plectros III [1971-I], for piano and electroacoustic sounds. actually, this piece existed first as a free improvisation [by alcides lanza] accompanied by taped electronic sounds and no written score. it was designed as to be performed in almost total darkness. at the request of his publisher at the time, Boosey & Hawkes, and in order to comply with a Library of Congress requirement that a ‘visual’ printed score be deposited to establish copyright, alcides lanza wrote the score part of the present version. the accompanying tape part has sounds created at the Columbia University studios, plus — lanza already living in Canada — electronic and concrete sounds done at the McGill EMS and at the composer’s studio. many of the low frequency, droning tones were created with the Hugh LeCaine Tone Mixture Generator. plectros III requires the pianist to use super-ball mallets and plectrums, the performance of the piano part is done completely directly on the strings. the pianist never touches the keyboard. an optional part for a sequencer-synthesizer — very popular in the early 70s — is to be done by the pianist himself.

the score of plectros III is entirely done in graphic notation.

plectros III was premiered by alcides lanza in Pasco, Washington, during a convention of Music Instrument Dealers. Early 1971.

Source: 2003