Nanosonatas


Nanosonatas are piano compositions by American composer Frederic Rzewski.

History

In the summer of 2006, Rzewski’s friend Hideyuki Arata, a Japanese scientist specialized in nanotechnology, sent him an article of three pages, that he had published in Applied Physics Letters. The scientist happened to be an amateur pianist, so in return Rzewski decided to dedicate “Nanosonata” to him. Like the article, this first Nanosonata was written in three pages and, as the composer said, was technically somewhat demanding, but would not require the scientist to practice too much. Around the same time, Rzewski also had a commission from Milton Schlosser in Edmonton, Alberta. The composer liked the first Nanosonata, so he decided to write more - for Schlosser and others - and get them together into books. Eventually, the first “Nanosonata” became “Nanosonata Book I, No 1”.
Rzewski has composed 56 Nanosonatas, most dedicated to his family and friends, such as Elliott Carter and Pete Seeger.

Constructs

  • Book I（2006）
  • * Nanosonata No. 1
  • * Nanosonata No. 2~7
  • Book II
  • * Nanosonata No. 8~14
  • Book III（2007-2009）
  • * Nanosonata No. 15~21
  • Book IV - Peace Dances
  • * Nanosonata No. 22~27
  • Book V
  • * Nanosonata No. 29~35
  • Book VI
  • * Nanosonata No. 36 “To a Young Man”
  • * Nanosonata No. 37 “To a Young Woman”
  • * Nanosonata No. 38 “To a great Guy”
  • * Nanosonata No. 39 “To a Runner”
  • * Nanosonata No. 40 “To a Dead Infant”
  • * Nanosonata No. 41 “To a Sweet Guy”
  • * Nanosonata No. 42 “To a Girl”
  • Book VII
  • * Nanosonata No. 43~49
  • Book VIII
  • * Nanosonata No. 50~56
  • Arrangements
  • * Nanosonata No. 12 arranged for violin and piano, 2008