The Piano as Percussion

The piano has advanced considerably over the quarter-millenium of its life. The works written for it are some of the most important pieces in the classical catalogue. But one can be forgiven for initially assuming a composition like this:

to not be one written for the piano. The 20th century saw innovations for the pianoforte no one had ever dreamed of occurring. These innovations had been criticized early on for being “mechanical” or “unmusical” being too “predictable” (keep in mind this was said during an era where the Player Piano was gaining popularity). There are many who have even described these new innovations as Percussive. This, to me, raises an interesting question: what IS the piano’s role as a Percussion instrument? A percussion instrument is one that is struck. This post will therefore try to begin a discussion how then the piano is percussive.

In his book “New Musical Resources”, composer John Cowell says “A melody with percussion accompaniment but no harmony is characteristic of nearly all primitive music.” As a percussionist myself, I feel as though he raises a compelling argument. An argument that manifests itself in the work, Edgard Varèse’s “Ionisation”. This piece is a landmark composition for percussionists because it is the first ever single work scored for percussion ensemble. There had been some single movements of larger works, but this is the first concert work for percussion only.

The piece is scored for 13 players playing more than 3 dozen different instruments, but it’s the 13th player that is the most intriguing: the piano. This instrument doesn’t enter the piece until Rehearsal Mark 13, literally 17 measures before it ends. But when it does…

...is a sight to behold. Much of the piano part includes an unusual notation that calls for the player to perform 2 ½ octaves simultaneously whenever it’s not playing with the bells and glockenspiel. This is the notation Cowell for Cluster Chords, a system where three or more notes play at one time at close intervals, creating dissonance. How this relates to percussion is that, since the 2 ½ octaves are played at the extreme low end of the piano, it creates an almost thudy sound. Notes so low, they create a tone which, when combined with the low drum and gongs, becomes a new instrument unto itself. And, as a percussionist, that’s a sign of doing something right.

Going back to John Cowell for a minute, the man was an interesting composer to say the least. He did things to a piano no one ever had the audacity to do before. Naturally, quite a few people were against such boisterous experimentation.

Actually, strike that. Everyone and their grandmas hated his guts. But there’s no denying that the results were interesting.

Take his 1925 piano work “The Banshee” for instance.

Talk about interesting! Right here, the pianist mostly just rubs his fingers against the strings of the instrument with occasional plucking while another person holds down the dampener pedal. What results has been described as two minutes in hell. The rubbing was meant to simulate the screams of an actual banshee, the famous woman of death from Celtic myth with either a low singing or a thin screech. Both sounds are present in this piece, especially the former.

While “The Banshee” is a notable piece, what does it have to do with Percussion? The lower notes present can be interpreted as a low drum or a gong, but that’s clearly pushing it. There must be a clearer instrument that has a better and clearer connection to a single percussion instrument.

Well, there is one I can think of: the Waterphone.

When one gets to the “bow” part of the demonstration, it’s easy to see the correlations between the waterphone and the rubbing of the piano strings. 0:41 is a particularly stand out moment in this relationship. Perhaps it may just be a coincidence, but the comparisons are so similar that they are still worth being brought up.

These are but a few of the ways the piano can be percussive. Whether they are simulating church bells (Debussy’s La cathédeale engloutie or in the Symphonie Fantastique (in case actual bells are unavailable) for a few) or used to reinforce low drums (as in Ionisation), the piano is a marvelous instrument. It’s one of those instruments that can do more than what the general populace gives it credit for. Though there will still always be people who think that it can’t do more than be pretty, there will always be someone who can make something more than what it is. And they seem to be doing alright. A percussion instrument is one that can be struck, so strike those keys!