Studies for Player Piano

MARBECKS STAFF PICK: CD OF THE YEAR 2009

"… this latest selection from the composer's back catalogue of player piano studies, arranged by Raaf Hekkema and brilliantly dispatched by the Calefax Reed Quintet and pianist Ivo Janssen, does more than any to impart a real sense of warmth and humanity to Nancarrow's work." Gramophone Magazine, July 2009

The Calefax Reed Quintet, along with composer Raff Hekkema, present 17 studies for player piano by the American composer Conlon Nancarrow arranged for solo piano and a quintet comprising oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone and bassoon. This recording brings out the debt Nancarrow owed to the boogie-woogie piano, jazz and big-band tradition whilst ensuring that his complex rhythmic machinery remains to the forefront. The reed quintet's evocation of popular music sonorities makes this sometimes formidably complex music easier on the ear and clarifies Nancarrow's abstrusely inventive, mathematically precise counterpoint: "Study no. 11" for example sounds like Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk and and Art Tatum playing furious, lopsided, fractured bebop with the Muppets! Easily some of the most humorous and witty 20th century music ever and highly recommended to fans of jazz, experimental music and anyone with a broad mind. (Keith at Marbecks)

"Nancarrow created what he wanted to hear himself, every other consideration was irrelevant. This attitude endowed his music with enormous power. With a similar inspired doggedness Raaf Hekkema in 2001 embarked upon a well nigh impossible task. He wanted to find out whether is was possible to create versions of a number of these Studies for living musicians. Nancarrow himself had thought this to be out of the question, but the pianist Yvar Mikashoff and the Ensemble Modern had already proved that it was possible after all, to the great pleasure of the composer, who actually started writing music without piano rolls again.

How Nancarrow would have enjoyed this Calefax CD! Hoboist Oliver Boekhoorn, clarinettist Ivar Berix, Hekkema on his saxophones, Jelte Althuis with his bass clarinet, bassoon player Alban Wesly and last but not least pianist Ivo Janssen play so overwhelmingly brilliant that sometimes one does not believe one's ears. This is also a compliment to arranger Hekkema, who has really done excellent work. It all sounds so natural and convincing - as though Nancarrow had written all these pieces especially for Calefax.

Funniest are the early Studies, in which jazz influences are still much in evidence. Calefax sounds like a loony mini big band here, the members of which have downed too many uppers. A personal favourite is Study No. 12, which begins with a melody with strongly Stravinskian articulation, until arrow-swift arpeggio's and similar virtuoso meanderings take over. Without a shadow of doubt: this CD is going to be a winner." Erik Voerman