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MMD > Archives > November 1999 > 1999.11.22 > 03Prev  Next


"Ballet Mecanique" Disklavier Concert
By D. L. Bullock

It seems that the Yamaha Disklavier solenoid piano fails miserably
every time it is used to interpret something that began as a pneumatic
piano performance.

I suggest, Douglas, that we put together 16 Ampicos or Duo-Arts on
stage with a large theater organ with extra large toy counter, and
program a performance into the computer that would be able to drive
the audience out of the house with the volume possible in the pneumatic
playing possible with that combination.  All the pianos may be synchro-
nized with Larry Broadmoore's MIDI-operated PowerRoll and the organ can
add everything that is not piano.

If humans have trouble balancing their playing with mechanical music
making, then let's take the human element out of the equation.  Is that
not the _real_ point of this work of performance art?  Make it all
"musique mechanique"!

D. L. Bullock

 [ Does the Yamaha Disklavier usually sound as puny as Douglas
 [ described?  Cannot the Disklavier solenoid accelerate the hammer
 [ as quickly as does a pneumatic action?  I know that the Boesendorfer
 [ SE solenoid action does: I've heard its ear-shattering audio energy
 [ at close distance.  It's probably like a pneumatic piano playing
 [ with more than 100 inches suction.  -- Robbie


(Message sent Mon 22 Nov 1999, 11:57:18 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Ballet, Concert, Disklavier, Mecanique

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