John Cage "invented" the prepared piano by inserting bolts, screws, pieces of rubber and other objects between the piano's strings at precise points along the strings' lengths in order to change the instrument's timbre and tuning in unexpected ways. He described the result as a percussion ensemble under the hands of a single player. Cage subsequently wrote many works for prepared piano, exploring the effects of different materials, different placements, use of pedals, changing of pitch and timbre and the combination of effects.
The Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano were written gradually between 1946–1948 and became the culmination of Cage’s early work, bringing together many aspects of music and philosophy that were preoccupying him up to the end of the 1940s. The ordered conception and the variety of technique, mood and colour that it presents are reminiscent in some ways of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier or Chopin’s 24 Preludes, and it is certainly as important to Cage’s output as these other works are to their composers. As such, it seems to owe a significant debt to tradition, but at the same time it is a masterpiece of the unconventional in the twentieth century.
Yegor Shevtsov, a friend and supporter of the festival since the first years, himself suggested performing Cage's Sonatas and Interludes. In this way he challenged not only himself but also us – you won't necessarily see drums on stage at a percussion festival concert. Formerly a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music, Yegor is a distinguished pianist who discovers himself in both classical and contemporary repertoire, blending innovation and tradition in his artistry. Currently based in Bodø, he is a key member of the Arctic Philharmonic.
PROGRAM
John Cage – Sonatas and Interludes
PERFORMER
Yegor Shevtsov (UA/NO)
Bodøgaard gallery
Frida S. Bringslimark