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Lucas Debargue - A Matter of Life or Death
Pianist Lucas Debargue recently recorded the complete piano works of Gabriel Fauré on the Opus 102, a very special grand piano by Stephen Paulello. Eric Schoones from the German/Dutch magazine PIANIST had a conversation with him. Read more >>

Topic: Crash and Burn  (Read 2903 times)

Offline furtwaengler

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Crash and Burn
on: September 18, 2009, 04:16:42 AM
August 8th, 2009 is the date, I believe. This is played on a broken Clavinova...how, again, did it break?  ;D

The beginning chromatic scale from bottom to top is a demonstration of the stuck, sticking, broken, and uneven keys. Reaching the top of the scale is as reaching the top of a roller coaster; I had decided by then to follow the instincts, and a piece is born. Lots of violent blips and bloops (you may find humor!) gives way to a long, exhilarating line (on that note, compare to "Warming up" https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=34203.msg396993#msg396993 )


Blip and Transfiguration, it appropriately could have been called. Or Metamorphosis? A pivotal moment is the unfortunate collision with a standing lamp which was too close to the instrument. And there's fire at the end. Crash and Burn.

Have fun with it.  :)
Don't let anyone know where you tie your goat.

Offline pianowolfi

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Re: Crash and Burn
Reply #1 on: September 24, 2009, 10:52:57 AM
ugh yeah these awful broken clavinovas... ::) Reminds me of one of my student's...would like to do something similar with that one, and then.... ;D

Haha I love that groovy rhythm after the chromatic scale. Certainly you make the best out of the situation and the clavinova, before it's last hour has come. I like this obstinately repeatet seventh, I'm always waiting for it, i would miss it if it suddenly disappeared :D
A worthy and skillfull tribute to a broken instrument.

Offline littletune

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Re: Crash and Burn
Reply #2 on: September 24, 2009, 07:16:44 PM
cool :)  8)

Offline goldentone

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Re: Crash and Burn
Reply #3 on: September 28, 2009, 07:52:21 AM
We're not in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. . .  ;D

I love the part that sounds like a locomotive approaching and thereafter.  Suspenseful and exciting!  That alone is worth the price of admission. :)  Impressive scalar traversal at the coda.  A fun ride. :)   
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

Offline furtwaengler

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Re: Crash and Burn
Reply #4 on: October 07, 2009, 07:46:19 AM
Thanks for the comments guys. It is true I am no fan of Clavinovas, broken or not, but it was served a purpose, and I'd still take it over other electronic piano representations I've tried.

Hmm...a train. It's funny how people often say tornadoes sound like a freight train, but never a freight train sounds like a tornado. I never thought this improv sounded like a tornado (which some of mine do dramatically), but it does kind of sound like a train. 
Don't let anyone know where you tie your goat.
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