Kurtag: Perpetuum Mobile (A piece for glissandos only)

[somor98]

Oh, I just love scale excercises

[J05TI]

omg this is fucking easy.

[fritoplugkilovais]

¡Fantastic! I love Kurtág music.

Thanks for the post.

[Physdelicdreaming]

I like the effect glissandos make on the piano. Whenever I am composing, I do a glissando in between because it is like meditating for me, and it helps me think. I can make them chromatic or simple. It's especially beautiful when you add a melody to them - it's like listening to water, or watching trees sway. I always thought the trees seemed to dance to the glissandos. Glissandos are like painting for me, and since I do paint, I am able to paint with sound as well as color. :-)

[flibbertergibbet]

In what sense is this Kurtag's composition? Any pianist of sufficient technical skill could just improvise glissandi in ever-changing patterns just as well as this, if not better! I think it's a scam.

No doubt HE's sincere and really means it, but that doesn't automatically endow with any artistic merit or meaning.

[rjr1967]

@flibbertergibbet It's from Játékok/Games, which was/is written with young pianists in mind. What you've said could apply to most piano methods down the centuries - and most of those learner pieces are not concert-worthy. Kurtág's genius lies in taking something technically feasible for novice pianists, and making it "speak". The title is Games - he is playing around with objets trouvés. But I'm baised - I would buy anything from this wonderful human being.

[flibbertergibbet]

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I know Jatekok is primarily for young pianists, and I'm not criticising THAT. Nor am I criticising manipulating objets trouves.

I'm saying this piece is COMPOSITIONALLY facile: anybody with the slightest pianistic talent could just improvise it. This can't be described as "genius" because it doesn't need a genius to write it.

Take one of Kurtag's great pieces: Stele. That actually required some real thought to make it work. This doesn't. See what I mean?

[singinginthecave]

These pieces are etudes designed so that children can play them. They free up the body and the spirit for playing the piano from core energy. process more than product I'd say. If more students played this kind of music as children they probably would keep playing.

[atnih]

kurucinfo apám, az való neked...

[bastianloewe]

I know is interesant but is just glissando, more than piece it deserve the name of aCerny, is just an etude is not really great music

it meminds me me nephew of 3 years old playing with the piano

When is going to come back teh music??

[bitachar]

What a cliche: 'it sounds like my little nephew of 3 years old playing the piano': just as simple as 'it sounds like a cat walking on the keys'

Some people have little nephews and cats that are geniuses.

[bastianloewe]

yes they do I knw that trust mI do like teh piece but I just think doing a piece just by a perpetuom glissando doenst have to much credit you know?? I love kurtag but this isnt his best work I get the point of view like an etude but not like piece

listen to eight piano pieces by kurtag op 3 thats really great music

[Phantomoftheyamaha]

Possibly the worst thing I have ever heard.

[Cr0pCircles]

I Completely disagree... listen to "quarrel" and "eight piano pieces op.3". There even WORSE!

[bitachar]

He plays it beautiful! Pure poetry!

[EdiEllerymissing]

Even worse than your stupidity?

[EdiEllerymissing]

Possibly the greatest asshole I've ever red.

[Garrulus24]

Too bad I missed his performance in Belgium a few years ago. Now, I probably won't be able to see him play ever again. And good Kurtag CD's are so rare! I'm still waiting for someone to release his latest string quartet from 2005 (which I heard in Ghent in 2008).

[jaroussky1]

this is so beautifil i really love it!!!! Kurtag is one of the greatest !!!!!

[coasterman16]

your glissando technique must be perfect, or you will be in so much pain after playing this once...much less practicing it for hours

[robbiethemann]

the right piano is also important

or rather, a good piano

[coasterman16]

This is true. Evenness of the action and a mellow tone will help get that ethereal sound.

[Atropos911]

you don't need to practice this....you just need good nail polish and a lot of milk.

[coasterman16]

hahahaha