Hauschka
Germany

Hauschka
Hauschka
Hauschka

Volker Bertelmann is a German pianist and composer who mainly performs and records under the name Hauschka. He is best known for his compositions for prepared piano. Listening to a piece by Hauschka can be deceiving: What sounds like an ensemble of musicians and instruments is just one man, performing at one piano. His real name is Volker Bertelmann, and he hails from Dusseldorf, Germany, where he works with his "prepared piano." He wrests disruptive sounds from the instrument's 88 keys by outfitting the strings or mallets with objects such as ping-pong balls, aluminum foil and leather. His new album is titled Foreign Landscapes, and he recently visited NPR's studios to demonstrate his craft.
Hauschka is a composer, songwriter and experimental musician who has brought an exciting new perspective to the prepared piano. The prepared piano – a technique for getting new sounds from the acoustic keyboard by resting pieces of paper or drumsticks on the strings of the instrument - has been used for centuries, but Hauschka takes the art to new and unexpected levels.

Hauschka - Volker Bertelmann, best known as Hauschka, is the magnificent, avant-garde artist and composer who has defined the musical landscape of distinguished films and television shows, including Patrick Melrose, Adrift, Exodus, Gunpowder, and Different Kinds of Rain. Fusing diverse elements from classical traditions, the depths of electronic music, and sounds from found objects, Hauschka's rhythmic innovation and improvisational wonder has challenged and delighted audiences around the world. A masterclass in impactful minimalism, his collaborative score with Dustin O'Halloran for Garth Davis' Lion garnered prestigious nominations from the Oscars, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs among others. In our inspiring conversation, Hauschka shares his rich expertise of prepared piano and details his adventures in experimentalism. Read full article.

Fifteen Questions Interview with Hauschka
Headphone Commute: Interview with Hauschka
Headphone Commute: Two and a Half Questions with Hauschka


See also
Hauschka, Kimmo Pohjonen & Jeffrey Zeigler


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