A blank, white minimalism

[furtwaengler]

This needs a dedication, and it would be appropriate for Wolfi because of what his work means to me, and his dabbling in minimalism, and it would be appropriate for Derek as a welcome back present! So to Derek and to Pianowolfi I dedicate it, and hope the rest enjoy it just as well!

Last night I found myself at the school after doing other things in the city, and had my Tascam with me. I thought I'd try its effectiveness out in the hall as I played the Yamaha on stage. I did not lift the lid on the Yamaha, and the Tascam, far removed from the piano, was on it's highest recording setting, but recording directly to mp3, 128 kbps. For this I will not declare the Tascam a complete failure in this process, though I know it will handle things better closer to the piano. I guess at that point the sound spreads out so far it is impossible for such built in mics to capture it...there's a lot I do not know about recording.

Musically I have been in a real dry spell. In my initial attempt last night I came up empty, and a bit discouraged. I shut the recorder off and practiced Schubert for about an hour to calm my nerves...I don't know that I'll have space to perform any of Schubert's piano music in the near future, but I love it so dearly that I cannot stay away for long stretches of time. You all must know the feeling. Well, near the end I hit my stride and found something I was ready to record, and this is that. I'm not well acquainted with minimalism, and have had no small animosity towards it in past times, until I started to love John Adams, not as a minimalist per say, but as a composer with something truly worthwhile to say. This improvisation is not like John Adams, and it may not even be much like minimalism in the traditional sense, but I had great fun playing it, and am happy to have a recording of the (er, 6 minute) moment.

It could fall into that realm of spontaneous composition Wolfi's sometimes written about. A few other things...it is played exclusively on the white keys, with an emphasis toward the middle, that E-F divide, and of course C major...and never is the pedal used. It is than a dry, or blank, white keyed, minimalistic parody with much sustained energy, if not always accurately portrayed. I'm very happy with it and hope you'll like it to.

Another note...about two minutes in I found myself quoting a theme which was at that moment of uncertain origin. I had to do some thinking, but turns out I was alluding to an *old* prelude from my youth...a very short, noodling doodling from about 1996 which I recorded on tape, but which was cut off at the beginning (don't start too soon!). BUT, this was not strictly an improvisation though it started improvisational...there is a partial score that exists containing the lost notes from the beginning. I just hope I can find it, and hope it was not one of the casualties of the flood. I should have joy in going back in time and working on it. I am including this as well.

Well, lots of words again! But I am satisfied (actually really happy) with this recording (officially September 25, 2010), and hope it will bring you some joy as well.    

Dave

[pianowolfi]

Haha Very cheerful! As often when it comes to minimalism, humour is not far. Somehow this reminds me of a chicken run with actually quite happy but rather nervous chicken who just got fed  (I hope this doesn't offend you). Also, somehow I notice that I tend to associate the "white" tonalities herein with this sort of innocence and naiveté animals often use to have.

It sounds like a piece that you could use perfectly as an encore.

And yes, that prelude is definitely worth coming back to!

Thanks for the dedication!  

[furtwaengler]

Somehow this reminds me of a chicken run with actually quite happy but rather nervous chicken who just got fed

  Well I'd never! 

(Kidding of course)

(And when did you change your blurb?)

I'm now kind of hoping littletune will catch onto this and draw our nervous chicken run!

[Derek]

Thanks for the welcome back gift! I enjoyed both pieces. Your playing in the second piece reminds me of music by an improviser I met on myspace a while back named Michael Solomont. He recorded a lot of fast, tonal, baroque/classical inspire improvisations on a yamaha no less.

Sometimes I feel blessed for not thinking of images when I hear music, it would be unfortunate to hear the first piece and think of something as stupid and annoying as a chicken! (but, very delicious) I do like how cheerful it is. There were some parts where a melody appeared and actually vaguely reminded me of a fragment of a rachmaninov etude.

[pianowolfi]

Well I'd never! 

(And when did you change your blurb?)

I have changed my blurb like 3 or 4 days ago. It has to do with some idea that I have, maybe it will be a piano piece someday

[littletune]

Hi Furtwaengler!   Thank you for remembering me       I was thinking really a lot of times that I should draw something on your improvisations because when I listen to your improvisations I always see sooo many things! It's like watching a movie or something   And I'm REALLY glad I see things when I listen to music!!!  It's cool!!!  But then I can never decide if I really should draw something or not  But I think I will have to someday     (Just too bad that summer holidays are over now     and I never have enough time to do everything I want and everything I should   ). But I really wanna try to draw something sometime!! (Oh and I also tried recording my "improvisations"   like you said   and it's.... kinda weird   but I decided to keep them and not to delete them anyway   )

(oh and chickens are not stupid!    .... and all those other things....  just... oh well doesn't matter  )

You're cool Furtwaengler!!    

[Derek]

I didn't mean to suggest that it is unfortunate for others to see imagery when they hear music, it'd unly be unfortunate for me, specifically. I enjoy music best without imagery. No disrespect meant to others with differing musical tastes/abilities/quirks.

[birba]

The weaving doodle was pure delight!  Was that also an improvisation or did you compose it before?
Absolutely delightful.  No other word can describe it!

[birba]

I was wondering where you were, littletune!     Welcome back! 

[littletune]

I was wondering where you were, littletune!     Welcome back! 

Thank you Birba!    I am really happy that some people think about me even if I'm not as much on Pianostreet as I was during the holidays!! There's just so many things now and I worry about school and I worry a lot about my fish and all that, and I practice piano a lot and I'm learning a lot of new pieces (which is really cool!  ).

[chopinatic]

WOW, i dont know what to say to this, it blew me away, I became drawn into this vortex of colours and patterns and shapes and music when i listened to it. It was like a spiritual journey of some sort, but i cant explain it. Wow,  Thanks for sharing.

[furtwaengler]

Wow, thanks, Chopinatic. It's amazing the different reactions to music...just read Wolfi's comments and then Chopinatic's comments! What a world! And they're equally valid and true.

Then for my 4 year old niece, it is possible a chicken run would be a spiritual journey of some sort. 

[pianowolfi]

I feel a bit bad about my comment. I think what I intended to say was that I like the combination of depth, cheerfulness and humour in it

[furtwaengler]

I feel a bit bad about my comment. I think what I intended to say was that I like the combination of depth, cheerfulness and humour in it

Goodness, no! Your comment was great.