Conlon Nancarrow’s Player Piano

In the 1940’s and 50’s, American composer Conlan Nancarrow used an old-fashioned tool to create music no human could have played or heard before. Critic Kyle Gann has written a book about this incredible artist who, as Gann explains, used mind-bending mathematical formulas to cut extremely complex rolls for the player piano — something with which Artis Wodehouse is very familiar.  [Produced for PRI‘s “Studio 360“.]

Nancarrow punching a piano roll. [Photo by Phillip Makanna]

Music featured:

• “Study for Player Piano No.40a” – by Conlon Nancarrow
• “Kladfvgbung Micshk” – by Aphex Twin
• “My Pet” – by Zez Confrey – realized by Artis Wodehouse
• “Study for Player Piano No.3a” – by Conlon Nancarrow