Guero

Here is a piece by Helmut Lachenmann, Guero, from 1970, defined by the author as a study for piano.

The sounds you will hear, however, have nothing to do with the piano you are used to (you rarely hear a single note), but rather resemble those of the percussion instrument of the same name, the guiro (in its original form).

Not only that, but Lachenmann doesn't even use the entire range of piano sounds that are part of the "pedalized noises" based on pizzicato or percussion notes that create resonances sustained by the pedal, already used in contemporary piano literature.

In fact, Lachenmann's music is defined as instrumental musique concrète, meaning that his instrumental language encompasses the entire sound world obtainable from the instrument, even using non-traditional techniques.

Thanks to this video, you can see how the surprising sounds of this piano "study" are achieved. The performer is Lachenmann himself.

qui con la partitura

Back