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This is the most elaborate prepared piano demonstration I have ever seen! I suggest it be used for the next Planet of the Apes sequel. (Actually, I mean that quite seriously. I very much enjoyed the soundtracks of the original series. Some weird things were done with pianos in them that were quite effective.) This borders on music that I have heard from Southeast Asia (Gamelon) except that it is too harmonious.

I do believe Jimmy Page does similar things in "Dazed and Confused" using a bow on a gibson... Dig it, Tech Cats !!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R6yUyUPd7o

My thoughts,

In general, I loathe prepared piano pieces and what they do to pianos over time. In that regard this is not the worst thing I have ever seen.

The music was OK. Bill, It also made me think of a Gamelan.

May I show my ignorance, yet again, by asking the obvious question? What do such pieces do to the piano?

Philip,

This is a recurring issue especially at universities where the composers are looking for interesting things to do with instruments.

ANY hands on strings will compromise them, especially bass strings. The oil from your hands ruins strings. One big strum across the mid section just makes my heart ache. Any material that is put in between the strings except for natural materials like cloth, rubber, paper or string will scratch the wire, eventually ruining the quality. Even putting in the materials should be done with a latex glove. And I can show you horror pictures of the damage the screws in between the strings do to the soundboard - dancing like popcorn on the varnish.

Let's just say that most of this won't hurt the plate except if it scratches it, but marking the dampers alone to indicate the note will usually do some damage to the damper felts and the regulation of them.

Would the percussionists like you to roll one of their cymbals down the street on bumpy pavement to experience how interesting it is to hear the rocks putting small dents in the edge? Does the cellist mind if you pound on their cello with a brick? Does the brass section mind if we use their instruments to scrape along the back of the concrete wall of the auditorium? Apparently they do. But when the pianists complain that they don't want the piano that they have to play next week prepared THIS week no one seems to have much sympathy.

Most universities have a beat up older piano for these uses. I have tried very hard to "like" the "extended technique" stuff but if I go to the performance I just have to take something to calm my nerves.

I'm doing a class here for the composers. My point is that if you write something that ruins the piano, less people will want to perform it.

It is not just the composers who do this, it's the rock musicians who decide to throw the fall board as well.

They did quite a good job with it, I'm impressed.

+1
One person doing what are euphemistically called extended techniques is bad enough, ten people grouped around the piano doing their own thing is unthinkable.

Strings continually touched eventually become dead. There are those who specialise in this sort of performance. I have met most of them. It is a given that they have never known that it is essential to press the damper pedal before inserting anything between the strings. These are the professionals. Of course, there are untutored DIY tuners who slam their wedges and tuning strips between the strings not knowing the damage they are doing to the dampers.

The problems created are not noticed by the sort of player who perpetrated them but are noticed by any pianist who wants to play seriously after this sort of treatment.

I remind them that the copper on the strings is toxic and that their compositions don't stand a chance of being performed on the pianos of any major concert hall. (two London concert venues do have older pianos set aside for rough treatment of this nature, but they are very small grands).

Having said that, I actually enjoy the work of John Cage. I was once employed as consultant to such a performance and assist in the preparation. (Cages instructions were written out decades after the original performance and are not reliable in any way).
The pianist involved spent hours making fine adjustments to the original specifications by playing through the piece many many times and making sure each prepared note sounded good in all the contexts that it was used. The piano had to be used normally after this process so everything had to be dismantled and set up again. (I took photos and made recordings but it was necessary to start over entirely). The eventual performance was magical. I went to the conservatoirs' record library to listen to some more but was really disappointed. No recording studio could set aside the time it takes to do it properly. Nor could the performer or recording agency afford to pay for the time it really takes to do it well.

Any piano technician who thinks no damage is done either has not experienced the aftermath or is not a very fine enough technician to recognise the misadjustment which is the aftermath. I have an almost new concert grand now that needs new parts because of mostly unauthorised extended techniques.

One of the problems with giving permission and instruction for extended techniques is that there are impressionable people in the audience who see this and go and try it for themselves.

We have an humorist here that have a pronouncing defect, that he use in sketches.
One at the piano, he spits continually (with some lightening from behind the scene so the effect is enhanced)

Do you think the piano is protected with aplastic sheet? All strings to be changed... (see "Danny Boon" he is supposed to be funny).

I once have seen a B211 with ivory keys where they glued all the notes NAMES on color punching. Just in case the pianist did not remind I suppose. Soft tack glue will no leave travel if pulled out before 3, to 8 days, depending of the quality.
Not 15 days...

There is a basic instructions set for pianists.. Originally in the University.

they rarely respect it

There are some artists who will do interesting things with the piano outside of conventionally playing it, Chick Corea comes to mind. I had the opportunity to tune for him back in the late 80's when he performed in Toronto with a 4 string quartet. He was a very kind/considerate artist, explained what he was going to do. No spitting or any of that nonsense, he used modified toothbrushes and peices of felt/rubber for his work. Incredible concert, I was the last person to stand and leave when it was done, it so moved me.