Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Centroclinal (talk | contribs) at 01:02, 7 November 2007. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Hauschka is a critically acclaimed Düsseldorf, Germany based electronic music artist.

Background

Hauschka is the alias of Düsseldorf–based pianist / composer Volker Bertelmann. His work is based upon an exploration of the possibilities of the prepared piano - a playfully disruptive intervention into the preconceived idea of the piano as a pure-toned, perfected instrument waiting for a gifted virtuoso to play on it. Instead, Volker explores and influences the outcome of his playing by getting right down inside the instrument - clamping wedges of leather, felt or rubber between the strings; preparing the hammers with aluminium paper or rough films; placing crown corks on the strings, weaving guitar strings around the piano's guts, or pasting them down with gaffa tape. These little modifications throw up an array of rustling, drumming, shivering, scraping, resonating sounds which either provide the focus / drive for a piece or hook the ear into an intriguing, slightly unusual frame.

Hauschka's sound borrows as much from John Cage's same-titled prepared piano works and the historic predecessors of Les Six – namely Erik Satie. It revives an avant-tradition and breathes a little 'lighter' contemporary air into the form without reducing it to insubstantial appropriation or a hollow-ish 'pop' gesture of quotation.

In 2007 his first full album for FatCat Room to Expand was released to critical praise.

Discography

Albums

• Room to Expand (2007)

Links

www.hauschka-net.de www.myspace.com/hauschka

• Musical groups established in 2005
• 2000s music groups
• German musical groups