Claus Kühnl: Der beleidigte Papagei
Breitkopf und Haertel EB9175 (printed music + CD)

The introduction to these works alludes to the many more recent composers who have endeavoured to write short pieces that square the circle in being musically interesting, yet accessible to beginners.

These are indeed original, quirky miniatures (the collection is named after the ‘offended parrot' that is one of the pieces, and other items include ‘Quarks' and ‘Three Chinamen.'

Like Lachenmann (one of the composers to whom Kühnl is compared), Kühnl explores a great variety of sound effects, including innovatory use of the pedal. These pieces are indeed likely to have widespread appeal.

Are these really for beginners? Certainly, they are written with careful pedagogic thought; they are graded in order of difficulty; they explore different aspects of incipient technique runs, chords, co-ordination of keyboard and pedal). And they are very short – mostly lasting about a minute.

But though none of them has many notes, they do however offer a concentration of thought, an advanced synthesis of ideas that very much make them magnum in parvo. I doubt whether children would find them easily comprehensible.

Bundling the score and a CD (played by the composer) for music that challenges established thinking is an excellent idea. And Kühnl plays his own music with sparkling wit on a fine modern recording. This is an imaginative project. I wish it every success.

Ying Chang