Piano - advanced SKU: HL.50565796 Etudes in Hungarian Style - Book 3(+)
Piano - advanced
SKU:
HL.50565796
Etudes
in Hungarian Style - Book
3. Composed by Michel
Sogny. Editions Durand.
Softcover. Composed 2014.
Editions Durand #DF16060.
Published by Editions
Durand (HL.50565796).
9.0x12.0x0.135
inches.
These
etudes are progressive.
They have been designed
to stimulate the
imagination by combining
musical aesthetics and
educational efficiency.
It is therefore necessary
to assimilate the
challenges and to define
and grasp the musical
sense that isintrinsic in
each one of them. May
they afford everyone that
undertakes them in this
spirit, a prompt mastery
of these important piano
techniques in particular
as well as the joy of
musical interpretation in
general.
Sogny
beabsichtigt mit seinen
Etuden vor allem, die
Fantasie der Schuler
anzuregen, indem er ihnen
musikalisch schones und
gleichzeitig padagogisch
wertvolles Spielmaterial
zur Verfugung stellt. Er
setzt voraus, dass die
Schuler bereit sind, sich
derspielerischen
Herausforderung zu
stellen und den jedem
Stuck innewohnenden
musikalischen Sinn zu
begreifen. Die 12 nach
aufsteigendem
Schwierigkeitsgrad
geordneten Etuden sind
sehr lohnendes Repertoire
fur neugierige und
strebsame Klavierspieler.
Ces 12 etudes
sont progressives. Elles
ont ete concues pour
stimuler limagination
creatrice en alliant
lesthetique musicale a
lefficacite pedagogique.
Il est donc necessaire
dassimiler toutes les
difficultes, de definir
et de degager le
sensmusical contenu
intrinsequement dans
chaque etude avant de
commencer a travailler la
suivante. Puissent ces
etudes procurer a tous
ceux qui les abordent
dans cet esprit, la
rapide maitrise de la
technique pianistique et
les joies de
linterpretationmusicale.<
/p>
Song of Hope Orchestre d'harmonie - Intermédiaire De Haske Publications
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 3 SKU: BT.DHP-1115227-010 Composed by Jan V...(+)
Concert Band/Harmonie -
Grade 3
SKU:
BT.DHP-1115227-010
Composed by Jan Van der
Roost. Concert and
Contest Collection CBHA.
Hymns & Chorals. Set
(Score & Parts). Composed
2012. De Haske
Publications #DHP
1115227-010. Published by
De Haske Publications
(BT.DHP-1115227-010).
9x12 inches.
English-German-French-Dut
ch.
2011 was a
disastrous year for
Japan: on March 11 the
northeast of the country
suffered a violent
earthquake, which
triggered a huge tsunami
and caused massive damage
to people and the
environment. The ensuing
problems with the nuclear
reactor atFukushima only
increased the misery: a
black day in the
country's
history... One almost
inevitable consequence of
such dramatic
circumstances is the
particular damage
suffered by the cultural
arts. And so it was in
Japan: various high
school wind orchestras in
the effected areas lost
their practice rooms
and/or instruments.It
will take a long time
before the damage
suffered is repaired -
and it will take great
effort to overcome the
psychological effects,
too. Focusing on the
latter, Yutada Nishida
(director of The
Bandwagon radio program)
asked a few composers
fora simple work that
could be played by many
orchestras. It just so
happened that the Osakan
Philharmonic Winds (with
whom Jan Van der Roost
had conducted a concert
exclusively of his own
works on September 25th)
had had a similar idea.
This concert saw the
baptism of Song of
Hope. This
pieceimmediately struck a
chord with musicians and
audience alike: it begins
bleakly in the low
register and evolves to a
more open, optimistic
close. There really is
hope for better
times!
2011 was
een rampzalig jaar voor
Japan: op 11 maart
teisterde een hevige
aardbeving het
noordoosten van het land,
bracht een enorme tsunami
teweeg en veroorzaakte
zeer grote schade aan
mens en natuur. De
daaruit voortvloeiende
problemenmet
dekernreactor van
Fukushima maakten de
ellende nog groter: een
zwarte pagina in het
bestaan van het land ...
Dat in dergelijke
dramatische
omstandigheden ook (en
vooral) het culturele
bestel een flinke knauw
krijgt, ishelaas een
haastonvermijdelijke
consequentie. Zo ook in
Japan: verschillende high
school bands in de
getroffen regio verloren
hun repetitieruimte en/of
instrumenten: het zal
lang duren voordat de
geleden schade is
hersteld - enhet zal ook
moeite kosten om er
mentaalweer bovenop te
geraken. Met het oog op
dat laatste aspect
verzocht Yutaka Nishida
(samensteller van het
radioprogramma The
Bandwagon) een paar
componisten om een
eenvoudig werkje te
schrijvendat speelbaar is
door een groot aantal
orkesten. Alsbij
toeval kwam een dergelijk
verzoek eveneens van de
kant van de OSAKAN
Philharmonic Winds,
waarmee Jan Van der Roost
op 25 september een
concert dirigeerde,
uitsluitend gewijdaan
eigen werken. Daar werd
Song of Hope dan
ook ten doop gehoudenen
het werkje sloeg meteen
aan bij uitvoerders en
publiek: na een tamelijk
donkere start in het lage
register evolueert het
tot een optimistischer en
opener slot.Er is
inderdaad hoop op betere
tijden!
Am 11.
März 2011 löste ein
heftiges Erdbeben in
Japan einen riesigen
Tsunami mit
desaströsen Folgen
für Mensch, Natur auch
das kulturelle Leben.
Yutaka Nishida vom
Radioprogramm The
Bandwagon bat daher
einige Komponisten,
darunter Jan Van
derRoost, ein einfaches,
für viele Orchester
spielbares Werk zu
schreiben. Song of
Hope beginnt
düster im tiefen
Register, um sich dann zu
einem optimistischeren
Schluss hin zu
entwickeln. Es gibt sie,
die Hoffnung auf bessere
Zeiten... !
Concert Band/Harmonie - Grade 3 SKU: BT.AMP-203-140 Composed by Claude De...(+)
Concert Band/Harmonie -
Grade 3
SKU:
BT.AMP-203-140
Composed by Claude
Debussy. Arranged by
Philip Sparke. Anglo
Music Midway Series.
Classical. Score Only.
Composed 2007. 12 pages.
Anglo Music Press #AMP
203-140. Published by
Anglo Music Press
(BT.AMP-203-140).
9x12
inches.
English-German-French-Dut
ch.
Claude Debussy
wrote his two books of
piano Preludes late in
life, between 1909 and
1913. The 12 short pieces
in each book display a
rich variety of styles,
moods and emotions ?
almost a summing up of
his compositional output
? and each has its own
evocative title. The Girl
with the Flaxen Hair is
the 8th Prelude in the
1st book and popular for
its emotional depth,
despite its technical and
harmonic simplicity.
Indulge your band with
this delightful
arrangement.
Claud
e Debussy (1862-1918)
schreef zijn twee boeken
met pianopreludes laat in
zijn leven: tussen 1909
en 1913. De twaalf korte
stukken in elk boek
bevatten een rijke
variatie aan stijlen,
stemmingen en emoties.
The Girl with
theFlaxen Hair (La fille
au cheveux de lin) is
de achtste prelude uit
het eerste boek, ze is
geliefd vanwege de
emotionele diepgang in de
muziek, ondanks de
technische en harmonische
eenvoud. We weten niet
wie het meisje in
kwestiewas, maar deze
mooie miniatuur roept
levensechte beelden
op.
The Girl
with the Flaxen Hair
ist ein Präludium des
französischen
Komponisten Claude
Debussy und berühmt
für seine emotionale
Tiefe, trotz seiner
technischen und
harmonischen
Schlichtheit. Wer das im
Titel genannte Mädchen
mit dem flachsfarbenen
Haar war, ist nicht
bekannt, aber diese
wunderschöne Miniatur
lässt sehr lebendige
Bilder vor dem inneren
Auge entstehen. Bewegend!
Claude Debussy
scrisse i suoi due libri
di Preludi per pianoforte
in tarda et , tra il 1909
e il 1913. I 12 brevi
pezzi di ogni libro
mostrano una ricca variet
di stili, umori ed
emozioni, quasi un
riassunto della sua
produzione compositiva e
ognuno ha il suo titolo
evocativo. The Girl
with the Flaxen Hair
è l’ottavo
preludio nel primo libro
ed è molto popolare
per la sua profondit
emotiva, nonostante la
sua semplicit tecnica ed
armonica.
Oboe(s) solo SKU: BR.EB-9240 For Solo Oboe. Composed by Jorg Birke...(+)
Oboe(s) solo
SKU:
BR.EB-9240
For
Solo Oboe. Composed
by Jorg Birkenkotter.
Solo instruments;
stapled. Edition
Breitkopf. Solo concerto;
Music post-1945; New
music (post-2000). Score.
Composed 2013/14. 16
pages. Duration 13'30.
Breitkopf and Haertel #EB
9240. Published by
Breitkopf and Haertel
(BR.EB-9240).
ISBN
9790004185407. 9 x 12
inches.
Belcanto is
a term for the Italian
art of singing which took
its development from the
richly ornamented solo
vocalism of the early
17th century (nobile
maniera di cantare) and
dominated European
operatic singing until
the first half of the
19th century. Complete
control over the voice
meant not only legato and
messa di voce, but also
appoggiatura and
portamento, as well as
virtuoso ornamentation by
means of coloratura
(canto fiorito). This
development towards
utmost virtuosity,
emulating instrumental
playing techniques, led
to a mannered, artificial
style on the one hand,
but on the other also
emphasized the physical
aspects of interpretation
(castrati were considered
the ideal belcanto
singers). And today? In
his essay The Grain of
the Voice, Roland Barthes
writes: The grain is the
body in the voice as it
sings, the hand as it
writes and the limb as it
performs. Initially, he
refers to the friction
between language and
voice in singing, but
then transfers his
thoughts to the
physicality of
instrumental music. In
this spirit, I went in
search of beautiful
singing, a beauty which
perhaps results in the
very place where the
grain, the roughness,
meaning also physical
resistance, are not
smoothed over. The oboe
seemed very suitable to
me for singing with such
a physical expressivity,
as a very unruly
instrument! The backbone
of my piece is one
single, quasi endless
melodic line, consisting
of intervals that are
constantly pulled apart
and contracted again
(breathing). Many
different actions attach
themselves to these
notes: coloratura,
trills, chords
(multiphonics), double
flageolets. However,
there are not only sound
types, but also impulses,
repetitions, rhythmic
figures and other
elements: composed
elements of belcanto. In
the opera tradition
described above, these
were improvised ornaments
or additions; here they
become composed figures
which originate with the
notes of the melody, but
also pull on them, bend
them, and charge them
with physicality. (Jorg
Birkenkotter).
The Phantom Herd Orchestre d'harmonie - Intermédiaire C.L. Barnhouse
Concert band - Grade 3 SKU: CL.011-4221-01 Across The Western Sky....(+)
Concert band - Grade 3
SKU:
CL.011-4221-01
Across The Western
Sky. Composed by
Robert W. Smith. Young
Concert Band. Command
Series. Audio recording
available separately
(item CL.WFR379). Extra
full score. Composed
2013. Duration 3 minutes,
54 seconds. C.L.
Barnhouse #011-4221-01.
Published by C.L.
Barnhouse
(CL.011-4221-01).
An exciting and
intriguing work for your
next concert or festival
performance. Based on the
legend of ghost riders
and a ghost herd in the
state of Texas, the piece
captures the imaginations
of the band and audience
as they embark on a dark
and mysterious journey
through the night.
Exciting, intense and
educationally rewarding,
The Phantom Herd will be
a favorite for your
developing concert
band!
About C.L.
Barnhouse Command
Series
The
Barnhouse Command Series
includes works at grade
levels 2, 2.5, and 3.
This series is designed
for middle school and
junior high school bands,
as well as high school
bands of smaller
instrumentation or
limited experience.
Command Series
publications have a
slightly larger
instrumentation than the
Rising Band Series, and
are typically of larger
scope, duration, and
musical content.
By Anne McGinty (1945-). Orchestra. For orchestra. Orchestra method/study. Queen...(+)
By Anne McGinty (1945-).
Orchestra. For orchestra.
Orchestra method/study.
Queenwood Developing
String Orchestra. Score
and parts. Published by
Queenwood Publications
SKU: HL.1455816 AlphaTheta. DJ Gear. Hal Leonard #EUPHONIA. Published by ...(+)
SKU: HL.1455816
AlphaTheta. DJ Gear. Hal
Leonard #EUPHONIA.
Published by Hal Leonard
(HL.1455816).
UPC:
841300102434.
19.0x21.0x9.0
inches.
The
euphonia produces a
euphoric sound with the
clarity of digital and
the richness of analog
that's never been heard
from a DJ mixer before.
To deliver a clearer
sound quality that
accurately reproduces the
expression of the music,
the euphonia uses
high-quality 32-bit A/D
and D/A converters as
well as 96kHz/64 bit
floating point mixing
processing operations in
the DSP, utilizing the
digital signal processing
technology AlphaTheta has
developed over many
years. All sound coming
out of the euphonia
passes through a
transformer circuit
co-designed by AlphaTheta
and Rupert Neve Designs,
the legendary makers of
outstanding analog audio
circuitry and mixing
desks revered by artists
and sound engineers
around the world. This
transformer circuit,
tuned specifically for
the euphonia, adds
harmonics to the music
and creates a glossy and
energetic sound that's
smoother for mixing. Low
frequencies such as kicks
and bass are more stable
and punchy, mid
frequencies like vocals
and instruments have more
presence and gloss, and
high frequencies such as
hi-hats sound silky and
natural. The transformer
breaks down the barrier
between vintage live and
modern electric sounds,
making mixing easier and
surprisingly natural, as
if recordings in
different styles were
orginally one piece of
music. When you touch the
faders on the euphonia,
you won't want to let go.
To enhance its intuitive
mixing experience, the
unit is loaded with
rotary faders that
feature a brand-new
carefully developed
design to give you the
feeling that you and the
mixer are one. After
extensive testing, the
perfect knob sizers were
chosen, with an elastomer
applied to the outer
circumference of each to
ensure a comfortable and
reliable grip as well as
a high level of vibration
absorption. The uniquely
developed mechanism for
the faders also benefits
from optimum weighting.
You'll notice a
difference in the feel of
the knobs when you turn
them at different speeds,
as a smooth load is
applied when you turn a
knob slowly for delicate
fine-tuning and a limited
load level is applied
when you turn the knob
quickly to instantly
reach your intended
volume level. And the
fader volume curves have
been optimized through
feedback from numerous
DJs, enabling smooth and
natural mixing without
equalizing, so you can
concentrate on volume
control. This innovative
fader allows for musical
expression that will move
your audience and enhance
your performance. Get an
instant visual grasp of
the status of your mix
and the balance of tack
volume levels by glancing
at the euphonia's Energy
Visualizer. Conventional
VU meters only have 1
needle meter, making it
difficult for DJs to
graps multiple channel
levels at the same time.
But the euphonia's
uniquely developed Mix
Level Meter features a
needle meter for each
channel so you can
visually check the levels
for all channels and mix
smoothly.
(KASSETTE) SKU: HL.49020155 Ein Bilder-Zyklus. Composed by Richard...(+)
(KASSETTE)
SKU:
HL.49020155
Ein
Bilder-Zyklus.
Composed by Richard
Wagner. Book. Edition
Schott. Schott Music #AQ
1001. Published by Schott
Music (HL.49020155).
Ferdinand
Leeke.
Ferdinand
Leeke (1859-1923) was the
creator of a serial of
paintings showing scenes
from the operas of
Richard Wagner.These
images provide much more
than a simple
illustration of Wagner's
music dramas. Like no
other artist Leeke
managed to create the
exact atmosphere that
Wagner had established by
his compositions.The
works by Leeke are
exhibited in several
well-established
art-museums, as for
example the Neue
Pinakothek in Munich and
the Richard Wagner Museum
in Bayreuth.In 1899 the
prominent Bavarian
printer Franz Hanfstaengl
made copper plates from
the original pictures. In
a highly complicated
procedure Franz
Hanfstaengl produced the
printing plates to
transform Leeke's images
into photogravures.These
photogravures printed
from the original plates
are assorted in an
exclusive folder that is
produced only in a
limited edition of 970
pieces worldwide.Every
handpulled picture an
originalThe art of
etching and handcopper
prints is regarded as one
of the oldest and
finestprinting
techniques.In case of
etching the motif is
etched by the artist
directly into the
copperplate, with
heliogravure the image
has been engraved by
using a complicated and
extremly difficult
photographic and
handicraft
procedure.Printing is
done on heavy
handmade-paper. Today, as
500 years ago, the
copperplate is still
carefully re-inked by
hand and then cleaned
with wide-meshed gauze
balls, for only when the
ink lies deep in the
impressions the print
will possess the velvety
tones and fragile lines
so characteristic of old,
valuable engravings.The
print is produced by
pressing the plate under
the pressroller with a
pressure of around 16
tons. For every single
print the entire
procedure has to be
repeated.To a greater
extent than with wooden
engravings, the artistic
quality of etchings and
copper engravings /
heliogravures is
dependent on the
handicraft skills and the
aesthetic sensitivity of
the printer.This special
way of printing has been
done by Hanfstaengl
publishers since 1833.
Through the precise
application and remova!
of ink, the
carefully-considered
choice of paper and the
use of the hand press,
the printing specialists
create a precious
original with every
page.
Piano - intermediate SKU: HL.49008100 Composed by Barbara Heller. This ed...(+)
Piano - intermediate
SKU: HL.49008100
Composed by Barbara
Heller. This edition:
Saddle stitching. Sheet
music. Edition Schott.
Classical. Composed 1984.
12 pages. Duration 15'.
Schott Music #ED 8620.
Published by Schott Music
(HL.49008100).
ISBN
9790001115490.
Scar
let Letters was composed
in 1984 on commission of
the pianist and
harpsichordist Franzpeter
Goebels (1920-1988) on
the occasion of the 300th
birth day of Domenico
Scarlatti. The original
working title 'Lettere
scarlattine' is a
concealed homage to the
Italian composer. The
compositional material is
limited to the tones D,
E, C, Es (= S, spoken
'Es' = E flat in German
notation) and A, derived
from the musical letters
of Domenico Scarlatti's
name, and the tones B (=
B flat in German nota
tion) and H (= B
natural), the initials of
my name. With 7 tones and
7 parts, this music is a
sort of story about my
imaginary encounter with
the composer Domenico
Scarlatti who was then
one of my favourite
composers. Sometimes I
also used compositional
means which I discovered
in the sonatas of
Scarlatti, such as quick
6/8 figures, afterbeat
octaves and repetitions
of short motifs. I tried
to translatethe clarity,
brightness and
cheerfulness, the
astounding modulations
and the pianistic
brilliance of his music
into my compositional
language.Barbara
HellerThe piece was
recorded on CD by the
American pianist Deborah
Richards (WERGO 6610-02).
First performance: 31.
October 1987
International Festival of
Women Composers, Unna;
Rosario Marciano,
piano.
Piano and orchestra - difficult SKU: HL.49046544 For piano and orchest...(+)
Piano and orchestra -
difficult
SKU:
HL.49046544
For
piano and orchestra.
Composed by Gyorgy
Ligeti. This edition:
Saddle stitching. Sheet
music. Edition Schott.
Softcover. Composed
1985-1988. Duration 24'.
Schott Music #ED23178.
Published by Schott Music
(HL.49046544).
ISBN
9781705122655. UPC:
842819108726.
9.0x12.0x0.224
inches.
I composed
the Piano Concerto in two
stages: the first three
movements during the
years 1985-86, the next
two in 1987, the final
autograph of the last
movement was ready by
January, 1988. The
concerto is dedicated to
the American conductor
Mario di Bonaventura. The
markings of the movements
are the following: 1.
Vivace molto ritmico e
preciso 2. Lento e
deserto 3. Vivace
cantabile 4. Allegro
risoluto 5. Presto
luminoso.The first
performance of the
three-movement Concerto
was on October 23rd, 1986
in Graz. Mario di
Bonaventura conducted
while his brother,
Anthony di Bonaventura,
was the soloist. Two days
later the performance was
repeated in the Vienna
Konzerthaus. After
hearing the work twice, I
came to the conclusion
that the third movement
is not an adequate
finale; my feeling of
form demanded
continuation, a
supplement. That led to
the composing of the next
two movements. The
premiere of the whole
cycle took place on
February 29th, 1988, in
the Vienna Konzerthaus
with the same conductor
and the same pianist. The
orchestra consisted of
the following: flute,
oboe, clarinet, bassoon,
horn, trumpet, tenor
trombone, percussion and
strings. The flautist
also plays the piccoIo,
the clarinetist, the alto
ocarina. The percussion
is made up of diverse
instruments, which one
musician-virtuoso can
play. It is more
practical, however, if
two or three musicians
share the instruments.
Besides traditional
instruments the
percussion part calls
also for two simple wind
instruments: the swanee
whistle and the
harmonica. The string
instrument parts (two
violins, viola, cello and
doubles bass) can be
performed soloistic since
they do not contain
divisi. For balance,
however, the ensemble
playing is recommended,
for example 6-8 first
violins, 6-8 second, 4-6
violas, 4-6 cellos, 3-4
double basses. In the
Piano Concerto I realized
new concepts of harmony
and rhythm. The first
movement is entirely
written in bimetry:
simultaneously 12/8 and
4/4 (8/8). This relates
to the known triplet on a
doule relation and in
itself is nothing new.
Because, however, I
articulate 12 triola and
8 duola pulses, an
entangled, up till now
unheard kind of polymetry
is created. The rhythm is
additionally complicated
because of asymmetric
groupings inside two
speed layers, which means
accents are
asymmetrically
distributed. These
groups, as in the talea
technique, have a fixed,
continuously repeating
rhythmic structures of
varying lengths in speed
layers of 12/8 and 4/4.
This means that the
repeating pattern in the
12/8 level and the
pattern in the 4/4 level
do not coincide and
continuously give a
kaleidoscope of renewing
combinations. In our
perception we quickly
resign from following
particular rhythmical
successions and that what
is going on in time
appears for us as
something static,
resting. This music, if
it is played properly, in
the right tempo and with
the right accents inside
particular layers, after
a certain time 'rises, as
it were, as a plane after
taking off: the rhythmic
action, too complex to be
able to follow in detail,
begins flying. This
diffusion of individual
structures into a
different global
structure is one of my
basic compositional
concepts: from the end of
the fifties, from the
orchestral works
Apparitions and
Atmospheres I
continuously have been
looking for new ways of
resolving this basic
question. The harmony of
the first movement is
based on mixtures, hence
on the parallel leading
of voices. This technique
is used here in a rather
simple form; later in the
fourth movement it will
be considerably
developed. The second
movement (the only slow
one amongst five
movements) also has a
talea type of structure,
it is however much
simpler rhythmically,
because it contains only
one speed layer. The
melody is consisted in
the development of a
rigorous interval mode in
which two minor seconds
and one major second
alternate therefore nine
notes inside an octave.
This mode is transposed
into different degrees
and it also determines
the harmony of the
movement; however, in
closing episode in the
piano part there is a
combination of diatonics
(white keys) and
pentatonics (black keys)
led in brilliant,
sparkling quasimixtures,
while the orchestra
continues to play in the
nine tone mode. In this
movement I used isolated
sounds and extreme
registers (piccolo in a
very low register,
bassoon in a very high
register, canons played
by the swanee whistle,
the alto ocarina and
brass with a harmon-mute'
damper, cutting sound
combinations of the
piccolo, clarinet and
oboe in an extremely high
register, also
alternating of a
whistle-siren and
xylophone). The third
movement also has one
speed layer and because
of this it appears as
simpler than the first,
but actually the rhythm
is very complicated in a
different way here. Above
the uninterrupted, fast
and regular basic pulse,
thanks to the asymmetric
distribution of accents,
different types of
hemiolas and inherent
melodical patterns appear
(the term was coined by
Gerhard Kubik in relation
to central African
music). If this movement
is played with the
adequate speed and with
very clear accentuation,
illusory
rhythmic-melodical
figures appear. These
figures are not played
directly; they do not
appear in the score, but
exist only in our
perception as a result of
co-operation of different
voices. Already earlier I
had experimented with
illusory rhythmics,
namely in Poeme
symphonique for 100
metronomes (1962), in
Continuum for harpsichord
(1968), in Monument for
two pianos (1976), and
especially in the first
and sixth piano etude
Desordre and Automne a
Varsovie (1985). The
third movement of the
Piano Concerto is up to
now the clearest example
of illusory rhythmics and
illusory melody. In
intervallic and chordal
structure this movement
is based on alternation,
and also inter-relation
of various modal and
quasi-equidistant harmony
spaces. The tempered
twelve-part division of
the octave allows for
diatonical and other
modal interval
successions, which are
not equidistant, but are
based on the alternation
of major and minor
seconds in different
groups. The tempered
system also allows for
the use of the
anhemitonic pentatonic
scale (the black keys of
the piano). From
equidistant scales,
therefore interval
formations which are
based on the division of
an octave in equal
distances, the
twelve-tone tempered
system allows only
chromatics (only minor
seconds) and the six-tone
scale (the whole-tone:
only major seconds).
Moreover, the division of
the octave into four
parts only minor thirds)
and three parts (three
major thirds) is
possible. In several
music cultures different
equidistant divisions of
an octave are accepted,
for example, in the
Javanese slendro into
five parts, in Melanesia
into seven parts, popular
also in southeastern
Asia, and apart from
this, in southern Africa.
This does not mean an
exact equidistance: there
is a certain tolerance
for the inaccurateness of
the interval tuning.
These exotic for us,
Europeans, harmony and
melody have attracted me
for several years.
However I did not want to
re-tune the piano
(microtone deviations
appear in the concerto
only in a few places in
the horn and trombone
parts led in natural
tones). After the period
of experimenting, I got
to pseudo- or
quasiequidistant
intervals, which is
neither whole-tone nor
chromatic: in the
twelve-tone system, two
whole-tone scales are
possible, shifted a minor
second apart from each
other. Therefore, I
connect these two scales
(or sound resources), and
for example, places occur
where the melodies and
figurations in the piano
part are created from
both whole tone scales;
in one band one six-tone
sound resource is
utilized, and in the
other hand, the
complementary. In this
way whole-tonality and
chromaticism mutually
reduce themselves: a type
of deformed
equidistancism is formed,
strangely brilliant and
at the same time
slanting; illusory
harmony, indeed being
created inside the
tempered twelve-tone
system, but in sound
quality not belonging to
it anymore. The
appearance of such
slantedequidistant
harmony fields
alternating with modal
fields and based on
chords built on fifths
(mainly in the piano
part), complemented with
mixtures built on fifths
in the orchestra, gives
this movement an
individual, soft-metallic
colour (a metallic sound
resulting from
harmonics). The fourth
movement was meant to be
the central movement of
the Concerto. Its
melodc-rhythmic elements
(embryos or fragments of
motives) in themselves
are simple. The movement
also begins simply, with
a succession of
overlapping of these
elements in the mixture
type structures. Also
here a kaleidoscope is
created, due to a limited
number of these elements
- of these pebbles in the
kaleidoscope - which
continuously return in
augmentations and
diminutions. Step by
step, however, so that in
the beginning we cannot
hear it, a compiled
rhythmic organization of
the talea type gradually
comes into daylight,
based on the simultaneity
of two mutually shifted
to each other speed
layers (also triplet and
duoles, however, with
different asymmetric
structures than in the
first movement). While
longer rests are
gradually filled in with
motive fragments, we
slowly come to the
conclusion that we have
found ourselves inside a
rhythmic-melodical whirl:
without change in tempo,
only through increasing
the density of the
musical events, a
rotation is created in
the stream of successive
and compiled, augmented
and diminished motive
fragments, and increasing
the density suggests
acceleration. Thanks to
the periodical structure
of the composition,
always new but however of
the same (all the motivic
cells are similar to
earlier ones but none of
them are exactly
repeated; the general
structure is therefore
self-similar), an
impression is created of
a gigantic, indissoluble
network. Also, rhythmic
structures at first
hidden gradually begin to
emerge, two independent
speed layers with their
various internal
accentuations. This
great, self-similar whirl
in a very indirect way
relates to musical
associations, which came
to my mind while watching
the graphic projection of
the mathematical sets of
Julia and of Mandelbrot
made with the help of a
computer. I saw these
wonderful pictures of
fractal creations, made
by scientists from Brema,
Peitgen and Richter, for
the first time in 1984.
From that time they have
played a great role in my
musical concepts. This
does not mean, however,
that composing the fourth
movement I used
mathematical methods or
iterative calculus;
indeed, I did use
constructions which,
however, are not based on
mathematical thinking,
but are rather craftman's
constructions (in this
respect, my attitude
towards mathematics is
similar to that of the
graphic artist Maurits
Escher). I am concerned
rather with intuitional,
poetic, synesthetic
correspondence, not on
the scientific, but on
the poetic level of
thinking. The fifth, very
short Presto movement is
harmonically very simple,
but all the more
complicated in its
rhythmic structure: it is
based on the further
development of ''inherent
patterns of the third
movement. The
quasi-equidistance system
dominates harmonically
and melodically in this
movement, as in the
third, alternating with
harmonic fields, which
are based on the division
of the chromatic whole
into diatonics and
anhemitonic pentatonics.
Polyrhythms and harmonic
mixtures reach their
greatest density, and at
the same time this
movement is strikingly
light, enlightened with
very bright colours: at
first it seems chaotic,
but after listening to it
for a few times it is
easy to grasp its
content: many autonomous
but self-similar figures
which crossing
themselves. I present my
artistic credo in the
Piano Concerto: I
demonstrate my
independence from
criteria of the
traditional avantgarde,
as well as the
fashionable
postmodernism. Musical
illusions which I
consider to be also so
important are not a goal
in itself for me, but a
foundation for my
aesthetical attitude. I
prefer musical forms
which have a more
object-like than
processual character.
Music as frozen time, as
an object in imaginary
space evoked by music in
our imagination, as a
creation which really
develops in time, but in
imagination it exists
simultaneously in all its
moments. The spell of
time, the enduring its
passing by, closing it in
a moment of the present
is my main intention as a
composer. (Gyorgy
Ligeti).