Video: Hauschka at NPR: Improvisation

Tonight is an evening of contrasts, we’re here in one of the last surviving old rock and roll venues  and yet the stage is bedecked with a grand piano and an impressive array of noodling devices. By which I mean pedals and miscellaneous kit that emits strange and wondrous noises. A curious juxtaposition of old garage rock surroundings with experimental composition which is not lost on tonight’s headliner and the reason we’re here. One thing that strikes me about this gig is the stillness of the crowd. People are fully connected [...]

I wrote about Hauschka , Duseldorf's piano-modifying genius, Volker Bertelmann. I asked Bertelmann a few questions over email that got back so close to deadline I couldn't incorporate them all. Here's the transcript: MERUCRY: How did you initially come to modifying the piano? Was it premeditated or the result of some accident? HAUSCHKA: The idea of modiying the piano came out of different feelings and ideas. First of all I felt that the piano sound is somehow limited if you are not using some things on top of the strings and secondly [...]