Call Out

[furtwaengler]

This is a 5 minute bit I found from October 1st, 2009. I can hear that is was played on the Baldwin I frequently practice on at work.

I don't remember anything about this, but in terms of improvisation, it really, really does please me. I like it a lot, actually. It reminds me much of one of a set of small pieces (some like fragmented sentences - I think one formed a complete thought) I hurriedly wrote as a teen...oh, I want to say 1996, when I was interested and ambitious but not quite learned or mature. There was a lot of raw ability I didn't know what to do with in those days, and in some ways I was much more creatively capable then I am now, because it was fresh, new, exciting. I like that the old composition is but a breath, 30-40 seconds, I think, only presenting an idea with no room and no form or sense of development...just a statement, "Here I am," but this improvisation seems to take on the same basic I idea (with a different sequence), developing it (or letting it run its course, thus creating a structure) into what really could be a nice 5 minute piece. Logically some notes would have to change in order for it to make sense...but is it that necessary to make that kind of sense? It is what it is, and I like what it is.

I hope you like what it is as well. 

(I wonder if I should dedicate it to Karli, or to Bob's snails...)

[pianowolfi]

This evokes some reminiscences from "Mikrokosmos", and from Arvo Pärt. Isn't there a lot of lydian mode in it? I like the rather slow pace as it gives room to think.

I'd like to answer with something from myself which your's reminds me of, if you don't mind. I also used bell-like strokes in a rather slow pace, in the first part. I posted it a while back together with another improv, but I don't like the other one so much anymore.

So here it is:


"Agonizing question"

[furtwaengler]

  Wow, that "Agonizing question" is stunning in its power, and its quick harmonic development is as riveting as...the "Agonizing question" is stunning in its power!

At the beginning I had thought you had beat me to a devise I'd used some around August-September 2008, that is all of a certain note crawling up and down the piano (in my case, all the A's of the piano from bottom to top to bottom) creating a canvas on which to paint the improvisation. (I'll post examples sometime in the future...) But yours was much less of a canvas, and more an actual dramatic, directional element. Bravo! It is quite stunning in its power! And the gripping chords Riveting.

Thanks for sharing

[chopinatic]

This is a 5 minute bit I found from October 1st, 2009. I can hear that is was played on the Baldwin I frequently practice on at work.

I don't remember anything about this, but in terms of improvisation, it really, really does please me. I like it a lot, actually. It reminds me much of one of a set of small pieces (some like fragmented sentences - I think one formed a complete thought) I hurriedly wrote as a teen...oh, I want to say 1996, when I was interested and ambitious but not quite learned or mature. There was a lot of raw ability I didn't know what to do with in those days, and in some ways I was much more creatively capable then I am now, because it was fresh, new, exciting. I like that the old composition is but a breath, 30-40 seconds, I think, only presenting an idea with no room and no form or sense of development...just a statement, "Here I am," but this improvisation seems to take on the same basic I idea (with a different sequence), developing it (or letting it run its course, thus creating a structure) into what really could be a nice 5 minute piece. Logically some notes would have to change in order for it to make sense...but is it that necessary to make that kind of sense? It is what it is, and I like what it is.

I hope you like what it is as well. 



(I wonder if I should dedicate it to Karli, or to Bob's snails...)

Fantastic beginning, drew me in, i wanted to see where it went, like i was being tranced by the reverb of every note hit. It is a very though revoking piece. Proof that simple can be very effective and captive!

Thanks for posting it!

[chopinatic]

This evokes some reminiscences from "Mikrokosmos", and from Arvo Pärt. Isn't there a lot of lydian mode in it? I like the rather slow pace as it gives room to think.

I'd like to answer with something from myself which your's reminds me of, if you don't mind. I also used bell-like strokes in a rather slow pace, in the first part. I posted it a while back together with another improv, but I don't like the other one so much anymore.

So here it is:


"Agonizing question"

Great Answer Wolfi,
I really like the "bell-like strokes" in both pieces, its somewhat capturing!

[goldentone]

This is excellent, Furtwaengler!  It does indeed call out to the soul.  Very powerful.  I love it.

[furtwaengler]

Wow, thanks chopinatic and goldentone. 

And thanks again, Wolfi. I listened to Agonizing question again in the car today. It deeply resonates with my soul. I hear moments which seem to want a portimento type effect, like the strings in Schnittke's Concerto for Piano and Strings, for instance, or any of Xenakis's slow rising portimenti...effects which are impossible on the piano, but that I either imagine myself, or you yourself had such a strong yearning they take place that, the listener hears it intuitively. Anyway, I love the effect!

[lostinidlewonder]

Amazing what you can do with one note in each hand Would have been nice to hear some more p ranges or maybe regions where the accent could be suppressed and the sound can build up to climaxes and you can also avoid masking the sustained sounds too much. Like when you hit the 2:30 booming part, it would have been cool if what came before was a gradual cresc, everything builting up to that part. Interesting to listen to! 3:53 to end adding of the notes fit really well.