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From Cincinnati you are hearing Elliot Carter's youngest daughter which will be played and discussed by Jean Kirstein on today's program. Twentieth century music for piano. Jean Kirstein is an internationally known interpreter of contemporary piano music and of earlier works and a member of the artist by Toby of the University of Cincinnati. I'm Myron Bennett and on this program I talk with Gene Costain about the music we want to hear and the composers. Elliott Carter the composer for today's program was born in New York City in 1908. He still lives there except when he couldn't get away to his country home. He was educated at Harvard and in Paris and has been on the faculties of St. John's College Annapolis the Peabody Institute in Baltimore Columbia University and Queens College in New York City and he alian adversity. He has written extensively about contemporary music then active in many associations for its support and has been much honored for his own contributions to the contemporary
literature. He is rapidly becoming one of the better known of the American composers such works as the piano sonata of the two string quartets and the double concerto for piano harpsichord and Chamber Orchestra. I have marked him as one of the most ambitious of recent American composers and output. How would you classify if you could Elliot Carter's style. Well until 1950 Carter was neo classic. Or perhaps in the a romantic sense that time he has developed a highly personal abstract almost serial technique. Whether you imagined what looked to be like three different categories in which category would you place the piano sonata that you're going to play later in the Nero Mantik had a go or the Piano Sonata was written in 1986 as one of the best examples in the romantic works does it. Yes in the sense of Hindemith or Stravinsky and uses conventional forms. For instance there was an elaborate few which is the entire second movement. I have succeeded in making
large post-Romantic gestures and much brilliant technical display. One of the terms that we hear about Elliot Carter is the term metric modulation. What does he mean by this. Well metric modulation is a form of overlapping with mic layers employed in works after 1950. He used this in his two string quartets. For example a given rhythmic element is introduced and then gradually disappears while at the same time a new element is started to become superimposed becomes stronger and takes over the whole cycle of such a metric modulation of forms the basis for tempo changes throughout a large work. This is not a new idea with modulations have existed in music for a long time as a technical device has developed this into one of the main parts of his vocabulary. It seems that his music is written quite a technical fashion with a lot of thought and structure behind it. And in some cases
it seems to be very difficult for instance as piano players very difficult seeming work. And a lot of his later compositions have been described as even more complex and difficult. Is it possible this is being just difficult for its own sake. I don't believe so. I found the difficulties in the Sonata were based more on technical difficulties than any magic the notational problems with it was a technical display piece. I'll quote what he says about writing for difficulties I guess for itself. He says I see no reason for being just difficult whenever difficult passages seem imperative in my works. I try to make them especially rewarding once they are played correctly. I suppose he means rewarding musically. Sense. Could you tell us something about the difficulties of this piece. What makes this one difficult for a pianist.
Well the technical difficulties lie in the fact that the. Structure of the. Intervals used are fourths and larger so that when you play. Running passages in this you are in an extended position that is not normal. I would be in a Beethoven sonata or you know any of the music up to this period. You are playing very quickly in very unusual positions and he goes all over the piano with us. Also there's a great. Length to these things he doesn't write in short phrases the first moment is very long and goes on and pages and pages of this so that the insurance becomes a problem. Their mental endurance as well. The most interesting part of the Sonata which is. Something that he uses I believe to the piano this period was the use of the sustaining pedal which only holds notes that you're depressed at one time. When you put the pedal
down and then you may play any other place on the piano and those notes will. Remain sounding. It also sets up an overtone series other than the natural overtone series on the piano. So when other notes are played you have notes that are not written but are heard as harmonic. And as a harmonic presence. The results are blocks of sound when it's loud you have blocks of sound that are superimposed above the sound you're playing in when it's very soft You may hear a single tone. Ringing out and it adds a tremendous amount of color. I don't know of any other piece that uses this except a piece by Milton Babbitt at that one minute slang which is written in 67. But without his background we will hear there's so not of by Elliot Carter written in 1946 played by Jean Gerstein. B.
Why.
They Piano Sonata by Elliot Carter the featured work on today's program of 20th century music for piano played and discussed by Jean Kirstein an internationally known interpreter of contemporary piano music and of the earlier works.
This is Christine is a member of the artist faculty of the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music Research for the series by Walter Mays. It was recorded and produced at WG U.S. the University of Cincinnati station by your announcer Myron Bennett and made possible by the Friends of WGA U.S.. This is the national educational radio network.
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Series
20th Century Piano Music
Episode Number
2
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-k9316r07
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/500-k9316r07).
Description
Description
No description available
Date
1969-04-21
Topics
Music
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:29:37
Credits
AAPB Contributor Holdings
University of Maryland
Identifier: 69-21-1 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Duration: 00:29:24
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Citations
Chicago: “20th Century Piano Music; 2,” 1969-04-21, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 29, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-k9316r07.
MLA: “20th Century Piano Music; 2.” 1969-04-21. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 29, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-k9316r07>.
APA: 20th Century Piano Music; 2. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-k9316r07