Short bio Conlon Nancarrow
Full biography Conlon Nancarrow
Conlon Nancarrow was an American-Mexican composer who is best known for his compositions for the player piano. He lived and worked in Mexico for most of his life and was married to Annette Margolis, the grandmother of writer Bret Margolis. Nancarrow's music was innovative and experimental, using auto-playing musical instruments as one of the first composers to do so. He worked in near isolation and ceased writing music for live performers , focusing instead on his studies for player piano. Nancarrow was highly regarded by many contemporary composers, including Gyorgy Ligeti, who described his music as "so utterly original, enjoyable, constructive and at..." His work inspired a generation of composers who appreciated his experimentalism, and his compositional styles remain influential today.
Compositions featuring Conlon Nancarrow
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contraption No.1, for computer-driven prepared piano | 3:20 min | Keyboard | 1993 |
| 2 | Three Movements, for chamber orchestra | 11:27 min | Orchestral | 1993 |
| 3 | Para Yoko (For Yoko), for pianola | 2:28 min | Keyboard | 1990 |
| 4 | Canons (3) for Ursula, for piano | 11:08 min | Keyboard | 1989 |
| 5 | Trilogy for Player Piano | 8:03 min | Chamber Music | 1987 |
| 6 | String Quartet No.3 | 13:35 min | Chamber Music | 1987 |
| 7 | Piece No.2 for Small Orchestra | 10:29 min | Orchestral | 1985 |
| 8 | Tango?, for piano | 3:42 min | Keyboard | 1983 |
| 9 | Study for two player pianos, No.41, canonic study in irrational tempi | 22:14 min | Keyboard | 1969 |
| 10 | Study for 2 player pianos, No.40 "Trancendental", canon e/pi | 8:12 min | Keyboard | 1969 |
| 11 | Study for Player Piano No.47 | 5:30 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 12 | Study for Player Piano No.35 | 5:08 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 13 | Study for Player Piano No.46 | 3:57 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 14 | Study for Player Piano No.45 "Second Boogie-Woogie Suite" in 3 movements | 15:18 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 15 | Study for Player Piano No.44, aleatory canon | 12:23 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 16 | Study for Player Piano No.43, canon 24/25 in 2 voices (formerly No.38) | 6:36 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 17 | Study for Player Piano No.42 | 7:14 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 18 | Study for Player Piano No.37, 12-voice canon | 8:47 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 19 | Study for Player Piano No.36, canon 17/18/19/20 | 4:05 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 20 | Study for Player Piano No.34, canon 9/10/11; 4/5/6 (also arranged as a string trio) | 4:28 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 21 | Study for Player Piano No.33, canon 2/square root of 2 | 6:14 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 22 | Study for Player Piano No.32, canon 5/6/7/8 | 3:49 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 23 | Study for Player Piano No.48, canon 60/61 (formerly No.39) | 19:48 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 24 | Study for Player Piano No.49, 3 canons in 4/5/6 relation | 9:48 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 25 | Study for Player Piano No.50 (arr. of the 2nd mvt. of the Piece No.2 for Small Orchestra) | 5:09 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 26 | Study for Player Piano No.51 (No.3750), pseudo-canon in 12/16/20 | 1:26 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 27 | Study for Player Piano No.31, canon 21/24/25 | 2:45 min | Keyboard | 1965 |
| 28 | (untitled) tape piece | 2:41 min | Electronic/Computer Music | 1955 |
| 29 | Study for Player Piano No.1, an arch-form study | 2:51 min | Keyboard | 1951 |
| 30 | Study for Player Piano No.2b (arr. of last mvt. of Piece No.1 for Small Orchestra) | 2:12 min | Keyboard | 1950 |
| 31 | Study for Player Piano No.2a, a blues study | 2:51 min | Keyboard | 1950 |
| 32 | Study for Player Piano No. 3c | 2:50 min | Keyboard | 1949 |
| 33 | Study for Player Piano No.17, canon 12/15/20 | 2:02 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 34 | Study for Player Piano No.3 "Boogie Woogie Suite", in 5 movements | 3:01 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 35 | Study for Player Piano No.4, canon in pitch, not rhythm, on a 53-note row | 7:59 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 36 | Study for Player Piano No.5 | 2:49 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 37 | Study for Player Piano No.6 | 3:36 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 38 | Study for Player Piano No.7 | 7:43 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 39 | Study for Player Piano No.8, an acceleration study | 4:53 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 40 | Study for Player Piano No.9 | 4:14 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 41 | Study for Player Piano No.10 | 3:20 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 42 | Study for Player Piano No.11, an isorhythmic blues study | 3:41 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 43 | Study for Player Piano No.12 "Spanish" | 5:44 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 44 | Study for Player Piano No.13 (no score extant, only piano roll) | 3:14 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 45 | Study for Player Piano No.14, canon 4/5 | 1:55 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 46 | Study for Player Piano No.15, canon 3/4 | 1:24 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 47 | Study for Player Piano No.29 | 3:36 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 48 | Study for Player Piano No.16, double canon | 3:26 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 49 | Study for Player Piano No.18, canon 3/4 | 2:28 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 50 | Study for Player Piano No.19, canon 12/15/20 | 1:27 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 51 | Study for Player Piano No.20 "Cloud" | 6:14 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 52 | Study for Player Piano No.21 "Canon X" | 2:47 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 53 | Study for Player Piano No.22, canon 1%/1.5%/2.25% | 3:04 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 54 | Study for Player Piano No.23, acceleration study | 4:19 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 55 | Study for Player Piano No.24, canon 14/15/16 | 4:27 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 56 | Study for Player Piano No.25 | 5:31 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 57 | Study for Player Piano No.26, canon 1/1 | 4:52 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 58 | Study for Player Piano No.27, canon 5%/6%/8%/11% | 5:01 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 59 | Study for Player Piano No.28 | 4:02 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 60 | Study for Player Piano No.30, for prepared player piano | 3:17 min | Keyboard | 1948 |
| 61 | String Quartet No.1 | 10:59 min | Chamber Music | 1945 |
| 62 | Piece (Suite) for Large Orchestra | 8:36 min | Orchestral | 1945 |
| 63 | Piece No.1 for Small Orchestra | 6:57 min | Orchestral | 1943 |
| 64 | Trio No.1, for clarinet, bassoon & piano | 4:49 min | Chamber Music | 1942 |
| 65 | Sonatina for piano | 4:52 min | Keyboard | 1941 |
| 66 | Septet | 4:32 min | Chamber Music | 1940 |
| 67 | Two-part Studies (3) for piano | 3:51 min | Keyboard | 194? |
| 68 | Toccata for violin & player piano | 1:35 min | Chamber Music | 1935 |
| 69 | Prelude, for piano | 1:30 min | Keyboard | 1935 |
| 70 | Blues, for piano | 2:33 min | Keyboard | 1935 |
| 71 | Sarabande and Scherzo, for oboe, bassoon & piano | 4:57 min | Chamber Music | 1930 |
| 72 | Study for Player Piano No. 3a | 4:26 min | Keyboard | - |
| 73 | Study for Player Piano No. 3b | 5:22 min | Keyboard | - |
| 74 | Study for Player Piano No. 3B | 5:27 min | Keyboard | - |
| 75 | Study for Player Piano No. 3C | 2:45 min | Keyboard | - |
| 76 | Study for Player Piano No. 2d | 2:15 min | Keyboard | - |
| 77 | Study for Player Piano No. 3D | 2:21 min | Keyboard | - |
| 78 | Study for Player Piano No. 3d | 2:45 min | Keyboard | - |
| 79 | Study for Player Piano No. 3e | 2:15 min | Keyboard | - |
| 80 | Study for Player Piano No. 4 | 3:49 min | Keyboard | - |
| 81 | Study for Player Piano No. 2c | 2:12 min | Keyboard | - |
| 82 | Study for Player Piano No. 2B | 1:13 min | Keyboard | - |
| 83 | Studies for Player Piano | Keyboard | - |
Albums featuring Conlon Nancarrow
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Loré Lixenberg, Conlon Nancarrow – NANCARROW KARAOKE(LP) | 2021 | De Player |
| 2 |  |
Steven Bryant, John Hilliard (5), Florence Price, Conlon Nancarrow, Cole Burger – Beyond The Traveler(CD, Album) | 2019 | MSR Classics |
| 3 |  |
Imri Talgam - Conlon Nancarrow, Mauricio Kagel, Beat Furrer, Karlheinz Stockhausen – Nancarrow, Kagel, Furrer, Stockhausen(CD, Album) | 2015 | Disques Du Solstice |
| 4 |  |
Asasello Quartett - Michael Jarrell, Conlon Nancarrow, Rolf Riehm – Echtzeit - Works By Michael Jarrell, Conlon Nancarrow And Rolf Riehm(CD, Album) | 2013 | GENUIN |
| 5 |  |
Late And Unknown: Works On Rolls(CD, ) | 2012 | WERGO |
| 6 |  |
As Fast As Possible(CD, ) | 2011 | WERGO |
| 7 |  |
John Adams, John Cage, Conlon Nancarrow – American Counterpoint(CD, Remastered, Stereo) | 2009 | EMI Classics |
| 8 |  |
Player Piano 9 • Vol. 5: Original Compositions And Transcriptions For Player Piano(CD, Album) | 2009 | MDG |
| 9 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow, Calefax Reed Quintet, Ivo Janssen (3) – Studies For Player Piano(CD, Album) | 2009 | MDG |
| 10 |  |
Studies For Player Piano : The Original 1750 Arch Recordings(4×CD, HDCD, Compilation, Remastered) | 2008 | Other Minds |
| 11 |  |
Player Piano 7 • Vol. 4: Studies 42-48(CD, Album) | 2008 | Musikproduktion Dabringhaus Und Grimm |
| 12 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow / Arditti Quartet – Quartets And Studies(CD, Album) | 2007 | WERGO |
| 13 |  |
Player Piano 5 • Vol. 3: Studies 33-41c(CD, Album) | 2007 | Musikproduktion Dabringhaus Und Grimm |
| 14 |  |
Player Piano 3 • Vol. 2: Studies 13-32(CD, Album) | 2007 | MDG |
| 15 |  |
Player Piano 1 • Vol. 1: Studies 1-12(CD, Album) | 2006 | MDG |
| 16 |  |
Arditti Quartet, Conlon Nancarrow, György Ligeti, Henri Dutilleux – String Quartets(CD, Album) | 2005 | Wigmore Hall Live |
| 17 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow - Continuum (4), Cheryl Seltzer And Joel Sachs (2) – Pieces Nos. 1 And 2 For Small Orchestra / ¿Tango? / String Quartet No. 1(CD, Album, Reissue) | 2005 | Naxos |
| 18 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow | Martin Schlumpf – Die Kunst Des Tempokanons(CDr, Album) | 2004 | artist.cd |
| 19 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow - Bugallo-Williams Piano Duo – Studies And Solos(CD, Album) | 2004 | WERGO |
| 20 |  |
Herbert Henck - Conlon Nancarrow / George Antheil – Piano Music(CD, Album) | 2001 | ECM Records |
| 21 |  |
Lost Works, Last Works(CD, Album) | 2000 | Other Minds |
| 22 |  |
Joanna MacGregor - Bach / Nancarrow – Counterpoint(2×CD, Album) | 1996 | Collins Classics |
| 23 |  |
Nancarrow, Carter, Ives, Yim, Feldman, Lucier, Young, Cage - Arditti String Quartet – U.S.A.(CD, Reissue) | 1994 | Montaigne |
| 24 |  |
Alan Feinberg - Adams · Ives · Cowell · Nancarrow · Cage – The American Innovator(CD, Album) | 1993 | Argo (2) |
| 25 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow - Ensemble Modern, Ingo Metzmacher – Studies | 1993 | BMG Classics |
| 26 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow / Ron Ford (2) / John Cage / Gösta Neuwirth – Musikprotokoll '92: America Now Here - In Memoriam John Cage(CD, ) | 1992 | ORF |
| 27 |  |
Conlon Nancarrow, Continuum (4) – Continuum Performs Nancarrow | 1991 | Musicmasters |
| 28 |  |
Studies For Player Piano · Vol. I & II | 1991 | WERGO |
| 29 |  |
Studies For Player Piano - Vol. III & IV(2×CD, Album) | 1990 | WERGO |
| 30 |  |
Studies For Player Piano · Vol. V | 1988 | WERGO |
| 31 |  |
Complete Studies For Player Piano Volume Four(LP) | 1984 | 1750 Arch Records |
| 32 |  |
Complete Studies For Player Piano Volume Three(LP) | 1981 | 1750 Arch Records |
| 33 |  |
Complete Studies For Player Piano Volume Two(LP) | 1979 | 1750 Arch Records |
| 34 |  |
Complete Studies For Player Piano Volume One(LP) | 1977 | 1750 Arch Records |
| 35 |  |
Henry Cowell / John Cage / Ben Johnston / Conlon Nancarrow - Robert Miller (2) – Sound Forms For Piano | 1976 | New World Records |
| 36 |  |
Studies For Player Piano | 1969 | Columbia Masterworks |
| 37 |  |
Studies For Player Piano(2×CD, Compilation, Reissue, 2×CD, Compilation, Reissue, CD, Reissue, Box Set, Compilation) | - | WERGO |
Videos featuring Conlon Nancarrow
NANCARROW::KARAOKE
Conlon Nancarrow, Study for Player Piano No. 21 (Canon X)
Conlon Nancarrow, Study for Player Piano No. 21 (Canon X). Aufgenommen mit dem Ampico Bösendorfer Flügel von Jürgen Hocker, der nach den Wünschen Nancarrows restauriert wurde. Recorded with the Ampico Bösendorfer Grand in the possession of Juergen H
Conlon Nancarrow - Study for Player Piano No. 25
From Vol III of his series 'Studies for Player Piano'.
Conlon Nancarrow, Study for Player Piano No. 4
Conlon Nancarrow, Study for Player Piano No. 4. Aufgenommen mit dem Ampico Bösendorfer Flügel von Jürgen Hocker, der nach den Wünschen Nancarrows restauriert wurde. Recorded with the Ampico Bösendorfer Grand in the possession of Juergen Hocker, which was
Conlon Nancarrow, Study for Player Piano No. 37
Conlon Nancarrow, Study for Player Piano No. 37. Aufgenommen mit dem Ampico Bösendorfer Flügel von Jürgen Hocker, der nach den Wünschen Nancarrows restauriert wurde. Recorded with the Ampico Bösendorfer Grand in the possession of Juergen Hocker, whi
Conlon Nancarrow - Study for Player Piano No. 3e
what is this i don't even know...
Nancarrow is best remembered for the pieces he wrote for the player piano. He was one of the first composers to use musical instruments as mechanical machines, making them play far beyond human performance ability. He li
Study for Player Piano No. 3d
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Study for Player Piano No. 3d · Conlon Nancarrow
Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano, Vol. I
℗ 1999 Wergo
Released on: 1999-11-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Study for Player Piano No. 41a
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Study for Player Piano No. 41a · Conlon Nancarrow
Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano, Vol. I
℗ 1999 Wergo
Released on: 1999-11-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Conlon Nancarrow Study No 2&5 & Tango Ensemble Modern Film
Filmed performance of Conlon Nancarrow Study Number 2, 5 (at 3 minutes 20 seconds) and Tango (6.30) played by Ensemble Modern at the Alte Oper Frankfurt conducted by Ingo Metzmacher and piano soloist Ueli Wiget. Study 2 starts off very quiet and Study 5 i
Study for Player Piano No. 41b
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Study for Player Piano No. 41b · Conlon Nancarrow
Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano, Vol. I
℗ 1999 Wergo
Released on: 1999-11-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Study for Player Piano No. 41c
Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises
Study for Player Piano No. 41c · Conlon Nancarrow
Conlon Nancarrow: Studies for Player Piano, Vol. I
℗ 1999 Wergo
Released on: 1999-11-01
Auto-generated by YouTube.
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