“Introducing ‘Guero’ (1970) by Helmut Lachenmann, Mr. Aimard explained that the pianist is supposed to perform the piece mostly by scraping his fingernails along the edges of the keys to evoke the sounds of an African instrument that is played by scratching a stick along the ribbed side of a woodblock. Instead, to protect his fingers, and with deep apologies to this ‘very left wing’ German composer, Mr. Aimard played the piece using two of his thoroughly capitalist credit cards.”
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Pierre-Laurent Aimard On Capitalism and Helmut Lachenmann
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Helmut Lachenmann is full of humor, as you know. In playing “Guero” with credit cards in New York, there is an irony that the composer would maybe like. As a further alienation of the piano instrument… He will surely be informed of this article. Let us know if you read his reaction somewhere !
Yes, I am sure Helmut would like the idea! :-)