Jacopo Mazzonelli's Mono-Key Pianos at Bologna's Museo della Musica
At Bologna's Museo della Musica, Jacopo Mazzonelli (born 1983 in Trento) presents ABCDEFG (2015-16), a work that reduces seven early 20th-century upright pianos to a single functioning key each, reproducing the entire musical scale through one key per instrument. This unconventional sonic exploration is paired with an electronic composition by Matteo Franceschini, blending the mono-note piano sounds with electronic production. The exhibition also includes the Volume series (2017 and 2018), sculptures that entomb a trombone and a clarinet in concrete, serving as monuments to lost sonic memory. The project challenges conventional music reception by destructuring traditional instruments to create novel auditory experiences.
Key facts
- Jacopo Mazzonelli was born in Trento in 1983.
- The exhibition is held at the Museo della Musica in Bologna.
- ABCDEFG uses seven upright pianos from the early 1900s, each reduced to a single working key.
- The work covers the classic musical scale through one key per piano.
- Matteo Franceschini composed an electronic piece that combines mono-note piano sounds with electronic sounds.
- The exhibition includes the Volume series from 2017 and 2018.
- Volume sculptures imprison a trombone and a clarinet in concrete.
- The project aims to create new sonic possibilities outside conventional music culture.
Entities
Artists
- Jacopo Mazzonelli
- Matteo Franceschini
Institutions
- Museo della Musica
- Artribune
Locations
- Bologna
- Italy
- Trento