CAUT

  • 1.  Four Pianos at CalArts

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-14-2019 10:26

    Greetings Esteemed Colleagues,

    Last night at CalArts, one of our performer-composer doctoral candidates gave a recital involving four pianos, one of them tuned down a quarter-tone. Jonathan "Jack" Dettling is a highly accomplished pianist and composer, and is joined on several pieces by lead piano faculty member Vicki Ray. The program consists of pieces by Wyschnegradsky, Messiaen, Ligeti and Dettling, followed by homages to those composers and/or compositions. Much of the program deals in quarter-tones. And if you are a fan of Olivier Messiaen's "Vingt Regards sur l'enfant-Jesus" (Twenty Regards of the Child Jesus), Jack's interpretation of the movement "Premiere communion de la Vierge" is nothing short of breathtaking. It sure sent chills down my aged spine!

    Follow this link to the archived webcast:

     

    http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/120158742

     

    Alan



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    Alan Eder, RPT
    Herb Alpert School of Music
    California Institute of the Arts
    Valencia, CA
    661.904.6483
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  • 2.  RE: Four Pianos at CalArts

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-14-2019 12:06

    Sounds very cool and significant extra work. Thanks for sharing, Alan.  Many years ago a couple of our piano faculty performed Ive's "Three Quarter-tone Pieces", with one piano tuned 25c flat.  It all went fine, but a couple weeks later I was re-tuning the lowered piano back at pitch for another event and it absolutely would not stabilize.  After some hair pulling and a few course words under pressure of time for the next event, I noticed a strange key noise coming from around the break. The plate wedge had fallen out while at reduced tension!  The piano was also moved after the Quarter-tone concert so I'm guessing that's when it happened.  In any case, it was an experience I'll never forget, and something to watch out for.  That piano is no longer in our inventory, but I tapped it back in and the show went on. 

    best,
    dennis. 
    --
    Dennis Johnson, R.P.T.
    Piano Technician
    Music Dept.
    St. Olaf College