“A transdisciplinary approach to music suggests that music cannot be fully studied and understood if it is approached by only one single discipline, or perhaps by even by different disciplines which are just put next to each other without much interaction. Indeed, transdisciplinarity suggests that music can or should be approached by transcending scientific disciplines. This implies a dynamics that goes beyond the boundaries of what separate disciplines can offer to music”. Marc Leman
Mechanical Instruments
Composers and the pianola: Ballet Mechanique
“Ballet mécanique, by the New Jersey-born composer George Antheil (1900-1959), is one of the most famous, and infamous, compositions in 20th-century music. It was the first piece written for multiple automated instruments, and presaged the use of what are now called sequencers by over half a century”. Paul D. Lehrman
Ballet Mechanique – Georges Antheil (1900-1959)
Ere Lievonen, Maria Sperling, Raquel Aller, Carolina Estrada, piano
Bart de Vrees, Job van Duijnhoven, Mark Braafhard, Matthias Engier,
Tobias Guttmann, Michael Lestov, Miguel Perello, percussion
Ulrich Pohl, conductor
Bachzaal , Amsterdam
20th century Music Rolls and Reproducing Instruments
The dissemination of new ideas about the performances of 20th century
pianists
“Carolina Estrada is one of our best qualified users at the Biblioteca de Catalunya Sound & Audiovisual Unit. Not only was she researching our piano rolls and Granados archive documents, but she also put the library into a committment to organize a Seminar for the commemoration of Granados International Year. Her PhD was a real step forward in documenting Granados’ and other pianists’ performing style, and it revalued our heritage by adding very pertinent information about Granados pianistic technique. The Biblioteca de Catalunya has got the privilege to witness the art of Carolina Estrada as a performer in several concerts. She used the Granados Pleyel piano, which is located in one of the gothic reading rooms inside the library, always with a big success”.
Margarita Ullate. Director of Sound and Audiovisual Unit at the Biblioteca Nacional de Catalunya
“Estrada’s contribution to Welte and Hupfeld piano roll recordings encapsulate an invaluable musicological relevance, not only from a historical perspective but also from the musical analysis. Accordingly, this investigation reveals accurate data from piano roll recordings such as Hupfeld as an example.”
Jordi Roquer PhD, Arts and MusicologyAssociate Professor of the Arts and Musicology Department at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
ARTICLE
- Estrada Bascuñana, C. (2019) Granados’ Secrets Revealed by His Piano Rolls. Luisa Morales, Michael Christoforidis and Walter Clark (eds.) Enrique Granados in context: The Spanish Piano School and Pre-War Artistic Movements. Spanish Keyboard Music Series vol. 6. FIMTE, 2019
Estrada’s Lecture at the Royal Academy of Music, London (10/2018)
19th-century performance style in Spain: Documenting Expressive Gestures of Pianists on Roll. London International Piano Symposium.
Improvisations
Piano and painting Improvisations (Gmaltiton)
A project of Surrealistic performance-improvisation (sound and colours). This Artistic research explores intercommunication between both arts in time-space. An experiment of improvisation.
Susanna Heydarian, Swiss painter. Through psychology
Gmaltiton live Performance, Amsterdam
Susanne Heydarian, painting
Carolina Estrada, piano
Gmaltiton live Performance, Amsterdam
Susanne Heydarian, painting
Carolina Estrada, piano
Piano and saw improvisations
Musical saw/ singing saw (Hombostel-Sachs system) consisting in a plaque friction idiophone with direct friction and piano (improvisations)
Piano Music and Architecture
In early twentieth century Spain, the new artistic movement Modernism was finding expression in different forms. Gaudi was searching for new designs that would accommodate the climate of Barcelona and capture the essence of the Catalonian people. Montaner the architect was looking at making use of new materials and designing buildings from the perspective of creating open spaces instead of their being closed to the world outside. The fusion of Modernism in architecture and music is particularly evident in the magnificent Palau de la Musica Catalana, in Barcelona. A choral group, the Orfeo Catala, was instrumental in commissioning this wonderful building which, despite being very innovative in design, using new materials, and incorporating the skills of many diversely skilled craftsmen, was completed in 1908, just three years after its commencement! Granados is said to have composed his Cant de les Estrelles specifically to be performed in this wonderful concert hall. And it was here that it was premiered to unanimous acclaim in 1911.
“Antoni Gaudi, a quest for light”
A project of music and Architecture to celebrate the anniversary of the famous architect Antoni Gaudi, organized by the Pro-Beatification for Antoni Gaudí Association and the Sagrada Familia.
ASSOCIACIO PRO BEATIFICACIO D´ANTONI GAUDI www.gaudibeatificatio.com
José Manuel Almuzara, is a Spanish architect, assiduous lecturer and has collaborated on publications focusing on the works Gaudí. He is also president of the Pro-Beatification for Antoni Gaudí Association.
José Manuel Almuzara also, on a frequent basis, collaborates with the Japanese sculptor Etsuro Sotoo who is based in Barcelona and has created numerous sculptures and ornaments for the Temple in the Sagrada Familia.
Photo right to left: Etsuro Sotoo, Mn Joan Costa, Carolina Estrada, Jose Manuel Almuzara
Piano Music and Dance
Piano arrangements and dance coreography
Exploring the links between Spanish dances and the keyboard music of the great Spanish nationalist composers of the 20th-century, such as Isaac Albeniz, Enrique Granados or Manuel de Falla.
Natalia Ricci, Lorelle McNaughton, Carolina Estrada, piano
Ana Interiano, dance
Verbrugghen Hall, Sydney (Australia)
