Brian Chesters says:

> I have just been listening to the Disklavier concert as
> recommended by Terry Smythe [070424 MMDigest].  I feel
> very agitated now -- my head is hurting.  Can I ask the
> question, is it actually 'music', by any definition?

I made mention of this site because it appears to follow along
a concept of music composition well known, emerging from Conlon
Nancarrow, a composer for an Ampico piano, now deceased, and an
AMICA Honorary member.  A few years back, here in Winnipeg, the annual
New Music Festival organizers borrowed one of my reproducing grands,
and also scrounged around North America to borrow some of Conlon's
piano rolls.  The concert was moderately successful, attracting an
audience of about 100 people in a hall capable of holding 325 people.

I believe Walter Tenten, in Germany, participated in a public concert
featuring Conlon's music.  If I'm not mistaken, the concert employed
two Ampico grands fitted with e-valves and synchronized together from
a common computer delivering the Conlon music simultaneously to both
in MIDI form.  Perhaps Walter could elaborate a bit on that achievement.

I'm reminded of an incident, many years ago, when a student of
contemporary music appeared at my door with a piano roll in hand.
It seems he laid a blank roll over a road map and punched holes in the
paper, following streets and highways beneath.  Totally random, far
beyond the ability of a human hand to play, and totally without any
musical merit... :-), but fun to watch the keyboard following along.

With regard to the use of a Disklavier piano for playback of this
music, I'm somewhat puzzled about the ability of the instrument to
actually reliably "play" this music.  Massive reiteration might well
have imposed demands upon the piano action beyond its ability to
respond reliably.  There has been extensive discussion on the
Disklavier discussion group in recent weeks on this very issue.

Regards,
Terry Smythe
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
http://members.shaw.ca/smythe/rebirth.htm