Valses and Etudes (2005, rev. 2010) for piano and computer

Score excerpt with accompanying audio from Valses and Etudes (2005, rev. 2010)

In Valses and Etudes, for piano and computer, the score from which the pianist performs is determined in real-time during performance. Like many of my recent pieces, the musical source materials are taken literally from pre-existing works. In Valses and Etudes, at any time, the pianist could be called upon to perform from Movement VI of Schoenberg’s 6 Kleine Klavierstücke Op. 19, the Second and Third Movement of Webern’s Variationen für Klavier Op. 27, several of Ravel’s Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, John Cage’s One 5, Chopin’s Nocturne No. 6, Op. 15 Nr. 3, and Debussy’s Prelude No. 10 (“La cathedrale engloutie”), Book One. A number of additional pieces are performed by the computer at several points in the work but are not called upon in the score generation process. The score selected for performance is conditioned by Markov chain probabilities and the actual score excerpt displayed for the pianist is determined through a Jitter patch. This excerpt is not fixed, but dynamically varies during the performance. Unlike, previous works of mine which extensively process the original materials, in Valses and Etudes there is very little audio processing of the materials taking place. Rather, the musical complexity lies in the simultaneous performance of up to twelve or so pieces by the computer, and the interaction within this musical tapestry by the pianist. Originally written in 2005, the work was revised for performance at the 2010 ISEA festival in Istanbul.

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