Music for Piano with Slow Sweep Pure Wave Oscillators - Alvin Lucier

In Music for Piano with Slow Sweep Pure Wave Oscillators two pure waves slowly sweep up and down the range of four octaves, forming a large irregular diamond shape. As they do so, the pianist plays single tones across the sweeping waves. She has specific notes to play, with suggested timings. She may, however, anticipate or delay a tone thereby changing the beating pattern. If the piano tone sounds before the wave arrives at unison with it, the beating starts fast and slows down. If it sounds after the wave has passed it, it speeds up. If a tone is sounding when the wave reaches unison with it, the beating stops momentarily. Music for Piano was written for Aki Takahashi who premiered it in October 1992, in Yokohama, Japan. Marilyn Nonken first performed the work on 16 November 1997, on the Salvatore Martirano Composition Award Concert, University of Illinois. 

Alvin Lucier