Modern Piano
Most pianos have 88 keys, but the notes that they produce are just the beginning of the sonic possibilities available to the keyboardist. This week we’ll listen to how boundary-shattering composers from John Cage to Conlon Nancarrow unlocked and exploited keyboard instruments’ aural potential. Hosted by Seth Boustead Produced by Jesse McQuarters Playlist ◦ Cage: The Perilous Night; Marcus Hinterhauser, p. ◦ Satie: La Piège de Medusa (excerpt); Alexandre Tharaud, p. ◦ Cowell: Aeolian Harp & The Banshee; Henry Cowell, p. ◦ Nancarrow: Study No. 40a for Player Piano ◦ Zappa: Jazz From Hell; Zappa, syncalvier ◦ Zappa: Ruth is Sleeping; Ensemble Modern ◦ Reich: It’s Gonna Rain (excerpt); Brother Walter, nar. ◦ Reich: Piano Phase (excerpt); Josef Christof, Steffen Schleiermacher, pnos. ◦ Glass: Metamorphosis 1; Bruce Brubaker, p. ◦ Crumb: Night Spell & Dream Images fr. Makrokosmos; Margaret Leng Tan, p. ◦ Choi: To Unformed; Choi, piano