Louie - I leap through the sky with stars (on a nice piano / recital hall)

[quantum]

I arrived early to set up the recording gear for the Canadian women's concert: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,24673.0.html

The only other person that was there was the sound tech for the hall.  So I decided to warm up and do some sound checks before the other performers arrived.  I had fun playing on the Kawai concert grand.  I thought, recording gear + recital hall + nice piano + I need a sound check, why not record something. 

I originally wanted to do this piece for the concert but someone else wanted to play it too, but ended up not doing that either.  The piece calls from a lot of hammered effects, but I didn't want to put the piano out of tune before the concert so I held back a little on the hammered parts. 

I posted a home recording of this piece about two years ago here:
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,11177.0.html

Mics: (2x) Studio Projects B1
Interface: Edirol UA-25
Piano: Kawai EX

[rachfan]

Hi quantum,

First, I give you a lot of credit for taking on a difficult, modern score like this one.  It has dissonances, various scalar modes, changing meters, odd rhythms, and interspersed minimalist motifs, surprising twists, and much more.  Very difficult to be sure!  I have to leave this kind of piece to you and other pianists of the newer generation.  I doubt I could even interpret the directions for playing it, ha-ha!    Anyway, it seems to come very naturally to you, and you play this music (Canadian composer, I believe) with great thoughtfulness and poetry.  You bring not only musicianship to this score, but tremendous introspection and reflection as well, and make it very colorful, listenable and sensual.  I believe an audience, even those not much into modern music, would appreciate your performance tremendously (and of Ancient Garden--where you have to get inside the piano--as well).  You seem to have a natural feel for this style.  Great job!   

[quantum]

rachfan, thank you for listening!

I do have to admit that I feel a connection with modern music such as this.  I find that in order to give such music a voice and substance you really have to listen carefully to the sonority of piano and really adjust your playing to enhance and bring out the variety sound that can come from such music. 

[arensky]

This is great playing quantum! Your sensitivity to the tone throughout the registers of the piano is remarkable; everything is always crystal clear. Percussive, but never ugly. Your technique is also very clear and suited to this music. Not only do you feel the connection, you make me hear it too. Great job! 

This is my first hearing of Louie's music. It's obviously derivative of Messiaen but I enjoyed it on it's own merits, good stuff.

[nanabush]

Oh man I love that piece   I've heard about three different interpretations of it, but this one's the most convincing!  Awesome playing!

[rob47]

man this is tits-wicked! never heard of this composer but true s/he's awesome

thanks