The Bowed Piano Ensemble perform Stephen Scott's Entrada

Filmed at Packard Hall, Colorado College on September 11th 1999.

Featuring the following performers: Ryan Banagale, Marisa Callaway, Laura Davis, Jade Durky, Marissa Olson, Lander Purvis, Tamara Roberts, Stephen Scott, Elyse Weakley and Matt Wirzbicki.

• Category

  Music

[westsalemcongress]

They use a variety or materials, but I believe they most frequently use nylon filament to bow the piano strings.

[zorziana]

Thanks for posting this. I was in this ensemble and managed it in the early/mid 90s, so I can offer some answers.

The "soft bows" consist of several strands of fishing line, and the "rigid bows" are tongue depressors with horse hair affixed. The damper pedal is wedged so that the piano is a big resonant box. To play at the keyboard, then, there are specially made mutes for individual pitches. The bows and keyboard don't (can't) play the same pitches at the same time.

[Lex O]

Those who oppose the exploration of music ought to be ashamed of themselves. We as a society have not yet harnessed all music has to offer, nor have we discovered all ends and possibilities. Why hold back? Why not move into the future and see what the piano has to offer modern composers? Too often I view small minded people trying to profess their conservative natures and it sickens me down to the marrow of my very bones. As a composer, I see this piece as exquisite and beautifully unique.

[TheSteveSteele]

While in college I had a long phone conversation with Stephen Scott. Very nice guy. Would have been great to study with him. This is a very nice piece of music. And for those who find this music strange, let me just say these sounds could just as easily be put into a pop song, or a bowed piano concerto. One never knows...

[accordeure]

les bobos du piano devraient s'en inspirer !

[accordeure]

A very cool way to play the piano !

[pianopera]

In this way, the piano (apart from being a keyboard instrument) is very much both a string and a percussion instrument...

[Andreas Häberlin]

this composition and performance is a very beautiful and open minded approach to today's contemporary art.

[TheJem619]

i would say it was horse hair the same as a violin bow

[iBeep2009]

You should at least be on Jools Holland with this ...

[iBeep2009]

nice to hear some creative musicians -lovely :)

[janeyanna]

And isn't it interesting that the way a piece is performed has such an influence on how it is perceived?

[janeyanna]

Aliens have landed on earth. On their travel across the planet they encounter a mysterious black box on stilts.......