Conlon Nancarrow: Complete Studies for Player Piano (3/10)

Conlon Nancarrow: Player Piano Study No.45a
Conlon Nancarrow: Player Piano Study No.45b
Conlon Nancarrow: Player Piano Study No.45c
Conlon Nancarrow: Player Piano Study No.46
Conlon Nancarrow: Player Piano Study No.47
Conlon Nancarrow: Player Piano Study No.11

Commissioned by Betty Freeman circa 1982, Studies Nos.45 to 47 represent a return to Nancarrow's Boogie Woogie influenced work, but with the maturity that 32 years of player piano composing afforded him.

Study No.11 is from a much earlier period, but its staccato chords and cascading lines suggest post-bop vamping, in all likelihood by chance rather than design.

This concert is performed on an original Marshall and Wendell Ampico reproducing piano, identical to Nancarrow's own, operated by Rex Lawson and Wolfgang Heisig.

Rex Lawson Ampico reproducing piano
Wolfgang Heisig Ampico reproducing piano