The title of this collection of short piano pieces refers to two landmarks in keyboard literature that start from an almost opposite instrumental concept. In Johannes Sebastian Bach’s ‘Das Wohltemperierte Klavier’, a ‘well-tempered’ tuning is the starting point for playing preludes and fugues in all twenty-four keys on the same instrument. Although this was not yet the so-called ‘equal temperament’, it started a trend towards a neutral approach to the musical tone range. Melodies and intervals became easier to transpose, but the downside of this new freedom of movement was the loss of the typical tonal colour of keys. Two centuries later, John Cage came up with his ‘prepared piano’. The effect of his preparations amounted to a complete breakdown of the ‘neutral’ keyboard ideal: depending on the preparation, each key acquired a completely unique, hardly transposable sound identity. A transposed melody on a prepared piano remains recognisable as the same melody only rhythmically.
By means of electronic sound techniques, elements from both approaches are combined in ‘Das Wohlpreparierte Klavier I’. The piano keyboard is played in a conventional way, but in each study, microphones add digital sound processing. Here I prefer the description ‘electronic preparation’ to the widely used ‘live electronics’, because the sound manipulations precede the compositions: they are not instrumental extensions that can be switched on or off according to musical needs. On the contrary, the electronic preparation is conceived as an obstacle that challenges musical creativity and to which piano playing must also adapt. The kinship with Bach’s ‘Wohltemperierte Klavier’ then lies in a didactic and almost sporting approach: the effect of the technique is mapped out as fully as possible.
In this first set of studies (Book I), one of the oldest but somewhat underrated electronic sound techniques today is central: ring modulation. In each study, ring modulations are applied per register that transform the keyboard into a highly unequally tempered instrument. Just as in Cage’s prepared piano, each key is given its own character, tone colour or dissonance. This sonorous heterogeneity is explored in short studies in which one kind of movement is at the forefront each time. Pulse, constant micro-variation and speed are the most striking ingredients.
Das Wohlpreparierte Klavier I was commissioned by TRANSIT 2009, where it was premiered by Frederik Croene on 24 October.
Frederik Croene, piano
Scores:
Ring modulations may be prepared in Ableton Live, plogue bidule (patches available), or any other DAW software that enables live audio processing. For more info and performance instructions, please contact me.
Paul Craenen Website 