Wyschnegradsky - Quarter-Tone Etude on Density and Volume No. 2

Second Etude from Studies on Density and Volume for two pianos tuned a quarter-tone apart Op. 39b (1956)

Ivan Wyschnegradsky (1893-1979) is typically acknowledged as a microtonal composer who spent most of his creative life in Paris and Germany developing his theories and "ultrachromatic scales." Before his emigration to Paris in 1920, he studied composition at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and became an avant-garde composer. Wyschnegradsky was clearly a disciple of Scriabin's music. He actually experienced something like an epiphany after hearing Scriabin's works and thereafter became a mystic, abandoned his Wagnerian approach to music, and emulated the "scriabinesque." His early orchestral work "The Journey of Existence" owes much to Scriabin's "Poem of Ecstasy". However, he was more interested in pursuing quarter-tone composition and even had Scriabin-like visions that this kind of music would push mankind to the next step in evolution. Composers like Messiaen and Boulez appreciated and performed his microtonal music, but there is virtually no interest in Wyschnegradsky today.

Artwork by Lynd Ward (woodcut from Mad Man's Drum)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• quarter
• tone
• microtonal

[a3886]

WHAT

[Hexameron]

HUH?

[fisherroastedpeanut]

amazingly scary scarily amazing

[seanetc]

man that face is scary

[Qatarsys]

Who's the painter of picture?

[TheGuomboe]

Quarter tone music reminds me of flowing water. The nuances are wonderful! :)

[DeadRavers]

Wyschnegradsky must have been notorious for pissing off the guy he hired to tune his piano.

"Wait...you want WHAT temperament?"

"Don't worry about it. Just keep twisting that wrench-thing every couple of pegs while I play Flight of the Bumblebee and I'll let you know when you're finished."

Beautifully creepy nonetheless.

[ThePafuty]

It's delicious!

That's where the genius!

Terrific!

[sutphoe]

LOL!

[addeex1]

I really like this^^