Conlon Nancarrow has written the most rhythmically complex music the world has ever known, so complex that it can only be realized on a mechanical player piano. Yet Nancarrow's whirlwinds of notes, sometimes as many as eighty per second, are jazzy and infectiously joyous. The music he composed in almost complete isolation from 1940 on has only recently achieved international fame, and this is the first book to cover in detail Nancarrow's life and compositional achievements. The book includes analysis of sixty-five works and previously unpublished biographical information.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Kyle Gann's brilliant and authoritative study....Gann's study convincingly defines the field of inquiry for a composer whose full stature is only now becomming clear." Philip Rupprecht, I.S.A.M. Newsletter
Book Description
Conlon Nancarrow has written the most rhythmically complex music the world has ever known, so complex that it can only be realised on a mechanical player piano. Yet Nancarrow's whirlwinds of notes, sometimes as many as 80 per second are jazzy and infectiously joyous. The music he composed in almost complete isolation from 1940 has achieved international fame only recently, and this is the first book detailing his life and compositional achievements. It includes analysis of 65 works and previously unpublished biographical information.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential for anyone serious about new musical resources,
This review is from: The Music of Conlon Nancarrow (Music in the Twentieth Century) (Hardcover)
Conlon Nancarrow was a creative genious. Although quite possibly the most rhythmically complex and original music ever composed in its time, his music sounds pleasant enough to appeal to those who have no (vested) interest in the science of music. In addition to introducing the man behind the music, this book provides a thorough and accurate analysis of the numerous rhythmic/melodic devices first used by Nancarrow. I believe many of the concepts (such as the hypermeasure) presented in this book point toward the inevitable future of World Art Music. Reading this book has inspired numerous of my own compositions, as well as rhythm etudes which have liberated my sense of meter as a jazz improviser. This book is essential reading not only for Nancarrow enthusiasts, but also for those searching for new directions to explore, and those interested in the convergence of Western Art Music and World Music (such as North Indian classical).
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Compared to the musical traditions of Africa, India, and Indonesia, European classical music has always been rhythmically limited. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
arithmetical acceleration, tempo canon, player piano studies, staccato triads, punching score, irregular motive, isorhythmic melody, ontological clock, tempo ratios, metered voice, triad motive, simultaneous tempos, spastic rhythm, studies for player piano, divisive rhythm, final glissando, quadruple octaves, canonic studies, rhythmic thinking, tempo switches, inversion canon, third eighth note, echo distance, player piano music, staccato octaves Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Mexico City, Henry Cowell, New Musical Resources, Communist Party, John Cage, San Francisco, Conlon Nancarrow, Peter Garland, Roger Reynolds, Elliott Carter, Arditti Quartet, Betty Freeman, Carlos Sandoval, First Quartet, Lou Harrison, New Music America, Nicolas Slonimsky, Ursula Oppens, Aaron Copland, Charles Amirkhanian, Gordon Mumma, Jurgen Hocker, Little Blue Books, Quartet Romantic New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Compared to the musical traditions of Africa, India, and Indonesia, European classical music has always been rhythmically limited. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
arithmetical acceleration, tempo canon, player piano studies, staccato triads, punching score, irregular motive, isorhythmic melody, ontological clock, tempo ratios, metered voice, triad motive, simultaneous tempos, spastic rhythm, studies for player piano, divisive rhythm, final glissando, quadruple octaves, canonic studies, rhythmic thinking, tempo switches, inversion canon, third eighth note, echo distance, player piano music, staccato octaves Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Mexico City, Henry Cowell, New Musical Resources, Communist Party, John Cage, San Francisco, Conlon Nancarrow, Peter Garland, Roger Reynolds, Elliott Carter, Arditti Quartet, Betty Freeman, Carlos Sandoval, First Quartet, Lou Harrison, New Music America, Nicolas Slonimsky, Ursula Oppens, Aaron Copland, Charles Amirkhanian, Gordon Mumma, Jurgen Hocker, Little Blue Books, Quartet Romantic New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 7
books:
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20
books
cite this book:
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- New Musical Resources by Henry Cowell on 7 pages
- Soundpieces: Interviews With American Composers by Cole Gagne in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Life and Death of a Small Magazine by Minna Lederman in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians by Nicolas Slonimsky on page 39
- Mexico City (World Cities) by James E. Davis on page 50
See all 7 books this book cites
- Musical Composition in the Twentieth Century by Arnold Whittall on page 280, page 281, and Back Matter
- The Stravinsky Legacy (Music in the Twentieth Century) by Jonathan Cross in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- 39 Microlectures: In Proximity of Performance by Matthew Goulish in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Exploring Twentieth-Century Music: Tradition and Innovation by Arnold Whittall in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Henry Cowell, Bohemian (Music in American Life) by Michael Dustin Hicks in Back Matter
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