Morton Feldman's Piano and String Quartet: Analysis, Aesthetics, and Experience of a 20th-Century Masterpiece - Hardcover

by Ray Fields (Author)

Morton Feldman viewed Piano and String Quartet as his capstone work--the culminating example of the aesthetic that Feldman spent his life seeking. Written in 1985, the year before Feldman's death, this single movement, roughly eighty-minute composition was heralded by Steve Reich as "the most beautiful work [of Feldman's] I know."
Ray Fields presents a detailed analysis of the complete piece and examines the elements that contribute to its formal and expressive design. He discusses the sonic experience of the music itself and provides insights into Feldman's aesthetic influences. The book also includes basic biographical information about Feldman; descriptions of the music of his early, middle, and late periods; and an overview of analyses of other Feldman works.
In examining this beloved piece, the book addresses the question: what was everything Feldman wanted in his music? Also included are interviews with Kronos Quartet's David Harrington about the origins of Piano and String Quartet and crucial information from pianist Aki Takahashi about performing the work.

Author Biography

RAY FIELDS is a composer, analyst, and researcher. His works are performed at festivals, conferences, sacred settings, public spaces, and online. His preparation for analyzing Morton Feldman's Piano and String Quartet included three weeks of study at the Feldman Archive of the Paul Sacher Stiftung in Basel, Switzerland.