Conlon Nancarrow : Lost Works, Last Works

Track Listings

1. Prelude for Piano (1935)

2. Blues for Piano (1935)

3. Sonatina for Piano (1941)

4. Sonatina for Piano (1941)

5. Sonatina for Piano (1941)

6. String Quartet No. 1 (1945)

7. String Quartet No. 1 (1945)

8. Piece for Tape (undated)

9. Study No. 30 for Prepared Piano (undated)

10. Para Yoko (1990)

11. Study No. 50 (ca. 1991)

12. Study No. 51 ("3750") (1992)

13. Contraption No. 1 (1993)

14. -21. Conlon Nancarrow speaks with Charles Amirkhanian

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
If there is a musical counterpart to the writers of the Lost Generation, it is surely New Jersey-born composer George Antheil (1900-1959). Antheil's early career captured the spirit of a whole generation of young American artists who went abroad to complete their education, refine their tastes, live cheaply, and enjoy the far freer artistic and sexual milieu. For Antheil, this period (1922-1933) was marked by his friendships with famous literary and artistic figures - Joyce, Hemingway, Pound, William Carlos Williams, Cocteau, Satie, Breton, and Aragon. Their fascination with this brilliant, irresistible, and tireless young American composer was primarily inspired by his peculiar music: a personal fusion of American jazz and Stravinsky's primitivism mixed with mechanical and percussive patterns. Founded in 1992, the Del Sol String Quartet has continuously emphasized a focus on new music and has worked with many living composers as well as producing their own concerts in an effort to reach new audiences.

Tracks:

Prelude for Piano (1935)
Blues for Piano (1935)
Sonatina for Piano (1941)
Sonatina for Piano (1941)
Sonatina for Piano (1941)
String Quartet No. 1 (1945)
String Quartet No. 1 (1945)
Piece for Tape (undated)
Study No. 30 for Prepared Piano (undated)
Para Yoko (1990)
Study No. 50 (ca. 1991)
Study No. 51 ("3750") (1992)
Contraption No. 1 (1993)
-21. Conlon Nancarrow speaks with Charles Amirkhanian

Customer Reviews:

What is a Conlan Nancarrow enthusiast?.......2006-03-21

Some of the music in this recorded program is lovely, in a strange and obstinate way, but I dare say that liking this music pretty much makes one a Conlan Nancarrow enthusiast. The soul who rather enjoys Conlan Nancarrow's singular, difficult music is probably outnumbered by those who would call themselves enthusiasts; the two groups are surely dwarfed by those who cover their ears and run for cover after just a few measures of the average Nancarrow study for mechanical piano.

Contraption #1 stands out for its blending of Nancarrow's signature mechanical piano sounds with Trimpin's mellow mechanical marimba; the two sonorities approximate the tamber of a natural instrumental ensemble, and create a hospitable sonic ambience.

Producer Charles Amirkanian's interviews with the composer, excerpted here, are not only edifying, but reveal the maestro to be more fun-loving and affable than the average expatriate genius.

To Mr Groves.......2003-04-23

The second string quartet remains uncompleted, and the recording of the third by Arditti String Quartet was avairable in Gramavision R2 79440 (out of print?).

Only for the Nancarrow Enthusiast.......2001-03-11

This CD contains a couple of Nancarrow's studies not included in the five-volume set on the Wergo label. It contains the Prelude and Blues for Piano, the former in a player piano version, the latter for an interesting contraption created by a composer named Trimpin. This instrument is like a computerized player-marimba, and it is also featured in duet with the player piano on Contraption No. 1. Other tracks include a player piano arrangements of the unplayable Sonatina, and of the String Quartet. The last eight tracks are excerpts from an interview with Charles Amirkhanian.

Overall, I think this disk is only worthwhile for the Nancarrow enthusiast. I don't know why the player piano version of the String Quartet No. 1 is included; it has no advantage over the string version. I would have preferred that this record included more of the hard-to-find instrumental music by this composer, such as the second and third string quartets.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Sleepy Eyed

Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; Schubert: Symphony in Bf No2, D125

To Venus and Back

New Directions

Elephant Micah, Your Dreams Are Feeding Back

The Essentials [Original recording remastered]

The Wizard Of Oz: Selections From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Soundtrack]

The Hyperion Schubert Edition 28 - An 1822 Schubertiad / Ainsley, Koningsberger

The Comeback EP [EP]

Southern Harmony

The Spirit of Christmas

Sexta Entrega De Premios Eres '96

Sus Mas Grandes Creaciones [Import]

Graduation and Other New Country and Blues Music

A Day in the Life

1. Prelude for Piano (1935)
2. Blues for Piano (1935)
3. Sonatina for Piano (1941)
4. Sonatina for Piano (1941)
5. Sonatina for Piano (1941)
6. String Quartet No. 1 (1945)
7. String Quartet No. 1 (1945)
8. Piece for Tape (undated)
9. Study No. 30 for Prepared Piano (undated)
10. Para Yoko (1990)
11. Study No. 50 (ca. 1991)
12. Study No. 51 ("3750") (1992)
13. Contraption No. 1 (1993)
14. -21. Conlon Nancarrow speaks with Charles Amirkhanian