CAP-KO
Concerto for Acoustic Piano, Keyboard and Orchestra
dedicated to Béla Bartók
Commissioned by Musica Viva München, co-commissioned by: Suisse Romande Orch.,
Concertgebouw Orch., Orch. Phil. de la Radio France, Gothenburg Symphony Orch.
Description
First performance: 26 January 2006, Munich
Symphony orchestra of the Bayerischer Rundfunk
Conductor: Peter Eötvös
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
The work was commissioned for the 125th anniversary of Béla Bartók´s birth by five European orchestras: Musica Viva Munich, Suisse Romande, Orchestre Philharmonique de la Radio France, Amsterdam´s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. The world premiere of CAP-KO was given by pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Musica Viva in Munich, on January 26, 2006, under the direction of the composer.
This concerto featured only one pianist, with a digital (MIDI) keyboard programmed in such a way that for every note played by the pianist, the computer added two more notes, separated from the original note by intervals specified by the composer. Eötvös commented on the fact that, on the digital keyboard, the coordination of the parallel voices was always 100% precise. Thus, if the pianist played a fast scale, the audience heard three parallel fast scales. The MIDI program increased the pianist’s virtuosity far beyond what ten fingers are capable of achieving.
It was this technological idea that first gave rise to the work that Eötvös then called CAP-KO (Concerto for Acoustic Piano, Keyboard, and Orchestra). The digital piano was the primary soloist, in addition, an acoustic piano was used, in the composer’s words, as part of the orchestra, a kind of “echo chamber”.
/Peter Laki/
Performances
Eötvös: CAP-KO
Lyon Biennale
Orchestre National de Lyon
Conductor: Peter Eötvös
Eötvös: CAP-KO
MÜPA
Szeged Contemporary Ballet
Eötvös: CAP-KO
Radio Symph. Orch. Vienna
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO
Philharmonique Radio France
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO
Concertgebouw Orchestra
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO
Concertgebouw Orchestra
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO
Suisse Romande Orchestra
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO
Suisse Romande Orchestra
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO (Premiere)
Gothenburg Symph. Orchestra
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO (Premiere)
Gothenburg Symph. Orchestra
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Eötvös: CAP-KO (Premiere)
Musica Viva Bavarian Radio Orch.
Cond: Peter Eötvös
Pierre Laurent Aimard, piano
Details
Publisher information
Edition Schott Music Mainz
Orchestration
2 Flutes (both also Piccolo, 2nd also Alto Flute)
2 Oboes (2nd also English Horn)
2 Clarinets in A (2nd also i Clarinets in A (2n Eh)
1 Bass Clarinet in Bb (also Double bass clarinet)
1 Soprano Saxophone (also Alto and Baritone Saxophone: is sitting beside the Bass Clarinet)
2 Bassoons (2nd also Contrabassoon)
2 Horns in F (muted)
2 Trumpets in C (both muted: straight, cup, 1. also wawa)
2 Trombones (both muted: straight, cup, 2. also soft mute)
2 Tubas (muted)
Percussion (3 players: left – middle – right; in good sight, clearly separated on an elevated podium. The percussion in the
middle has a leading role.)
1: Middle: Snare drum, medium, soloistic, con corda and senza corda
Suspended cymbal, medium, soloistic
Suspended chinese cymbal with a big dome, ca. 20-30 cm, medium range, soloistic
Bass drum
Indian harness bells, very high
Bongo, very high and sharp
Tam-tam, on a high stand, surface in the direction of the audience
2 Plate bells, Ab – d (the same pitch as the gong of Perc. ‘Left’), surface in the direction of the audience, also played with a rasping stick
3 suspended tubular bells, eb’ – bb’ – b’
Triangle, high
African bean rattle (the beans sound as a maracas, but more secco and accurately)
2: Left: Snare drum, low, soloistic, con corda and senza corda
Suspended cymbal, high, soloistic
Suspended chinese cymbal with a big dome, ca. 20-30 cm, medium range, soloistic
2 Tom-toms, medium – low
Tarnbourine (with jingles)
Gong, d (sounds as the d-string of the cello), heavy instrument with a raspy surface
2 Plate bells, G – db, surface in the direction of the audience, also played with a rasping stick
3 Crotales, bb”‘- b ‘ ” – c ” ”
Triangle, high
Ocean drum, very ! arge and very loud
African bean rattle (the beans sound as a maracas, but more secco and accurately)
3: Right: Snare drum, high, soloistic, con corda and senza corda
Suspended cymbal, low, soloistic
Suspended chinese cymbal with a big dome, ca. 20-30 cm, medium range, soloistic
2 Bongos, medium – low (as a continuation ofthe tom-toms)
Harness bells, high
Gong, c (sounds as the c-string of the viola), heavy instrument with a raspy surface
2 Plate bells, A – eb, surface in the direction of the audience, also played with a rasping stick
Crotales, f
Triangle, high
African bean rattle (the beans sound asa maracas, but more secco and accurately)
Pair of chinese cymbals (it2), very big, with a curved border, raspy surface. The cymbals are not beaten, they are rubbed against each other,
very loudly, imminently noisily
Celesta (also Keyboard-Control, together with the soloist) The damp pedal is locked with a rubber wedge „sempre ped.”
(the player does not touch the pedal with his foot)
Klavier solo: – Steinway „D”-Flügel:
The damp pedal is locked with a rubber wedge „sempre ped.”
(the player does not touch the pedal with his foot)
Keyboard Roland KR 17 or a more current midi piano
(with integrated loudspeakers and a professional keystroke)
10 Violins I
8 Violins II
6 Violas
6 Violoncellos
4 Double Basses (4th with four strings)
Technical information
Withdrawn composition
Further information
CAP-KO, my first piano concerto, was written for special solo instruments. I use two grand pianos which are both played by the soloist: a normal acoustic grand piano which is used as part of the orchestra as an “echo chamber”, and a digital MIDI piano used as a solo instrument which, thanks to its electronic equipment, enables the soloist to add extra notes. The resulting parallel intervals – a reference to Bartók – lead to an unusual kind of tonal virtuosity and tonal complexity.
CAP-KO is conceptually related to Bartók’s music in another way, too, referencing the relationship between the solo instruments and percussion.
CAP-KO has been jointly commissioned by five European orchestras to mark the125th birthday of Béla Bartók (25/03/2006).
/Peter Eötvös/