Musical Compositions - Martin Scherzinger

African musicians have long adapted European instruments (accordions, guitars, keyboards) to great musical effect. In the spirit of this tradition, these compositions indigenize classically European instruments by treating them as if they were African instruments. Piano, violin and cello are made to imitate the tactile patterns found on a bow from the Kalahari, or the sticking on a Ugandan xylophone, the fractal harmonies of a Shona mbira, and so on. But instead of adding exotic timbres or percussive textures, these works take a different approach to the task of Africanizing sound, emphasizing pattern instead of timbre.

Here is a sampling of several “Etude Miniatures” from Illusionist Paraphrases (performed by Bobby Mitchell on the piano) and “Verso La Capo” from Type-Writer Opera (performed by Bobby Mitchell and Thomas Rosenkranz on two pianos).

Etude Miniatures (for Piano) (2012-18)

1	the horse is not mine, an imitation-horse	audio	score	video
2	Paganini, Piano Hero	audio	score
3	Chopi-Chopin	audio	score
4	außer sich mäßig	audio	score
5	Rondo à la Rondo (Schoenberg dans Brahms)	audio	score

Type-Writer Opera (with Carlin Wing, for Piano Duo) (2012)

#	title	notes	audio	scores	video
1	Type-Writer Opera (for Piano Duo)	notes	audio	score

Etudes (for Marimba) (2012)

#	title	audio	scores
1	Florestan's Island	audio	score
2	Chopi-Chopin	audio	score
3	Lullaby Chorale	audio	score
4	Rhythmic Fugue	audio	score

Percussion Duo (2009)

#	title	audio	scores
1	Chaka, Monophonist		score
2	Chopin, Timbilist		score
3	Ladzepko, Minimalist	audio	score
4	Mozart, Ambientist		score
5	Schumann, Illusionist		score

Percussion Quartet (2005)

1. Skin
2. Metal
3. Wood

When one has the Feet of Wind (for Piano) (1999)

#	title	notes	audio	score
1	Feet of Wind	notes	audio	score

Tumbling Dance (for Piano) (1999)

#	title	score
1	Tumbling Dance (for Piano)	score

Masanga (for Piano Duo) (1998)

#	title	score
1	Masanga (for Piano)	score