Piano Forum

Topic: Origins of Impulses  (Read 2681 times)

Offline furtwaengler

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1346
Origins of Impulses
on: May 04, 2010, 08:26:05 AM
Impulses is here: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=37240.0

I love working with the same material in different improvisations for it reveals the limitless possibilities of one single motif. I've experienced this in your work with E-A-B-A and the Dies Irae. I'll post a more specific example of this soon...something I've been withholding for a while from that magical year, 2008.  

:o Wow, that "Agonizing question" is stunning in its power, and its quick harmonic development is as riveting as...the "Agonizing question" is stunning in its power!

At the beginning I had thought you had beat me to a devise I'd used some around August-September 2008, that is all of a certain note crawling up and down the piano (in my case, all the A's of the piano from bottom to top to bottom) creating a canvas on which to paint the improvisation. (I'll post examples sometime in the future...) But yours was much less of a canvas, and more an actual dramatic, directional element. Bravo! It is quite stunning in its power! And the gripping chords :o Riveting.

These two improvisations are the set up for what these two quotes describe. This is the first part; the second, from September 19th of the same year, and which I call Impulses, I will upload later. Impulses is an explosion of the opening ideas of both these uploaded here. These are from August 24, 2008 in the middle of a visit to my Grandfather's house in CO. You can here the same piano in that poor tape recording of Faure's last nocturne posted here: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=36657.0

The voice recorder here actually captures much more the atmosphere and warmth of this Chickering which I so love, but it is of course not an ideal recorder. These are atmospheric recordings, though, with a calming summer thunderstorm serving as a backdrop.

Both lack an ending of any finality. In the first I had put the recorder on the window sill, which upon realizing it was partially open, caused me to jump up in worry that the recorder would get wet. The second is recorded after moving the recorder much closer to the piano. Both are interesting to me for the abundance and variety of background noise, and it's random relation to the music coming out of the piano. Some of this is the thunderstorm, some conversation, some...my uncle going through his nightly sinus cleaning (with the music it sort of reminds me of a dragon breathing), and in the second one the same uncle, uncle Paul, playing his electric guitar downstairs. We were not aware of each other, but the recording picks up this astonishing relationship between the happenings, and I love it.

There are certain hints...a certain sweep, which I can't quite put my finger on (but I guess these are what I put my fingers on ;)).

Enjoy!

p.s. I hate mp3's. They make everything sound so little!
Don't let anyone know where you tie your goat.

Offline pianowolfi

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5654
Re: Origins of Impulses
Reply #1 on: May 04, 2010, 09:24:26 PM
Oh yeah, I hear you on the canvas thing :) But to me (well so far I have listened once) there is also more to it than only a canvas. Your dramatic development is spread over a longer time. And the tension is present from the beginning.

Offline furtwaengler

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1346
Re: Origins of Impulses
Reply #2 on: May 07, 2010, 09:37:00 AM
I'm wondering if I actually stole that sort of idea from Busoni? Anyway, it's a neat devise, and I like the climb...but I fear I should have reversed the order of the improvisations. I think for what it's worth the second beats the first...but these are previews anyway. I'm trying to get the awful sounding recording of "Impulses" into something presentable, because I like it. Stay tuned!
Don't let anyone know where you tie your goat.

Offline chopinatic

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 269
Re: Origins of Impulses
Reply #3 on: May 14, 2010, 03:10:30 PM
lots of tension! very nice to listen to.

Offline furtwaengler

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1346
Re: Origins of Impulses
Reply #4 on: May 17, 2010, 02:22:55 AM
Thanks Chopinatic! We are missing your improvisations. Have you done much playing lately?
Don't let anyone know where you tie your goat.

Offline chopinatic

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 269
Re: Origins of Impulses
Reply #5 on: June 04, 2010, 09:47:12 PM
Thanks Chopinatic! We are missing your improvisations. Have you done much playing lately?

Been very busy with one thing and another, ill get some posted as soon as i can :) shouldnt be too long! im itching to get recording again! :D
For more information about this topic, click search below!
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert