Study No. 14 and Study No. 21 (the latter originally sequenced by Rick Bidlack) are also being redone. It is basically in two parts: the treble starts out fast and gradually slows down, while the bass starts out slow and gradually speeds up. The tempos cross somewhere in the middle, hence the subtitle "Canon X". It was realized at U.C.S.D. by Rick Bidlack who noticed the algorithm for the evolving loop and its exceptions (required by the number of keys on Nancarrow's piano). In the surround sound version the treble part starts out in the front right speaker and gradually pans across to the side left speaker, while the bass moves from the front left to the side right. This causes the music to move in conjunction with the changes in tempo. The ending of the piece suddenly becomes quite ferocious--at this point the center channel kicks in and provides a source in front of the listener since the initial voices have moved to the sides/back.
Study No. 37, in its current realization, cannot be realized as it had twenty years before. When it was played on twelve MIDI synthesizers (configured as rack modules) it was possible to manually switch omni on. Now that it is recorded in Pro Tools with Reason plugged in there is no simple way to make a version with all twelve timbres/positions playing all twelve voices. Once a set of voices are settled upon perhaps a version will be put together by recording each section and mixing the tracks together. Having the MIDI data at hand again should make it possible to keep the piece alive as technology continues to evolve. Someday I hope to be part of a "Switched on Nancarrow" collection.
Some pieces may sound better without the multitimbral and spatial treatments. Certainly Nancarrow was exploring the continuum between clarity and ambiguity that the conditions of his materials created when performed on a single piano. In any case, it has been interesting to hear his music displayed in this way, and has increased the understanding and appreciation of his works after returning to the original recordings. The piano is a difficult instrument to reproduce with loudspeakers. The powerful visceral experience reported by visitors to his studio is not available to the listener at home. I am continuing to work with his scores and electronic realizations, to take advantage of electronic timbres which are handled well by loudspeakers, and of the surround sound capabilities of proliferating DVD systems.
Watching and hearing music played by a player piano is different than just hearing it. Seeing the keys go down (and the hammers work if the strings are exposed) adds a theatrical and dramatic visual effect. Work has begun for incorporating a video display to provide further appreciation of the Studies' counterpoint.
[ Study No. 37 ]