Hauschka: Room to Expand

Label: Fat Cat

Hauschka is German pianist Volker Bertelmann, also known as one-third of Music A.M. and half of Tonetraeger. As Hauschka, Bertelmann is less electronic, instead focusing on bringing back the idea of “prepared piano” – a piano with objects in the strings making them sound different, a concept famously pioneered by John Cage. Bertelmann jams chunks of leather, felt, and rubber between the strings, puts aluminum on the hammers, twines guitar strings inside the piano, damps the strings with tape, and more, resulting in a wider array of timbres ranging from more metallic to mellower, in effect changing the instrument to a percussion orchestra. There’s more than prepared piano here, however; especially lush and full is “Chicago Morning” with its mellow sustained horn chords offsetting clinking piano arpeggios. A lovely album recommended to fans of Max Richter. (Steve)