Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 2002. Vol. 8. Eger Journal of American Studies.(Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 28)

Studies - Péter Egri: (Per)chance: Joyce and Cage

At the start of the first bar of the piano part, one can admittedly read, in very small writing, the word "CLOSED." What does that mean? Following the large letters of the title page, and preceding the actual parts for the voice and the piano, on page 2 of the work, which the pianist may at first easily overlook but will now certainly look over, he can find a corroboration of the initial instruction in bar 1 of the piano part: the grand piano is supposed to be completely closed. Both the keyboard-lid and the strings-cover must be closed. Can one play a closed piano? Perchance he can if he hits it. In some compositions the keys are pressed not so much for pitch but more for beat, not so much for melody but much rather for rhythm. Cage's intention, however, is different. Totally disregarding the pitches of the strings, he uses the closed piano as a percussion instrument. A man of exact notation, he clearly specifies what his notes mean and what the pianist should do. If the pianist sees notes on the first (bottom) space of the stave, he is required to hit the under part of the piano. If he perceives notes on the second space, he is supposed to drum on the front part of the keyboard-lid. When he senses notes on the third space, he must touch the back and higher part of the lid. When he takes note of notes on the fourth space, he should hit the top of the piano. Not to leave the pianist at a loss, Cage gives him instructions as to the manner of hitting as well. Regular notes mean that the pianist should drum with his fingers. Notes with x-s as heads indicate that he must use the knuckles of his closed hands. The lower staff is reserved for the left hand, and the upper stave for the right hand, without any reference to bass or treble. Can such a piano accompaniment be effective? Is the use of the piano as a mere percussion instrument compatible with the calm of the night? Can it express tender yearning? Don't drum-rolls disturb the gentle mood of Joyce's piece? Don't they disrupt the peace of the passage? Doesn't hitting a musical instrument with knuckles involve violence? These questions cannot be answered theoretically. If one listens to Cage's song, one finds that the accompaniment is quite appropriate. It adds sophisticated rhythmic variety to the dreamy and repetitive singing of the voice. Its subdued volume does not destroy the calm of the text. By often being even softer and lower than the voice, it does 76