New Lights: Sonatas and Interludes

A programme made up of a selection of John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano as well as For Merce C at The Barbican by Stephen Montague, The Air Inside the Cage by Rolf Hind and other new works for prepared piano composed and performed by Ivo Webber, Max West, Felix Ottaway O’Mahony, Lucas Saraiva Cunha, Mikaela Livadiotis and Rachele Howes.  

The concert will be introduced by Stephen Montague, recounting his experiences with John Cage. 

For Merce C. at The Barbican

Composer Stephen Montague

Performer Mikaela Livadiotis

Piece for Prepared Piano and 5 Players

Composer Mikaela Livadiotis

Performers Lucas Saraiva Cunha, Rachele Howes, Felix Ottaway O’Mahony, Ivo Webber & Max West.

This piece is intended as a textual exploration of the preparations used by John Cage; the various ranges utilised by the players all explore a different timbre and function.

Sonata I

Composer John Cage

Performer Lucas Saraiva Cunha

Sonata V

Composer John Cage

Performer Felix Ottaway O’Mahony

Through the eyes of a Garden Gnome –

A Timelapse

I – Morning

II – Noon

III – Night

Composer Lucas Saraiva Cunha

Performer Rachele Howes

Embracing the whimsy of the sonic world of Cage’s piano preparations. ‘Through the eyes of a Garden Gnome’ evokes the image of a brief day passing through a quaint little back garden, through the perspective of a Garden Gnome.

Sonata IV

Composer John Cage

Performer Felix Ottaway O’Mahony

Do you mind if I make an interjection?

Composer Max West

Performer Lucas Saraiva Cunha

John Cage Piano Sonata I from Sonatas and Interludes, and Harold Pinter Waiter line from Celebration. The piano preparation is the same as John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes.

Sketch for a prepared octave

Composer Felix Ottaway O’Mahony

Performer Felix Ottaway O’Mahony

This miniature focuses on one prepared octave, taken from John Cage’s preparation of the instrument.

Fourth Interlude

Composer John Cage

Performer Rachele Howes

Neither

Composer Max West

Performer Felix Ottaway O’Mahony

Neither is a poem by Samuel Beckett, the libretto for Morten Feldman’s opera of the same title. The piano preparation is the same as John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes.

Sonata XIV

Composer John Cage

Performer Mikaela Livadiotis

Sonata XV

Composer John Cage

Performer Mikaela Livadiotis

The Air Inside the Cage

Composer Rolf Hind

Performer Mikaela Livadiotis

Sonata II

Composer John Cage

Performer Lucas Saraiva Cunha

Musica Ex Machina

Composer and Conducting Ivo Webber

Performers Lucas Saraiva Cunha, Rachele Howes, Felix Ottaway O’Mahony & Max West.

“Musica Ex Machina” (Music From The Machine) is written for four players and one instrument. With two players operating the keys and two standing at each side, they make use of every sound that the piano can offer them, utilising the many sounds and tools available to them (including a mallet and a ping pong ball) to create this short, rhythmic piece.