What does this notation mean?

[tinyhands]

Hello I've been looking at some sheet music for possible pieces and came across this can someone explain what the notation means? My teacher is on holiday for a few weeks so i cant ask her. They look like notes but they are all blocks in black and white. The footnotes are in German so I don't understand what the explanation is. I cant find a version on you tube so not sure how it should be played.  Hope the jpg attached ok -not sure how to upload it! Thanks in advance

[georgey]

Maybe some kind of tone cluster, maybe chromatic.  Page down in attacked link for somewhat similar notation.  Maybe the wording in your score gives detailed instruction.  Sorry couldn't help more.


"A chromatic cluster—black and white keys together—is shown in this method by a solid bar with no sign at all.["

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_cluster

[nw746]

I'm guessing the filled-in ones are clusters on the black notes, and the empty ones are clusters on the white notes, all at an approximate pitch level suggested by where the notation is positioned relative to the staff. Hard to know without seeing the footnotes though.

[iansinclair]

The wikipedia article linked by georgey is a very good reference to tone clusters.

Of particular note in the piece that tinyhands posted is the title itself -- "Homage a Messiaen" -- since Olivier Messiaen used clusters extensively and to great effect.

[tinyhands]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply. the piece caught my eye as someone had suggested on one of my previous posts I may enjoy the music of Messiaen (I was looking for 20th Century recommendations)
Never heard of tone clusters before! Going to read up on them, thanks for the info everyone.