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SEQUENZA21/
340 W. 57th Street, 12B, New York, NY 10019

Zookeeper:   
Jerry Bowles
(212) 582-3791

Managing Editor:
David Salvage

 Contributing Editors:
Galen H. Brown
Evan Johnson
Ian Moss
Lanier Sammons
Deborah Kravetz
(Philadelphia)
Eric C. Reda
(Chicago)
Christian Hertzog
(San Diego)
Jerry Zinser
(Los Angeles)

Web & Wiki Master:
Jeff Harrington

Latest Posts
Your Boosey and Hawkes Quiz
The Stars at Night Are Big and Bright
Steve Reich, Composer of the Month
Last Night in L.A. - Formenti's Homage to Monday Evening Concerts
I Would Not Feel So All Alone
Good Vibrations
Blognoggling
For O, For O, Sir Harrison will not be Forgot
Big City Taking a Nap
Cries and Whispers


 

Record companies, artists and publicists are invited to submit CDs to be considered for review. Send to: Jerry Bowles, Editor, Sequenza 21, 340 W. 57th Street, 12B, New York, NY 10019

Thursday, May 04, 2006
Last Night in L.A. - Cage's Prepared Piano

Susan Svrcek performed the complete Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano (1946-1948) by John Cage in the end-of-the-season PianoSpheres concert last night. I had not heard this before; it's never been on a concert program I attended, and no one had pointed me in the direction of a recording. This was my loss. This was beautiful music, reminding you that this was the same composer who wrote In a Landscape; here was another landscape, only it was in Bali and the solo piano was part of a gamelan. I was so interested in the music and the ensemble of sounds that after getting home I immediately downloaded one of the three sets available on iTunes.

While driving home after listening to Svrcek, my wife and I were talking about other possible interpretations of the music. The set I downloaded, by Giancarlo Cardini is markedly different. First of all, it is faster, taking 60 minutes while Svrcek took 72; the recording is more assertive, while Svrcek is much more lyrical, forming long lines that vary in dynamics with the repeats. The two prepared pianos sound very different, and not just from the close miking for the recording; Svrcek's program notes talks about the challenges of taking Cage's long set of preparation instructions and having to do some trial and error to have the alterations match the piano and still create the desired tones. She succeeded in her re-creation. I wish I had a recording of Susan Svrcek's performance last night; I'd buy several, and send some to friends and family. Well, in some future year, such a performance would be available a week later in a legal download.

Speaking of downloads, last week's concert of the LA Phil was recorded and will be available on iTunes next week. The program includes Lutoslawski's Fourth Symphony, another Phil centerpiece, a work written for the Philharmonic and Salonen. Salonen placed the Lutoslawski as the center of a Beethoven set, beginning with the Leonora and ending with the Fifth Symphony. If you haven't heard the Lutoslawski, this is the best opportunity around.
posted by Jerry Zinser 5/04/2006



 
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