piano tuned in 16th tones
This work has as its subtitle Monodies et carillons pour s’approcher de Julian Carrillo. In it we can perceive two types of music: carillons (chimes, bells) that are present in the final two minutes of the work, and monodies that, for the remainder of the work, develop a limited number of rhythmic and melodic cells, often without accompaniment and always presented in new contexts, using modal transpositions, permutations and various combinations. There are eight such monodies. Through the use of introductions, interpolations and transitions the formal scheme of the work is refined while the identification of the monodies can be a bit submerged.
As to the musical material itself, I tried to work within the constraint of the temperament in 16th tones. Although not mathematically exact, the result is nonetheless very close to the “smooth” and “fusional” sonority typical of natural tuning. Hence the title…
The work is a tribute to the Mexican composer Julian Carrillo, who was a musical pioneer in conceiving and building an incredible family of pianos tuned in microtones. I have dedicated Naturel tempéré to the pianist and composer Bruce Mather, who commissioned and premiered the piece.
Michel Gonneville (Translation: P Frehner)
oeuvre@22349 generated in Montréal by litk 0.600 on
Thursday, September 8, 2011. Development & maintenance: DIM.