TheseFour Studies, written 20 years apart (the first 3 in 1992 and the 4th in 2012) correspond to a work of writing on an instrument with a tempered and fixed pitch. They are polyphonic according to the same principles dictated by a keyboard instrument. The specificity of a piano with a sostenuto pedal allows to compose a polyphony based on different and simultaneous speeds thanks to the total control of the variable resonance durations. Indeed, certain notes are kept in this sostenuto pedal which allows to hear simultaneously different attack modes and resonances with extremely varied durations. On the other hand, the playing modes in the strings cause varied registration effects as well as variations in the attack transient of the instrument or a “manual” control of the end of the resonance of a sound. The pedals and 1/2 pedals create swellings (wawa mute effect) using techniques inspired by both 20th century French piano and jazz musicians.

Premiere

01/10/1992 – Milan (Italy) – Maria Bellochio (piano)

Contents

• Forte / Piano
• Variations sur une seule note
• Cordes vide