Hauschka and the Prepared Piano

Hauschka (whose real name is Volker Bertelmann) does some pretty fun things by adding additional objects to a traditional piano. Using things like containers of tic tacs, ping pong balls and paper clips… he’s able to create the illusion of multiple instruments, all playing at the same time.

Appearing on NPR’s All Things Considered, Hauschka demonstrates how he goes about creating different sounds. There are four videos on the page, and it’s well worth listening (and watching) all of them.

In both the NPR piece and his Wikipedia entry… I see a lot of comparisons to John Cage. I have to confess – I know of Cage’s name, but not so much his work. Guess I’ll have a little listening research to do today…

Oh, and here’s a cool fact: apparently he toured with Múm in 2008. That sounds like it would have been a very fun show.

[via @cowboy]

Related:
Múm, Logan Square Auditorium