Matt Johnson responded to my query: >I recently saw a performance of Study No 7 by the Minnesota Contemporary >Music Ensemble. It was arranged for chamber orchestra and met with >Nancarrow's approval. The performance was excellent and even included an >encore of part of the work. While this is the case I must admit the music >was extremely complex and I had difficulty following what was going on >during many parts of it. Based on my first impression I believe it would >be necessary to hear this piece many times before you could really begin >to appreciate it. I believe more performances are in the works so keep >your eyes open... Greetings, Matt! Thanks for responding. Thanks, also, for the heads up. I will keep on the lookout for any performances in my area, central New Jersey. I'm wondering what you may have gotten out of the performance you attended. I would think that the audience enjoyed it or there wouldn't have been an encore. Do you think that these studies were written because of a musical idea Nancarrow felt he had to express, or do think these studies are amazingly complex, fascinating jigsaw puzzles written to test the limits of what can be written for a player piano? I am sure it can, also, be a combination of the two. What do you think the composer is doing? Thanks, as always, Ron Chaplin