York scene, including John Cage and Carter • Nancarrow's political leanings gradually attracted the interest of the state, and he was refused a passport upon application in 1940. • Nancarrow moved to Mexico City where he lived until his death • The hole-puncher required to perforate pianola rolls was an old and tough mechanism. Adult male visitors to the Nancarrow home report struggling to even make the usually automatically-driven device even budge. But Conlon Nancarrow spent almost his entire adult life manufacturing these amazing rolls. His patience produced a hugely muscular forearm, and a body of work of astounding intensity and importance. • Study #1