Keith Kirchoff plays Praya Dubia

"Praya Dubia" for prepared piano and electronics
Christopher Trebue Moore, composer
Keith Kirchoff, piano

A praya dubia is an underwater sea creature that lives in depths of up to 1600 feet and can grow to lengths of 3200 feet. One of the most unique features of the praya dubia is that while it is one unified organism, it is made up of several seemingly independent members, each with its own specific role within the colony. Thus, one member's job is to eat, another's to attack, another's to defend, etc. So while each member almost seems a complete individual, in fact, quite to the contrary, each member needs each of the other members to survive.

Christopher Trebue Moore's piece, "praya dubia," is composed in a similar fashion. On a micro-level, one hears a series of pointillistic, almost independent pitches. These pitches may at first seem unrelated to their neighbors, but, when put together, actually form long expressive lines.

On a macro-level, the piece is similar to the animal in that there are three individual layers happening simultaneously: the live piano, a pre-recorded piano, and an electronics part. Each layer is almost a complete piece, but in reality needs each of the other parts to complete the work.

One of Trebue Moore's biggest concerns when writing for a live instrument and electronics, is connecting the natural sonic disconnect that occurs when juxtaposing an acoustic instrument controlled by a human being with electronic sounds controlled by a computer. He bridges this gap in two ways. First, Trebue Moore chooses to prepare the piano. This causes the piano to have an almost electronic timbre despite being solely acoustic. Secondly, the pre-recorded piano part included within the electronics does not act in counterpoint to the live piano, but rather joins with the live pianist to create the illusion of a pianist with ten hands.

This performance took place at the home of David Stritmatter in Palo Alto, California.

www.keithkirchoff.com

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Classical
• Keith
• Kirchoff
• avant-guard
• Prepared
• Piano
• Christopher
• Trebue
• Moore
• Ferneyhough
• Finnissy
• Lachenmann
• Stockhausen
• Boulez
• Cage
• Computer
• Electronic
• Palo
• Alto
• Berkeley
• Stanford
• CARMA
• CNMAT
• IRCAM
• ICMC

[MrJFA1978]

awesome