centuries-improv

[pianowolfi]

Sometimes I seriously consider if I should post no more words and just speak through music. After all it's all that I have to say....

[pianistimo]

do you watch pbs, too?  i just watched a documentary on herculaneum.  this piece reminds me of the people that didn't know their entire city would be covered in volcanic lava and ash - just as pompeii was slightly earlier with ash.  the volcano blew it's top and first covered pompeii.  then it goes and has this massive lava flow that intricately preserves the ENTIRE city of herculaneaum as it was centuries ago.  even some frescos that were in the process of being painted.

only in pompeii did they find bodies.  somebody had the idea to fill some of the holes where people were with plaster.  their expressions and body forms were preserved exactly as they were when they died.  with herculaneum - they found out everyone ran to the shore. but the lava flow kept moving and caught a lot of bodies out in the water.  recent findings.

60,000 people used to live in these areas in the 40's? - now - i think they said 600,000.  so these people - when the volcano blows again (mt. vesuvius) might have the exact same thing happen to them as so many years ago.  the last time was around 1944 or something like that - but it was mostly one area.  it is now very very fertile because of theminerals and ash - and produce grows really well.  that is one reason why people risk living there.  they don't think it will blow in their lifetime.

[Mayla]

Hi, Wolfi.  Your voice is definitely loud and clear in this.  I will admit that it feels quite sad somehow to me.

You know me, I appreciate this somewhat minimalistic approach.  I find it interesting that you create such an atmosphere with such subtley and without being overly verbose.  There is something about thin textures like this for me -- sometimes they just speak volumes to me.

After having listened to quite a number of your improvs, I know that you are skilled in your harmonic abilities, and I find it interesting that in this one you choose to often utilize the affect of 'octaves' in the bass, giving such an open sound against such a thin melody line (most the time) -- often times just striking them and then letting them carry (I love that, btw) -- when you DO "strike" them, it serves as a grounding force, somehow reminding us of something important. 

Perhaps in a sub-conscious way, these octaves give you the kind of expanse that may represent large elements of time -- like centuries. 

I will need to listen more to have more to say to you -- I have decided that I will indeed take this time from now on when I choose to invest myself in listening and commenting on other people's works and playing.

Please keep them coming .

[pianowolfi]

Hi, Wolfi.  Your voice is definitely loud and clear in this.

  thank you very much!

  I will admit that it feels quite sad somehow to me.

Yes I know. I love sad music. And, you know, for 100 words I can say, there may stand 3 notes. For 1000 notes there may stand something unexpressable.....at least YET unexpressable.

You know me, I appreciate this somewhat minimalistic approach.  I find it interesting that you create such an atmosphere with such subtley and without being overly verbose.  There is something about thin textures like this for me -- sometimes they just speak volumes to me.

 

After having listened to quite a number of your improvs, I know that you are skilled in your harmonic abilities, and I find it interesting that in this one you choose to often utilize the affect of 'octaves' in the bass, giving such an open sound against such a thin melody line (most the time) -- often times just striking them and then letting them carry (I love that, btw) -- when you DO "strike" them, it serves as a grounding force, somehow reminding us of something important. 

Perhaps in a sub-conscious way, these octaves give you the kind of expanse that may represent large elements of time -- like centuries. 

I will need to listen more to have more to say to you -- I have decided that I will indeed take this time from now on when I choose to invest myself in listening and commenting on other people's works and playing.

Please keep them coming .

All this is very meaningful to me. Sorry if I am a bit short in my comments now, I have just been awake the whole night and, BUT, I have watched a heart- touching sunrise right before, which made me feel like whoaahhhh... it was just unbelievable. Thank you for listening so carefully and commenting so thoughtfully! 

[pianowolfi]

do you watch pbs, too?  i just watched a documentary on herculaneum.  this piece reminds me of the people that didn't know their entire city would be covered in volcanic lava and ash - just as pompeii was slightly earlier with ash.  the volcano blew it's top and first covered pompeii.  then it goes and has this massive lava flow that intricately preserves the ENTIRE city as it was centuries ago.  even some frescos that were in the process of being painted.

only in pompeii did they find bodies.  somebody had the idea to fill some of the holes where people were with plaster.  their expressions and body forms were preserved exactly as they were when they died.  with herculaneum - they found out everyone ran to the shore. but the lava flow kept moving and caught a lot of bodies out in the water.  recent findings.

60,000 people used to live in these areas in the 40's? - now - i think they said 600,000.  so these people - when the volcano blows again (mt. vesuvius) might have the exact same thing happen to them as so many years ago.  the last time was around 1944 or something like that - but it was mostly one area.  it is now very very fertile because of theminerals and ash - and produce grows really well.  that is one reason why people risk living there.  they don't think it will blow in their lifetime.

Vesuvius? hmmmmmm interesting.  is there a volcano anywhere around here? *looks around* Ha, there is no volcano in my region. *whistles happily*.  How you get this connection or association about my piece is perhaps not entirely clear to me. But okay, you are very original and creative. Thanks for listening and commenting

[quantum]

I like it.     pianowolfi, you managed to say so much with these simple motifs.  I noticed the general direction of the short phrases was upwards, so maybe this offers the listener a sense of hope for the future within the current sadness. 

[rach n bach]

   

That was awesome! 

There is something so... oh how do you say it... heart based that made it speak for itself.  Talking about it doesn't do any good, ya gotta listen to it to understand.  It speaks on such a basic level that you cannot help but get the message.  At the same time, it is so deep and heartfelt..

Thank you so much!

RnB

[pianowolfi]

I like it.     pianowolfi, you managed to say so much with these simple motifs.  I noticed the general direction of the short phrases was upwards, so maybe this offers the listener a sense of hope for the future within the current sadness. 

Thank you very much! Yeah the upwards movements are often a symbolum of hope to me.

   

That was awesome! 

There is something so... oh how do you say it... heart based that made it speak for itself.  Talking about it doesn't do any good, ya gotta listen to it to understand.  It speaks on such a basic level that you cannot help but get the message.  At the same time, it is so deep and heartfelt..

Thank you so much!

RnB

Wow that makes me really happy!!! You may imagine how a composer/improviser feels happy beyond words if he feels understood, actually deeply understood. Thank you so much RnB!

[Derek]

centuries

I like the clever names you come up with for your improvisations. I've never
developed an ability to do that, myself. I'm so lost in the abstract world
of musical sounds and the emotions and atmospheres I get immersed in, I can
rarely relate it to anything "outside" the music.

awesome. arpeggio figures...my favorite!
as I listen, this improv can definitely aid in the picture of long periods of
time passing, if that's what you intended to communicate with your title
"centuries!"

1:10 - Wow, kind of creepy so far.
2:04 - like this part a lot
2:57 - I like the alternating octave bass there

[pianowolfi]

centuries

I like the clever names you come up with for your improvisations. I've never
developed an ability to do that, myself. I'm so lost in the abstract world
of musical sounds and the emotions and atmospheres I get immersed in, I can
rarely relate it to anything "outside" the music.

Well the difference is that for me it is inside the music, I have a vision and a mood and feeling and this is for instance, like here, the attempt to see life from a higher pespective, like centuries (I am planning to do a "millennia" also lol ) What I try to describe is the mood. And this I can only do with music.

awesome. arpeggio figures...my favorite!
as I listen, this improv can definitely aid in the picture of long periods of
time passing, if that's what you intended to communicate with your title
"centuries!"

1:10 - Wow, kind of creepy so far.
2:04 - like this part a lot
2:57 - I like the alternating octave bass there

Thank you very much!