Conlon Nancarrow's Career and His Relation to Player Piano - Coursework Example

Conlon Nancarrows career and his relation to "player piano" The quality of work of artists can be evaluated by using different criteria. The ability of an artist to use innovative techniques in producing art can be one of these criteria. Conlon Nancarrow, an eccentric composer, has highly emphasized on such techniques for securing the uniqueness of its work. In this context, current paper explores the following question: Is the success of Conlon Nancarrow a result of his skills or other factors, such as media and technology, contributed in the increased popularity of the artist? The literature published in regard to this subject has proved that for Nancarrow technology has been closely related to art. However, it seems that the involvement of technology in the work of Nancarrow has not been standardized during the composer’s life. For certain periods, the work of Nancarrow reflects a strong dependency on technology while in other periods the alignment of the composer’s work with the advances of technology has been less clear. The research developed for this paper is based on qualitative research. Secondary sources, mainly books, have been used for highlighting the various aspects of the issue under discussion. At the same time, an interview that the composer has given to Bruce Duffie in 12 October of 1987 has been employed so that any potential gaps in regard to this paper’s subject are effectively covered. Innovation is a key characteristic of art. In the work of Nancarrow, innovation is reflected in the following fact: the composer used to apply a rather’ unconventional method for creating music’ (Becker 245). Unlike other composers of his era, Nancarrow has been able to ‘create music for piano by punching holes directly into the piano roll’ (Becker 245). The use of the above method has allowed Nancarrow to incorporate in his work certain unique features, such as ‘the chromatic glissando’ (Becker 245). However, the above feature cannot be used effectively unless it is combined by changes on the relationship between composers and performers (Becker 246). Reference is made in particular to the improvement of communication and cooperation between performers and composers, but also to the skills of performers (Becker 246). Indeed, the latter need to be able to understand and perform the music piece appropriately, respecting the features of the music piece as developed by its creator, the composer (Becker 246). In regard to the work of Nancarrow, it has been proved that when performing the composer’s music pieces the performers have not always been able in highlighting all the pieces’ features (Becker 246). This failure possibly indicates not only the inability of the performers to understand the way of thinking of the particular composer but also their inability to use the technology required for completing the performance of these pieces successfully (Becker 246). According to Sitsky (2002) the work of Nancarrow has been influenced by the work of Stravinsky, who also used to develop experiments in regard to tonality and rhythm, but also by the music culture of Mexico and India (Sitsky 323). On the other hand, it is made clear that with the support of appropriate technology Nancarrow was able to develop unique techniques in regard to music composition (Sitsky 323). The continuous ‘changes on meters, on voices and on tempos’ (Sitsky 323) have been distinctive characteristics of the work of Nancarrow (Sitsky 323). It is clear that the above composer could not achieve such outcome without the use of relevant technology (Sitsky 323). Nancarrow’s relationship with music started quite early. In fact, the composer had access to a player piano since his childhood; the composers’ parents had bought a player piano, aiming probably to enhance the relationship of their children with music (Gann 2). As an adult, Nancarrow moved in New York where he was involved in the activities of the Communist Party (Gann 2). This detail of Nancarrow’s life is mentioned since it is considered as related to the criteria and the techniques that Nancarrow later used while developing music pieces (Gann 2). Because of his political ideas, Nancarrow had to move from New York to Mexico (Gann 2); there Nancarrow had try to introduce new composing techniques, aiming ‘to extend music’s rhythmic vocabulary’ (Gann 2). In other words, the first pieces of Nancarrow reflect an effort to develop innovative composing techniques, using as the basis trends and composing techniques already used locally (Gann 2). This means that these efforts of Nancarrow can be characterized as the first attempts of the composer to align his work with the technological trends of the particular period. Then, many performers, especially ‘those working in regard to ‘classical music, had refused in playing the music pieces of Nancarrow’ (Gann 2). In addition, because of the difficulties that Nancarrow had to face in developing his music pieces Nancarrow decided ‘to buy in 1948 his own player piano’ (Gann 2). In this way, the composer has been able to test different techniques in producing music, with an emphasis on ‘rhythmic superimposition and tempo clash’ (Gann 2). These techniques were a clear indication of the involvement of technology in Nancarrow’s work. Without having access to appropriate technological features, as incorporated in his player piano, Nancarrow would not be able to improve his music pieces, making them unique (Gann 2). Siepman (1998) emphasizes on the extreme complexity of Nancarrow’s music pieces. More specifically, it is noted that the work of Nancarrow can be considered as unique due to its ‘extraordinary rhythmic complexity’ (Siepman 89). In fact, the music pieces of Nancarrow are based on ‘voices moving at different level’ (Siepman 89). Such result cannot be achieved without the involvement of appropriate technological features that can allow the use of different speeds when composing music (Siepman 89). It should be noted that the involvement of technology in Nancarrow’s work has not been always high. In fact, in the beginning of his career, approximately by the end of 1920s, Nancarrow used to play ‘classical trumpet’ (Randel 64). During 1930s Nancarrow focused on music pieces that were based only on traditional instruments (Randel 64). It was in 1940s that Nancarrow decided to be involved in the production of music pieces based on player piano (Randel 64). Moreover, the pianos used for the production of music had the following characteristic: ‘their hammers were modified aiming to produce unique tones’ (Randel 64). This practice clearly reflects the use of technology by Nancarrow in order to develop music pieces that were unique, as of their rhythm, compared to the work of other composers of that period. Nancarrow highly valued traditional music instruments, along with the innovative ones. Indeed, apart from the appropriately modified pianos Nancarrow used to employ ‘a canon as also other symmetrical devices’ (Randel 64), aiming probably to ensure that the basic rhythm, as related to the player piano, is incorporated in his work. By employing different technological instruments in producing music, Nancarrow has achieved the high variability of his music pieces (Randel 64). Indeed, the thorough review of Nancarrow’s work has proved that in most of his music pieces ‘the tonality seems to be similar but differentiations also appear’ (Randel 64). In other words, the music pieces of Nancarrow are not all based on the same tonality, reflecting the influence of Nancarrow by different technological features (Randel 64). At this point, certain details in regard to the technology used by Nancarrow in the production of music should be presented. Reference should be made primarily to the different types of pianos involved in the composer’s music pieces. Certain of these pieces, especially the early music pieces of the composer, were based on player piano, a musical instrument rather simple giving just the basic tone of each piece and allowing the performer ‘to give the actual expression’ (Sitsky 325). Most of Nancarrow’s music pieces are based on reproducing piano, i.e. a musical instrument with high potentials in regard to the tone, the speed and the rhythm of music (Sitsky 325). The pianos that Nancarrow used for the production of his music were based on ‘an Ampico reproducing piano mechanisms made in about 1927’ (Sitsky 325). The pianos of this type had the ability to offer a high range of tones and speed and other dynamic effects, as related to a music piece’s rhythm (Sitsky 325). Nancarrow was able to introduce in his music pieces unique features in terms of speed and tone by using reproducing pianos, presented above, along with ‘an appropriately modified punching device’ (Sitsky 325). The high involvement of technology in the work of Nancarrow is explained in the interview that the composer gave to Duffie Bruce in 1987. In the above interview the composer makes clear that composing music has been the most effective way for him to express his ideas, which were quite complicated (Duffie 1987). In fact, Nancarrow noted that the player piano seemed to be the only means available to the composer to reproduce his ideas (Duffie 1987). The composer explains that when he started to make experiments with the tones and the speed of music, computers and synthesizers did not exist (Duffie 1987). The above devices appeared later. However, Nancarrow managed to reproduce his complicated ideas transforming them to music by using appropriately modified player pianos (Duffie 1987). The composer also admits that his music pieces can be characterized as rather complex in terms of their rhythm and tone and for this reason their reproduction is rather difficult (Duffie 1987). Moreover, Nancarrow made clear that the production of these music pieces would not be achieved without the use of appropriately modified player pianos that were then known as reproducing pianos (Duffie 1987). Nancarrow explains that these pianos have ‘a wide range of dynamics’ (Duffie 1987); the pedal of these pianos, if used appropriately, can result to the creation of a series of unique effects related to tone and rhythm (Duffie 1987). Nancarrow further notes that the reproducing piano could not supported all dynamic effects that could be possibly introduced in a music piece (Duffie 1987); however, its existing potentials are characterized as satisfactory, taking into consideration the technical potentials of other music instruments of that particular period. Nancarrow states that his technique in producing music has been differentiated compared to the past, at the following point: in the beginning of his career, Nancarrow used to ‘write a musical piece on a piece of paper and then punched it out’ (Duffie 1987). Today, Nancarrow ‘has to write relationship notes on the piece’ (Duffie 1987), then he had to analyze it, making appropriate divisions, and then starts to develop it using appropriate technology. In other words, because of technology, time has been increased in the development of pieces, at the level that the current advances of technology can help easier to the reproduction of the ideas of Nancarrow, but the relevant process has become more complex, possibly because of the increase of complexity of the technology involved. On the other hand, today Nancarrow is more able to understand in advance ‘the potential result’ (Duffie 1987), in regard to a music piece. Being aware of the potentials of technology available in the specific field, Nancarrow has been able to As explained above, the music of Nancarrow has been highly influenced by technology. In fact, the technological advances related to the player piano had allowed to Nancarrow to introduce quite unique techniques for producing music. This achievement has been considered as an important characteristic of Nancarrow as a composer. However, the contribution of Nancarrow in modern music is not widely known. Indeed, the name of Nancarrow is still unknown to a high percentage of audience worldwide. But even those involved in the production and performing of music pieces have not fully understood the uniqueness of the work of Nancarrow (Gann 2). For this reason, it is noted that only those who have been able to visit the Nancarrow’s studio in Mexico had the chance to fully understand the uniqueness of this composer’s music pieces (Gann 2). According to the above, it could be noted that technology not only influenced but it had become a key characteristic of Nancarrow’s work, as a composer. It is assumed that without the high involvement of technology in the production of Nancarrow’s music pieces, the uniqueness of this composer’s work could be doubted. Works Cited Becker, Howard. Art Worlds. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1982. Duffie, Bruce. “Composer Conlon Nancarrow. A Conversation With Bruce Duffie.” Archive of Contemporary Music. Northwestern University. October 12, 1987. Accessed at 25 February 2013. http://www.bruceduffie.com/nancarrow2.html Gann, Kyle. The Music of Conlon Nancarrow. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Randel, Don. The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music. Boston: Harvard University Press, 1996. Siepmann, Jeremy. The Piano. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, 1998. Sitsky, Larry. Music of the Twentieth-Century Avant-Garde: A Biocritical Sourcebook. 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