Industrial Wastelands

Since its appearance at the beginning of the 18th century, the grand piano underwent a series of symbolic rebirths.

Each of them redefined the perception of "piano sound" - changing it from "gravecembalo col piano e forte" of early piano builders to "singing", "orchestral" and "pittoresque" sound of romantic era, then to "percussive" and "barbarous" modernist one and then, at last, to "mechanical", "metallic" sound of years after World War I, inspired by the idea of seeing instruments as devices, gadgets (not as living entities), full of complicated machinery, which should reveal its construction through the new sound.

That's how inside piano techniques were invented.

Composers began their almost century-long travel to the very deep of this new territory behind piano keyboard.

Unmapped, unpopulated, living its own inner life, it is still waiting for pioneers to explore its uncharted areas - for some still do exist there.

This piece takes a look at the piano as a child of post-industrial age.

Its old mechanism is full of squeaks and scrathes like old mansion full of ghosts.

Echo of any sound lasts long and goes around freely, unimpeded, reflecting over and over from metal and wood, like in empty debris of deserted Detroit's facilities.

Demarcation line between splendid facade of "la belle epoque" of modern megalopolis and its dark, unmanned industrial backyard goes strictly through piano, breaking it all apart.

So open the piano lid, if you will - and pass the gates to forgotten industrial temple, where abandoned machines serve the silent, repetitive liturgy for themselves.

***

The piece was written for Michael Dubov, soloist of Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble, as a part of his solo recital at "Klangspuren" festival in Graz, Austria.

WP, nevertheless, was four years later, in Saint-Petersburg, by Natalia Solovieva.

Since that time the piece was performed also in Russia and in Italy.

Demo-version was recorded by author in September 2010.

https://soundcloud.com/aesech/industrial-wastelands-for-piano-solo