Composer

:

Henry Cowell

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Piece

Compose Date

:

1925

First Performance

:

Feb 3, 1925

Average_duration

:

2:49

Henry Cowell's "The Banshee, HC 405" is a solo piano piece that was composed in 1925. It premiered on March 10, 1925, at the New School for Social Research in New York City. The piece is a part of Cowell's "New Music" movement, which sought to break away from traditional Western classical music and explore new sounds and techniques. "The Banshee" is a single-movement piece that is characterized by its use of extended techniques on the piano. Cowell instructs the performer to play the strings of the piano directly, creating a variety of eerie and otherworldly sounds. The performer is also instructed to use their hands and forearms to create percussive effects on the piano. The piece begins with a series of haunting, high-pitched sounds that are created by plucking the strings of the piano. The performer then moves on to create a variety of percussive effects, including tapping and slapping the piano's soundboard. The middle section of the piece features a series of glissandos and tremolos that create a sense of tension and unease. As the piece progresses, the performer returns to the use of extended techniques, creating a variety of eerie and unsettling sounds. The piece ends with a series of high-pitched, dissonant chords that gradually fade away. Overall, "The Banshee" is a unique and innovative piece that showcases Cowell's interest in exploring new sounds and techniques. Its use of extended techniques on the piano creates a sense of otherworldliness and unease, making it a memorable and haunting piece of music.

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