Cosmic Encounters (1984) - Twelve Interplanetary Etudes on the Intervals for Intermediate Terrestrial Piano

Beginning with “Countdown,” the launch of a manned spacecraft, each of the 12 pieces takes the player further along the journey from Earth to the Titan, the mysterious giant moon of Saturn. The mission retraces the path taken by the Voyager probes, the first to explore the outer planets at close range in 1979-1981. As each piece increases the distance from Earth, the interval emphasized in the music gets larger: “Countdown” is all about minor 2nds, “Weightless” obsesses with major 2nds, and so on, concluding with “Titan,” which uses all 12 intervals about equally with both hands playing in octaves. Each piece comes with a page of theory drills in which the student relates the interval in question to the piece, as well as a brief description of that part of the space trip. Of the several things I have done for piano students, this is the one of which I am most proud. And yes, I am a fan of space exploration. Commercially available from Manduca here. Titles: Countdown, Weightless, Red Storm, Asteroids, Solar Wind, Chipwatt the Robot, Jovian Moondance, King of the Heavens, Full Tilt, Jewel in the Void, Computer Chaos, Titan. 

An excellent recital could be given with different students each playing one of the pieces, in order, and with the stories being read before each one. Perhaps also with a Powerpoint projection of appropriate images from NASA? Some samples…