Home > Mauricio Kagel

Many of his pieces give specific theatrical instructions to the performers, such as to adopt certain facial expressions while playing, to make their stage entrances in a particular way, to physically interact with other performers and so on. His work has often been compared to the theatre of the absurd, and he is often talked of as the musical equivalent of Eugene Ionesco.

Staatstheater (1971) is probably the piece that most clearly shows his absurdist tendency. It is described as a " ballet for non-dancers", though in many ways is more like an opera, and the musical instruments used include chamber pots and enema equipment. As the work progresses, the piece itself, and opera and ballet in general, becomes the subject matter. Similar is the radio play Ein Aufnahmezustand (1969) which is about the incidents surrounding the recording of a radio play.

Kagel has also made films, with Ludwig van (1970) being one of the best known. In it, a reproduction of Beethoven's composing studio is seen. Everything in it is papered with sheet music of Beethoven's pieces. The soundtrack of the film is a pianoPiano is a common abbreviation for pianoforte a large musical instrument with a keyboard (see keyboard instrument). Its sound is produced by strings stretched on a rigid frame. These vibrate when struck by felt-covered hammers, which are activated by the playing the music as it appears in each shot. Because the music has been wrapped around curves and edges, it is somewhat distorted, but recognisably Beethovenian motifs can still be heard. Kagel later turned the film into a piece of sheet music itself which could be performed in a concert without the film - the score consists of close-ups of various areas of the studio, which are to be interperated by the performing pianistThis article deals with those who play the piano. For other uses, see pianist (disambiguation). A pianist is a person who plays the piano reasonably well. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an orchestra or smaller ensemble, or accom.

Kagel has also written a large number of more conventional, "pure" pieces, including orchestraAn orchestra is a musical ensemble used most often in classical music. A small orchestra is called a chamber orchestra''. Full size orchestras may sometimes be called "symphony orchestras" or "philharmonic orchestras"; these prefixes do not indicate any dl music, chamber musicChamber music is a form of Classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accomodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any "art music" that is performed by a small number of performers with one perform, and film scores. Many of these also make references to music of the past.

From 1960 he has taught at the International Summer School at DarmstadtDarmstadt is a city in the Bundesland (federal state) of Hesse in Germany. Its population is estimated (2003) at 137,900. The city is located to the south of the conjoined metropolitan areas of Frankfurt and Wiesbaden. History Darmstadt was first mentione.

Among his students have been Maria de Alvear , Carola Bauckholt and Juan Maria SolareJuan Maria Solare (born August 11, 1966) is a composer and pianist. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he studied and received his diploma in Piano, Composition and Conducting at the Conservatorio Nacional de Musica Carlos Lopez Buchardo''. He has composed.

Other pieces include Con Voce [with voice], where a masked trio silently mimes playing instruments.