New approaches to improvisation and composition by Willem Tanke

Willem Tanke New approaches to improvisation and composition
Het ORGEL 103 (2007), nr. 6, xx-xx [summary]

At the International Organ Symposium Rotterdam 2007 Willem Tanke presented improvisations and compositions of an innovative character, that were inspired by playing with musicians from Africa and by research into the music of India and Iran.
New approaches are:
• continually changing rhythmic-melodic patterns for the left hand. These need to be learned by heart and ‘automated’, in the same way that players of percussion instruments like tabla and darbuka study.
• free rhythm in compositions based on sketches, in which a measure of improvisation is essential.
• the use of simple percussion instruments simultaneously with the organ.
• uncomplicated pleasure in the playing of pieces inspired by world music,
as a reaction to the popular opinion that contemporary music is complicated and only to be understood by experts.
• a way of playing the pedals that is reminiscent of the playing of
percussion instruments like xylofoon and marimba.
• the arrangement of fragments from the bird songs of Messiaen.