Noodivihik for piano (1992)

10′
Work commissioned by the Society of the Friends of Music in Vienna
WP: 08.04.1992, Vienna (AT) | Thomas Larcher (piano)

intro
critic acid
leave your baggage unattended

Audio sample

Thomas Larcher (piano) | CD Naunz

Programm note
“Noodivihik” deals with time on a macro and a micro level. The macro time level is divided into two parts: in a fast first part and in a slow second part. In the Introduction, which precedes the first part, the various forms of a 12-tone row are gone through. The layers of rhythm, line and movement, as well as chord, sound and silence are introduced in a very condensed way. They correspond to the basic idea underlying the first and the second parts, respectively.

The first part (‘critic acid’) works, above all, with two basic rhythmic patterns and their irritation through the addition or subtraction of note values. The interweaving of the two sectors in which these basic patterns appear separately, results in a structure of the time in the middle (that is, within critic acid). In addition, the levels of chord, sound and silence are treated in the middle and at the end (easily recognizable through the use of prepared piano tones).

The second part (leave your baggage unattended) combines the aforementioned two levels through superimposing the movements of ‘natural’ and prepared tones. This all occurs within a three-layered ‘endless pattern’ within which the ‘miniscule rhythms’ shift. This aspect is also rendered audible through the partial preparation of the instrument. The ‘endless pattern’ is stopped halfway through the progression that would take it back to the home position. The movement begins with a self-contained line consisting of natural tones; at the end is an open, gestural series of chords assembled out of prepared tones.

Other layers pass through “Noodivihik” and run their course, so to speak: the aforementioned twelve-tone row as well as the constantly recurring g-sharp minor chord, cut-up organ point, fingernails, and decently rusted nail clips. These layers are each maintained in their basic forms in order to keep the confusion as clear as possible.

My thanks to Haimo Wisser, Dr. Thomas Angyan, and, above all, to Monika Groser (an e-sharp!) for the structuring of the very large rhythm.

Thomas Larcher