New Music By Karlheinz Essl

Since 2005 I have written a number of solo compositions for the toy piano, some of them together with (live) electronics. In my piece "under wood" I am confronting the toy piano with conventional instruments for the first time. It is used as an exceptional solo instrument but also as some sort of exotic percussion. For this purpose I deconstructed one of the two instruments and prepared it in order to produce a variety of interesting percussive sounds. Finally, both instruments are amplified - not only to make them louder, but also to enable the player for creating delicate noises inside the instrument. The title "under wood" refers to a mechanical typewriter of the same name with its characteristic hammering sound. Besides, it can also be interpreted as the attempt to look behind the surfaces and to investigate the fascinating complexity that one discovers in the woods by changing the viewing perspective from the trees down to the earth: an almost impenetrable cosmos of independent, yet secretly connected g

This composition is a transformation of the original piano piece "Trois Cent Notes", in which the resonances of the sympathetic strings of the grand piano are simulated by electronic means. The toy piano becomes a new instrument with an artificial sustain pedal. https://www.essl.at/works/TCD.html

Karlheinz Essl's first piece for toy piano, composed 2005 for Isabel Ettenauer, became a signature piece for this instrument. The primary aim of this piece is an attempt to break up the restricted sound world of the toy piano - not by superficial means of additional sound processing, but by the sound of the instrument itself. This is achieved by a sound file which is played back by a small loudspeaker which is hidden inside the toy piano; this creates a perfect blend between the sounds of the instrument and the sounds from the loudspeaker. Info and score: http://www.essl.at/works/kalimba.html

Recorded by Isabel Ettenauer for the CD "whatever shall be - music for toy instruments and electronics" (edition eirelav, 2013) Having written several pieces for the toy piano before, I dedicated Sequitur V to this interesting instrument which — in fact — has not much in common with the piano as we know it. Its sound resembles chimes or maybe parts of a gamelan orchestra and therefore is not connected to the great history of classical piano music from Bach to Stockhausen; a fact that makes this instrument more accessible for me. Although the toy piano is tiny in every respect, the sound that it produces in Sequitur V becomes incredibly rich thanks to amplification and realtime sound processing. Info: http://www.essl.at/works/sequitur/sequitur-5.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Piran (Slovenia) in 2021 and 2023: 1) stroll through the alleys of the old town 2) lively atmosphere of Piazza Tartini, where people meet in the afternoon 3) North coast with sea surf 4) beach scene with mother and child Part of the work-in-progress H.E.A.D. https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in libraries and bookstores in 2018 and 2023: 1) reading hall of the Austrian National Library in Vienna 2) a bookstore in Berlin, Moritzplatz 3) turning the pages of giant folios in the Klosterneuburg Abbey Library 4) setting up chairs for a reading in the same place Released: 14 Sep 2023 Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at different tram stations or tram rides in cities around the world: 1) riding a tram through Kyoto (Japan) 2) a tram stop at the main square in Linz (Austria) 3) a ride on tram 18 from Genève-Cornavin to CERN (Switzerland) 4) an intersection in Oslo where many trams pass by (Norway) Published: Aug 21, 2023 Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at different locations in Geneva between August 17 and 19, 2023: 1) pedestrian passage under the bridge where the lake becomes the Rhône river 2) Terrace in the historic center with a great view of the city 3) Breakfast in front of the Hôtel de la Cigogne 4) A motor vehicle cleaning the streets Part of the work-in-progress H.E.A.D. https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at different locations at CERN, the European Center for Nuclear Research, between August 16 and 18, 2023.: 1) the CERN Control Centre (CCC), where all accelerators and detectors are monitored 2) visitors at the - now historic - SynchroCyclotron (SC) 3) a walk through the CERN campus and some office buildings at night 4) the sound of ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment)

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at different bathing places in Lower Austria and the Czech Republic between 2019 and 2023 during periods of great heat: 1) a nudist beach at the old Danube near Greifenstein 2) the beach of Gmünd, a former gravel pit 3) The lake of Suchdol nad Lužnicí with playing children 4) Františkovy Lázně thermal spa Info: https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Binaural production - listen with headphones! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded at my home near Vienna, Austria from 2018 to 2023: 1) cooking in the kitchen, 2) evening in the garden, 3) thunderstorm at night, 4) wind in the morning. https://essl.at/works/HEAD.html

Free improvisation on a Make Noise 0-coast analog synth patched as a generative non-linear system. No edits, no overdubs, no MIDI, no sequencer, no arpeggiator - just manual control in real time! A suite in three parts, performed live by Karlheinz Essl on July 29, 2023 at Studio kHz. Video: https://youtu.be/W0gAae4PuxI Info: https://www.essl.at/works/coastlines.html

Sounds flood through the room, drip from the ceiling and evaporate in an eternal cycle. On May 13, 2000, the Minoritenkirche in Krems was transformed into an acoustic water reservoir by a generative sound installation by Karlheinz Essl. The occasion was the last part of the project series "fLOW". Once again Karlheinz Essl invited top-class international instrumentalists, composers and sound artists from a wide variety of musical contexts (ranging from jazz to new music to free improvisation) to be part of a musical work process in continuous flux. Featuring: Anne LaBerge: flute and electronics, Arne Deforce: cello and electronics, Martin Siewert: electric guitar, lapsteel, devices, Elisabeth Flunger: percussion, Didi Bruckmayer: voice and Karlheinz Essl: computer, soundscape, live electronics, concept

Sounds flood through the room, drip from the ceiling and evaporate in an eternal cycle. On May 13, 2000, the Minoritenkirche in Krems was transformed into an acoustic water reservoir by a generative sound installation by Karlheinz Essl. The occasion was the last part of the project series "fLOW". Once again Karlheinz Essl invited top-class international instrumentalists, composers and sound artists from a wide variety of musical contexts (ranging from jazz to new music to free improvisation) to be part of a musical work process in continuous flux. Featuring: Anne LaBerge: flute and electronics, Arne Deforce: cello and electronics, Martin Siewert: electric guitar, lapsteel, devices, Elisabeth Flunger: percussion, Didi Bruckmayer: voice and Karlheinz Essl: computer, soundscape, live electronics, concept

Sounds flood through the room, drip from the ceiling and evaporate in an eternal cycle. On May 13, 2000, the Minoritenkirche in Krems was transformed into an acoustic water reservoir by a generative sound installation by Karlheinz Essl. The occasion was the last part of the project series "fLOW". Once again Karlheinz Essl invited top-class international instrumentalists, composers and sound artists from a wide variety of musical contexts (ranging from jazz to new music to free improvisation) to be part of a musical work process in continuous flux. Featuring: Anne LaBerge: flute and electronics, Arne Deforce: cello and electronics, Martin Siewert: electric guitar, lapsteel, devices, Elisabeth Flunger: percussion, Didi Bruckmayer: voice and Karlheinz Essl: computer, soundscape, live electronics, concept

Sounds flood through the room, drip from the ceiling and evaporate in an eternal cycle. On May 13, 2000, the Minoritenkirche in Krems was transformed into an acoustic water reservoir by a generative sound installation by Karlheinz Essl. The occasion was the last part of the project series "fLOW". Once again Karlheinz Essl invited top-class international instrumentalists, composers and sound artists from a wide variety of musical contexts (ranging from jazz to new music to free improvisation) to be part of a musical work process in continuous flux. Featuring: Anne LaBerge: flute and electronics, Arne Deforce: cello and electronics, Martin Siewert: electric guitar, lapsteel, devices, Elisabeth Flunger: percussion, Didi Bruckmayer: voice and Karlheinz Essl: computer, soundscape, live electronics, concept

Sounds flood through the room, drip from the ceiling and evaporate in an eternal cycle. On May 13, 2000, the Minoritenkirche in Krems was transformed into an acoustic water reservoir by a generative sound installation by Karlheinz Essl. The occasion was the last part of the project series "fLOW". Once again Karlheinz Essl invited top-class international instrumentalists, composers and sound artists from a wide variety of musical contexts (ranging from jazz to new music to free improvisation) to be part of a musical work process in continuous flux. Featuring: Anne LaBerge: flute and electronics, Arne Deforce: cello and electronics, Martin Siewert: electric guitar, lapsteel, devices, Elisabeth Flunger: percussion, Didi Bruckmayer: voice and Karlheinz Essl: computer, soundscape, live electronics, concept

Binaural production - listen with headphones to enjoy the 3D sound! Generative soundscape based on a two-dimensional random walk between four binaural soundscapes recorded in Feldkirch (Vorarlberg, Austria) between July 19 and 20, 2023: 1) the river Ill from a bridge 2) waiting for the train, listening to an old lady telling her story of persecution 3) a walk through the art/sound installation "Spuren" inside the Johanniterkirche 4) morning scene at a Buddhist monastery with a monk walking around a stupa

This piece was recorded on July 5, 2023 at Studio kHz. I used only 1 channel without input with internal audio feedback and a constant high drone as a background, controlled by faders and knobs with amazing resolution. A fantastic playing experience, where the slightest movement of your fingers can drastically change the sound. https://essl.at/works/studies-NIM.html

This piece was recorded on July 5, 2023 at Studio kHz on a vintage MACKIE 1604 mixing desk. I used just 2 channels without input with internal audio feedback, controlled by faders and knobs with amazing resolution. A fantastic playing experience, where the slightest movement of your fingers can drastically change the sound. https://essl.at/works/studies-NIM.html