Chords At Night - The Rare Piano Works of Otto Luening
Liner Notes   Cat. No. NWCR872     Release Date: 2007-01-01
Marc Peloquin, piano

Pianist Marc Peloquin’'s journey into the universe of Otto Luening started with Henry Cowell.

A dedicated champion of modern music and an appreciator of the historical aspects of this music, Peloquin developed an interest in pieces originally published in Henry Cowell’s quarterly New Music, which the composer founded and ran from 1927—1958 to promote new composers. Some peers Cowell published were Charles Ives, Edgard Varèse, and John Cage-but the music that caught Peloquin by surprise was that of century-spanning composer Otto Luening (1900-—1996).

Luening the "tape music" pioneer, Luening the co-founder of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center, Luening the composer of works with titles like "Fantasy in Space" and "Low Speed"-these Luenings did not prepare Peloquin for Luening the writer of lyrical, Satie-like piano preludes.

"Those preludes and études go back to Chopin," says Peloquin, whose main attraction to and criteria for learning a piano piece is the piece’s lyricism. "Did Luening’'s electronic creations have any influence on his instrumental music? I’'d have to say no. You would never know from listening to this piano music that he was in a lab at Columbia with Babbitt and Ussachevsky." Throughout a life that begins when Puccini was still alive and ends after John Cage died, and in spite of all comings and goings of musical trends, "Luening’'s piano music maintains an integrity, a sincerity of expression," says Peloquin.

This title, originally issued on the CRI label, is now available as a burn-on-demand CD (CD-R) or download in MP3/320, FLAC or WAV formats. CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print booklet or jewel case included. Liner notes are accessible via the link above.

Marc Peloquin

Chords At Night - The Rare Piano Works of Otto Luening

MP3/320 $9.99
FLAC $9.99
WAV $9.99
CD-R $9.99
CD-Rs come in a protective sleeve; no print material or jewel case included.
A *.pdf of the notes may be accessed here free of charge.
   Liner Notes



Track Listing

Six Preludes: I. Slow
Otto Luening
Buy
Six Preludes: II. Moderato
Otto Luening
Buy
Six Preludes: III. Andante
Otto Luening
Buy
Six Preludes: IV. Andante
Otto Luening
Buy
Six Preludes: V. Allegro ma non troppo
Otto Luening
Buy
Six Preludes: VI. Moderato
Otto Luening
Buy
First Short Piano Sonata: I. Allegro giusto
Otto Luening
Buy
First Short Piano Sonata: II. Grave
Otto Luening
Buy
First Short Piano Sonata: III. Vivace
Otto Luening
Buy
Tango
Otto Luening
Buy
Song Without Words
Otto Luening
Buy
Sonority Forms I for Piano
Otto Luening
Buy
Sonority Forms II for Piano ("The Right Hand Path")
Otto Luening
Buy
Sonority Forms III for Piano
Otto Luening
Buy
Image
Otto Luening
Buy
Fourth Short Sonata for Piano: I. Allegro Moderato
Otto Luening
Buy
Fourth Short Sonata for Piano: II. Adagio
Otto Luening
Buy
Fourth Short Sonata for Piano: III. Allegro
Otto Luening
Buy
Fourth Short Sonata for Piano: IV. Allegro moderato-Allegro vivace
Otto Luening
Buy
Chords at Night
Otto Luening
Buy
Fantasia Etudes for Piano: I. Moderato commodo
Otto Luening
Buy
Fantasia Etudes for Piano: II. Allegro moderato
Otto Luening
Buy