Piece by Robert Erickson
Analog Audio
Event Type
MusicOrigin
Alan RichIdentifier
P.ERI.ROB.02Program Length
20 minDates
| broadcast| 402 | created
Description
Recorded during a televised performance on KQED in San Francisco, Warner Jepson performs Robert Erickson’s “Piece,” a 1965 composition scored for two toy pianos and bells, with some of the instruments pre-recorded on tape. The deep resounding bells are elegantly juxtaposed with the higher, tinkling, sounds of the toy pianos in this early electro-acoustic composition. Robert Erickson, was a noted author and educator, whose students included Morton Subotnick, Pauline Oliveros, Terry Riley, and Paul Dresher. He was one of the first composers to incorporate taped music into his works, was a co-founder of the San Francisco Tape Center as well as the Music Department at the University of California in San Diego. Erickson was the recipient of numerous awards in composition, including fellowships from the Ford and the Guggenheim Memorial Foundations. Despite suffering from a painful wasting muscle disease that left him bedridden for almost fifteen years before his death, Erickson continued to compose up until 1990.Thanks to Alan Rich for making this historic recording available.
Genres
New musicElectro-Acoustic / Electronic
Musical Selections
Piece, for 2 toy pianos and pre-recorded bells (1965) (19:30) / Robert EricksonPerformers
Warner Jepson, toy pianosSubjects
New musicElectro-acoustic
Electronic and toy piano music
Bell music
Toy piano music