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Five Preludes (Piano solo)

Whalley, R. Five Preludes. 2009. Piano solo. Published by Composers Edition, ii + 14 pages. Duration 12 mins. Premiered in Manchester, UK on 12.11.2009 by the composer. Subsequent performances by the composer and Yung-A Joon in Ayron, France and by Richard Casey in Salford and Durham. Awarded ‘Winner of the International Music Prize for Excellence’ in Composition 2009.

These five piano preludes focus on developing the widest range possible of sonorities on the piano through differentiated means of articulation, and combinations with various pedalling techniques. Research for this involved systematic experimentation with the effects of adjusting various parameters on the piano (speed/force/length of articulation; degree of resonance; means of release, etc.) with intensive study of textural writing in short piano works, notably Debussy (Preludes), Schoenberg (Op. 19), Janacek (In the Mists) and Ligeti (Études).

Each prelude focusses on an exploration of distinctive territory informed by the process above. Exploitation of two particular piano techniques are worthy of mention, as these are rarely explored in piano music. The first prelude, Two Lines Transcended contrasts ‘fingerpedal’ (i.e. holding notes down with the fingers, but not the pedal) with normal legato playing, and con pedale playing. The third prelude, Still Waters uses dense harmony and rhythmic pulsation to make the release of a certain notes within a held chord as important as their initial articulation.

This approach, combined with the short length of each prelude, made it possible to exploit in many ways the expressive and poetic potential of the piano sound, within a framework conceived to maximise characterisation and spontaneity.

Research for this work was presented at Manchester University and Queens University, Belfast.