Between Written and Unwritten Works: Peter Serkin’s Synthesis of Performance and Composition

What is the vast silence between written and unwritten words?
– Italo Calvino

“Instrumentalists,” Boethius wrote as early as the 6^th century, “devote their total effort to exhibiting their skill on instruments. Thus they act as slaves … for they have no reason, and are totally lacking in thought.” This bias against interpreters of music has persisted from ancient times to this day, often obscuring the intricate relationship between composers and interpreters. But where does composition really end, and interpretation begin? What are the boundaries of the two disciplines, and where do they overlap?

This course explores the multifaceted realm of interpretation in music via the example of American pianist Peter Serkin (1947-2020). We will trace the rich tapestry of Serkin’s influences, ranging from the work of music theorist Heinrich Schenker to Tibetan Buddhism, from the 70s counterculture in New York to the 52 works specifically written for Serkin by composer friends such as Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996) and Oliver Knussen (1952-2018). At the same time, we will delve into Serkin’s weighty family history, marked by his grandfather, composer and violinist Adolf Busch, whom Thomas Mann called a “kindred spirit,” and his father, Rudolf Serkin, the preeminent American émigré pianist of his generation.

Serkin’s interpretative synthesis, arising out of all these influences, amounts to a work of art in itself. More than an interpreter responding to a composition, he points us to a symbiotic process of co-creation in which composers equally respond to interpretations, which in turn are informed by factors as varied as as Serkin’s idiosyncratic musical endeavors and his family history. In sum, Serkin’s artistic life presents us with a vision of the interpreter as a liminal figure who occupies the crucial “silence” between written and not yet written works.

Maximum enrollment: 10

Schedule

Fall 2024 (18 hours)

Location

TBA

All PICT courses are held in person. Participants will be contacted by the course instructor with all relevant details (readings if any, exact address, etc.) via email during the week leading up to the course.

This PICT course is free for PICT Members. Become a member from 3 euros/month.