Veryan Weston: Tessellations for Lutheal Piano

Tessellations (Emanem) is a unique work performed on a unique instrument by a unique pianist. On this CD Veryan Weston performs on what is arguably the grandest prepared piano in history: the presumed last Lutheal piano in existence. First built in 1914, the Lutheal piano uses organ-like stops to move small quills and pieces of felt into close proximity to the strings, producing timbres similar to those of harps, harpsichords and Hungarian cimbaloms. Weston thoroughly exploits the possibilities of the Lutheal piano in this album-length solo piece, which is built upon a sequence of 52 closely related pentatonic scales. In other settings, Weston can be an expansive improviser; here the demands of the materials dictate a concise, rigorous performance, which Weston delivers with often astonishing authority. In addition to the music, this single CD also contains a CD-ROM section that explains the interlocking relationships of the scales Weston used in the piece.

Originally Published December 1, 2003