Date / Place I
15 January 2017 Tinguely museum, BaselDate / Place II
16 January 2017 Tinguely museum, BaselSeries
Phoenix, coproductionTitle
PhonolaProgram
Wolfgang Heisig (*1952) “SE IO HO BEN LA TUA PAROLA INTESA” für Phonola, 2 clarinets and violin (1998) “Links & Rechts” (2015) “Aus den Fugen geraten” (2016) “Origamusic” (2009) from “Studies for Player Piano” Conlon Nancarrow (1912–1997) “Study #13” from “Studies for Player Piano” (vor 1962) “Study #20” from “Studies for Player Piano” (vor 1962) “Study #21” from “Studies for Player Piano” (vor 1962) “Study #27” from “Studies for Player Piano” (nach 1962) Alex Buess (*1954) “HAMMER, DRAHT, FILZ & BOLIDE” for phonola, ensemble and live electronics (2016, Auftrag EPhB, WP)Musicians
- Wolfgang Heisig
- phonola
- Christoph Bösch
- flute, bass flute
- Toshiko Sakakibara
- clarinet, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet
- Donna Molinari
- clarinet, bass clarinet
- Samuel Wettstein
- keyboards
- Friedemann Treiber
- violin
- Aleksander Gabryś
- double bass
- Christof Stürchler
- sound design
- Jürg Henneberger
- conductor
Program description
The first concert of the EPhB series in 2017 took place in co-production with the Museum Tinguely Basel in the context of the exhibition “Music Machines / Machine Music”. Since the 1940s, the American composer Conlon Nancarrow has written almost exclusively compositions for pianola or player piano, as the instrument is called in America. This instrument was invented at the turn of the century and has inspired composers such as Igor Stravinsky, Paul Hindemith, George Antheil and others to write works for it. Nancarrow has written over 50 “studies” that are not feasible for human hands and fingers. East German composer Wolfgang Heisig met Nancarrow in Paris in the 1990s and has since specialized in reconstructing Nancarrow’s rolls – as a composer, he writes solo works as well as ensemble works with phonola (a machine that is placed in front of a “normal” piano and moves the keys instead of a live pianist). With his strong affinity for unusual sound production, Basel composer Alex Buess contributes a new work for phonola, ensemble and live electronics.