De Graaff’s new work is commissioned by NTR Zaterdagmatinee, and composed for Hannes Minnaar and the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest. Premiere performance conducted by Karina Canellakis.

The Luthéal is a very peculiar instrument. In a sense it is an extension of the Piano with three extra colourful registers: a ‘harpsischord’, a ‘lute’ and a ‘cimbalom’. In four movements this piece demonstrates the different sound worlds that the Luthéal can create in a heated dialogue with the orchestra. It explores the unknown grounds between beauty and corruption, or even the beauty of corruption, as not only the sounds of the piano are manipulated, but also the different musical styles this concerto is referring to.

In the first movement, a Nocturne with passacaglia, the ‘plain’ piano sound is explored, with references to post-impressionism within in a nebulous and intoxicating orchestral sound palet.

The second movement is a Toccata, that explores the harpsichord register of the instrument. The orchestra mimics a baroque style close to Händel and Scarlatti, but gradually becomes more obsessive and disruptive in the way it moves within a Hammering style that more and more seems to evolve in a more modernistic sound world reminiscent of the 1970s, with the solo part switching between virtuoso soloist and obedient accompanist.

The third movement is an Adagio, set in an eerie orchestral environment featuring numbers being read softly through a megaphone, a repetitive viola solo on one note and feverish thuds from the basses and percussion. The Lutheal switches to a ‘ghost’ register with the bass half of the clavier sounding one octave higher than usual.

The fourth movement, the finale is a Gigue in B-flat major, the Lutheal and the Orchestra sounding in perfect tonal harmony in a style that references Mozart or even Bach. However, the Gigue dance gradually leads again to more intense musical territories, and more dissonant harmonies, crooked accents and obtrusive clusters start to appear, leading to a blasting finale with an ironic twist.

Program:

De Graaff: Concert voor luthéal/piano
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 8 in C minor, op. 65