Amores

Composed in 1936, revised in 1943. Premiered in New York, February 7, 1943. Premiered in Milan, Jan 29, 1959.

9 minutes

Movements I and IV of this composition were used as music for the eponymous choreographed piece by Merce Cunningham, which premiered in the summer of 1949. The work consists of 4 parts: I. Solo (prepared piano) - II. Trio (9 tom-toms, pod rattle) - III. Trio (7 woodblocks, not Chinese) - IV. Solo (prepared piano). The preparations comprise 9 screws, 8 bolts, 2 nuts, and 3 strips of rubber. The piano part expresses eroticism and tranquility, based on the permanent emotions in Indian tradition. The rhythmic structure of Solo No. 2 is 3, 3, 2, 2 and of Trio 1 10 x 10. Trio No. 2 was written in Santa Monica, California, as part of Cage’s Trio (1936).

There are 32 recordings of Amores in our database.

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Piano Compositions by Alan Hovhaness and John Cage.

Maro Ajemian, piano (in Invocations) and prepared piano (in Cage). Alan Hovhaness, Chinese gong and drums (in Invocations), piano (in Mihr).

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