NUANCEN
24 short pieces for piano
THE RECORDINGS
This is Part 3 of my mémoire for the Master exerce at the ICI–CCN Montpellier.
Composition and Performance: Philipp Enders
All music was composed during February and May 2020.
All recordings made in May & June 2020 in Eymoutiers, France.
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NUANCEN (German for nuances) are 24 short pieces written for piano.
These pieces can be played either one at a time, or the interpreter selects several up to all 24 pieces to perform them in an order s·he wishes to.
Each piece can be repeated as many times as desired and also, if arranged as a sequence, the pieces may reoccur in different moments of the performance. Thus the duration of the performance is indeterminate.
I consider these 24 short pieces rather as research material than as a cycle of definite compositions. For this reason the music notation is reduced to a minimum of information: 1. in order to allow the interpreter a high adaptability to the moment of performance, and 2. to let her·him decide — maybe even each time anew — on how s·he likes to perform the music.
However, I would like to note that the general feel of the music is rather soft and slow and that an extensive use of the sustain pedal is recommended so as to include the resonances of the notes.
Durations of all notes are free. Everything that appears in parentheses is regarded as optional material. It is up to the interpreter to decide whether to include it in her·his performance or not.
Nuancen – 24 short pieces for piano / complete: No.1-24
No.1
No.2
No.3
No.4
No.5
No.6
No.7
No.8
No.9
No.10
No.11
No.12
No.13
No.14
No.15
No.16
No.17
No.18
No.19
No.20
No.21
No.22
No.23
No.24
Nuancen — 24 short pieces for piano / performance versions
NUANCEN. May 26, 2020
NUANCEN. June 13, 2020
NUANCEN. May 30, 2020
Bonus Track: MEETING
MEETING
C, tell me, can you play Bach? / Not really. I played very little of him and rather poorly. I studied his music rather than played it. Why? / Because I can. I will show you. You need to imagine we were German, otherwise it doesn’t work. V goes to the piano, he plays the notes B – A – C – H. / Haha, very nice! / Dad showed me this. / Do you know the composer John Cage? / No. / J knows him. So you can ask him if he can play Cage and then play, look: C – A – G – E. / Cool! Know what, let’s play Bach and Cage at the same time. C stands at the lower end of the piano, V places his hand on the keys in the higher register, they play B/C – A/A – C/G – H/E. / Sounds suprisingly good. / Yes, not bad at all. / Well, Herr Bach, it is a pleasure meeting you. / Likewise Mr. Cage, likewise.
(Excerpt from the mémoire, Part 1: Philipp Enders. N, p.69, 2020)
PHILIPP ENDERS 