Among materials which have not been customarily used in older, European music, Henry Cowell’s “tone clusters” rank as the most noticeable. He did not claim their invention, although in 1911 and 1912, when he first began to experiment with them, he was not aware that his predecessor in American iconoclasm, Charles Ives, had also been intrigued with their possibilities. The name, tone clusters, however, musical history owes to Cowell, as well as a number of fascinating ideas for their employment, some of which are exemplified in this recording. The virtuoso piece, Advertisement, for example, bases itself upon their usage, as does The Tides Of Manaunaun, although the final effect is strongly contrasted.
Another “shocking” idea which Henry Cowell introduced into his esthetic is that of playing inside the piano instead of outside. (The Banshee; Sinister Resonance; The Aeolian Harp, are so performed.) “You know,” he said, “I’ve done a lot of new things, not just to do something new, but because I imagined that that was the way to find out about music. For example, in the 1920’s it struck me that a person could play inside a piano, on the strings, just as easily as he could play on the keys. So I developed a number of systems to prove my thesis . . . Once I used an egg, a darning egg, to make the strings sound. And on other occasions, I’ve used paper cutters and ordinary spoons and pencils placed between the strings and vibrated. It creates a sonority like this—- Drrrrrr.” John Cage later used similar methods to create his “prepared pianos.”
Probably no musical instrument displaced from usage by the march of musical events has ever been so thoroughly returned to favor as has the harpsichord in recent years. During the 16th and 17th centuries, before invention of the “hammer” piano, the spruce and pungent timbre of the harpsichord (variously known as clavicembalo, cembalo, clavecin, and virginal) reigned supreme among the keyboard instruments. Indeed, even after its displacement by the pianoforte in concert life, its usefulness as an operatic accompanist continued for a long time. Composers of the Romantic period, however, neglected the instrument, and it remained for those of the 20th century to reinstate the clear, rational sonority of the quill plucked string to its deserved position of importance.
Since 1948, the young American composer, Daniel Pinkham, and violinist Robert Brink, who are heard on this recording, have toured extensively in Europe and North America as the Brink-Pinkham Violin and Harpsichord Duo. They have performed not only standard literature of the 17th and 18th centuries, but contemporary works as well. All three pieces for violin and harpsichord here recorded were composed especially for the Duo.
Alan Hovhaness’ Duet for Violin and Harpsichord was commissioned on May 16, 1954, composed on May 17, and given its first performance two weeks later in Frankfurt, Germany. The opening Prelude presents a broad melodic line in the violin, interrupted by violent chords from the harpsichord. The second movement, entitled Haiku (a Japanese poetic form), gives to the harpsichord a running, four-note ostinato, while the violin is heard in a wideranging series of bowed tones, harmonics, glissandi, and plucked double stops. The concluding Aria is straightforward, sunny, and passionate, with an uncomplicated chordal accompaniment in the keyboard instrument.
[Adapted from original LP liner notes by Lester Trimble]
This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Liner notes are accessible via the link above.
Music of Cowell, Pinkham & Hovhaness
| MP3/320 | $14.00 | |
| FLAC | $14.00 | |
| WAV | $14.00 | |
| CD-R | $14.00 |
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
Track Listing
|
Advertisement
Henry Cowell
|
Buy
|
|
|
Banshee
Henry Cowell
|
Buy
|
|
|
Sinister Resonance
Henry Cowell
|
Buy
|
|
|
Aeolian Harp
Henry Cowell
|
Buy
|
|
|
Tides of Manaunaun
Henry Cowell
|
Buy
|
|
|
Lilt of the Reel
Henry Cowell
|
Buy
|
|
|
Prelude for Violin and Harpsichord
Henry Cowell
|
Buy
|
|
|
Concerto for Celeste and Harpsichord: I. Prelude
Daniel Pinkham
|
Buy
|
|
|
Concerto for Celeste and Harpsichord: II. Ricercare
Daniel Pinkham
|
Buy
|
|
|
Concerto for Celeste and Harpsichord: III. Canzona
Daniel Pinkham
|
Buy
|
|
|
Duet for Violin and Harpsichord
Alan Hovhaness
|
Buy
|
|
|
Cantilena and Capriccio: I. Cantilena
Daniel Pinkham
|
Buy
|
|
|
Cantilena and Capriccio: II. Capriccio
Daniel Pinkham
|
Buy
|
