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TOUCH: The Toccata Project
Volume I: American Composers
What compels a pianist to sit in front of a thousand pounds of wood and metal for hours a day and play with its sounds? Playing the piano, like any instrument, is more than an aural, intellectual or emotional experience. It is an activity, centered on motion of the body, arms, hands, and of course, fingers.
This motion and tactile connection to the piano becomes our obsession, our daily run, our quixotic search for an ideal and sublime experience. We must touch the piano to make it work its magic. We then crave the sounds that it makes. Toccatas, or “touch pieces,” are percussive and motoric, splashy and fleeting. A toccata is all momentum and spinning motion, like a locomotive, rarely stopping until reaching its destination. It is not surprising that toccatas returned to fashion in the 20th century as the machine age evolved into the technological age at an ever accelerating pace—composers respond to the milieu of their time.
I am often asked why I’m attracted to toccatas. My best answer: I like the way they “feel.” Both in my hands and ears. Hopefully it’s a healthy compulsion because I’m eager to continue my exploration of the post-1900 toccata—there are hundreds of exciting touch pieces that deserve to be played and heard.
Philip Amalong July 2009