the stone and the key by Jeremy Rosenstock

Jeremy Rosenstock

the stone and the key for piano and stones

Program Notes

This work is part of an investigation into the use of natural objects in acoustic music. Within this, it is also part of a series of pieces in which Classical instruments are played and prepared with stones. The acoustic piano is an object made of wood, metal, and, at one point, ivory. Though many of the materials that compose this instrument are "natural," they are processed beyond recognition. The wooden frame of the piano may be cut into thick strips, warped with water to induce strange curves, and lacquered black to obscure wood grain. Similarly, the ivory of the keytops is severely alienated from the tusks of the great elephants who grew these materials as protection across millenia of evolution. The piano represents a human desire to persevere over nature, to prove its superiority through manipulation of its materials to its own ends. In this piece, the performer uses two stones to play the piano keys. These stones are slid across the keys, rubbed against one another, and used to press the keys. Through invoking these materials, I hope to annunciate the natural origins of the instrument, to remind the listener that the age of the piano (and humanity itself) is inﬁnitesimal compared to that of a tree's DNA, let alone a simple stone.

Key

Any ongoing action. Actions continue until next negating action or described/notated end of action.

Regular and long fermata (from top to bo om). Regular fermatas are 10" or less and long fermatas are greater than 10". Note that whole rests are the only type of rest used in combination with fermatas.

Performance Notes Two stones are required for this piece, which are referred to as "LH stone" and "RH stone" in the score. Both stones should be about 2" long (or long enough to reach a third on the piano's white keys), relatively ﬂat, and of similar material composition. Examples of potential stones are included in the "Stone Documentation" on p. 4. Stones should be used to play all notes in the piece, except for an E which is indicated with an asterisk on p. 13. The pitch of the "stone on key" describes where the RH stone should be located on the keyboard while said stone isn't being used to press keys. In turn, non-glissandi notes involving this notehead will be "silent" (excepting those sounds produced by rubbing the RH stone with the LH stone, of course). The 32nd notes on p. 5 should not be interpreted literally. Similarly, the notated dynamics for the keytop glissandi are only guidelines; the volume of the keytop glissandi will be determined by the velocity and the range of said glissandi. Boxed text is used sporadically throughout the score to emphasize certain score instructions. Nevertheless, all text instructions in the score (boxed and unboxed) should be followed. No sustain pedal should be necessary at any point in this piece. Stone and key sounds should be ampliﬁed in performance, to allow the listener to hear what the performer hears. All stone and key sounds, intended and unintended, are welcome.

Stone Documentation

1-2. RH and LH Stones (interchangeable) 3. Quarter (for size reference)

the stone and the key

Jeremy Rosenstock

accel.

q = 60 (1")

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while releasing key, hit RH stone with keytops; begin rubbing RH stone with LH stone IMMEDIATELY after

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stop rubbing stones, suddenly

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hold to induce sympathetic resonance

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*the E in this cluster is the ONLY note in this piece that should be played using a ﬁnger (rather than a stone)

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allow sound to COMPLETELY dissipate before ﬁnal release

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