New album presents the piano of the future – the world of microtones opens up with Finnish talent
SibaRecords, the record label of the Sibelius Academy, Uniarts Helsinki, is releasing a unique recording, In tune – tune in!, which showcases the possibilities of the quarter-tone piano for the first time, combining MIDI technology and an acoustic grand piano.
The album presents a new type of keyboard, envisioned by composer Sampo Haapamäki and pianist-researcher Elisa Järvi. The instrument has been designed to feel like a traditional piano, but its expressive capabilities have been expanded to meet the requirements of quarter-tone music – 24 tones per octave.
“Among other things, the new keyboard allows for quarter-tone runs and chords with one hand,” says Järvi.
The works were originally played on a MIDI keyboard and recorded on a Yamaha Disklavier grand piano, which is capable of reproducing MIDI signals acoustically. In a special recording process, the Disklavier played half of the notes in normal tuning and the other half with the tuning lowered by a quarter tone. The result is a unique, completely acoustic soundscape where modern technology and historical instrumentation meet.
Markus Bonsdorff, Libero Mureddu, and Kaj Mäki-Ullakko were responsible for the recording and production. The album features both historical microtonal works and new Finnish compositions that open the listener’s ears to the interface between the familiar and the unfamiliar.
In tune – tune in! is part of Elisa Järvi’s artistic postdoctoral research at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki. The album continues the tradition of microtonal piano music, which dates back to at least 1930 when a New York Times critic wrote about quarter-tone piano as “the piano of tomorrow.”
Now, that tomorrow can finally be heard.
SibaRecords is a record label that has been operating at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki since 2009. Its goal is to make the diverse musical wisdom of our community visible and audible. The voices heard on the label belong to students, teachers, and researchers who have delved into a wide range of topics.
More information
Pauli Raitakari
Producer, SibaRecords
pauli.raitakari@uniarts.fi