Carlson: Improv 2 - 1996

[rookerz]

About the composer:

My name is Andrew Carlson and I've never had any formal (or informal) piano training.  I can't actually even read music so if you want to stop right here and click to a new post, I'll understand.  When I was 14 around Christmas time, my mom was watching the weather channel and the "Carol of the Bells" started playing in the background.  I have no clue what motivated me, but it just struck me that it wouldn't be very hard to play; simple left hand repeating with an even simpler right hand melody.  I just needed to coordinate the two. So I sat down to our Roland digital and a few hours later I had it nailed and fell in love.  From that moment on, every time I heard something, I wanted to figure out how to play it.  At 16 I bought a piano instead of a car (1942 Baldwin upright).

I continued on for several years working my way up to more elaborate and challenging pieces, listening to them over and over until I can hear every part in my head and then working to emulate them on the ivory.  Along the way I noticed many composers use similar elements in different ways to communicate their music.  This lead to my music theory development.  I began studying composers to try to figure out how they "do what they do".  I listed to anything I could get hold of, but in development, I categorize my progression with Bach first.  This lead to Mozart who gave way to Beethoven who ultimately solidified my passion for classical music.  This kind of  left me in the vicinity of Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff (probably my favorite behind Beethoven) which I haven't really been able to get a concrete foundation into.

Ultimately, I found it more enjoyable to make up my own music to play instead of painstakingly trying to emulate something that already exists.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE playing the classics and I still have my golden list of pieces I want to add to my repertoire.  However, sometimes I just want to play for the sake of playing, and making things up just flows well and is more therapeutic at times. 

Because of this, my music (or at least my OWN music) had been very private to me.  For a long time I was very self conscious about my work.  I didn't really think that could hold a candle to anything composed by "real" musicians.  As a result, I've had some of these recordings for over 17 years that no one but family has heard.  They tell me it's great, but that, of course, is their job.  Anyway, time has passed, my insecurities have dwindled a bit, and my curiosity has gotten the better of me.  I have been wanting to know what an actual musical community would have to say my compositions.  I actually found this website by chance while researching a few musical theories and concepts.  I have been looking for some feedback (positive or negative) for quite a while now and this seemed like a very knowledgeable, musically insightful, and well visited place for my "debut".  Just don't be too harsh, lol.
 
This of course leads to...

About the piece:

"Improv 2" (I never really name anything because it's always different) I recorded this piece near the end of 1996 when I was 19 years old.  I was living on my own for the first time and going through a period of depression.  It happens to everyone from time to time, how you deal with it is the question.  For me, I started drinking *disclaimer below* and hit record.  Taking my energy and frustration out in music always seemed to help me (who needs therapy).  This night lead to a series of improvisational recording, which in hindsight, wouldn't have been recorded if I hadn't been drinking in the first place.  This is my favorite from that session.

This piece was originally recorded on a cheap electronic keyboard I hooked up to my computer as a midi file with Midisoft Sudio.  I just got a new sound card recently and decided to play with the sound fonts.  So I dusted off my old midi files and (about 14 years later) re-recorded a few into .mp3 format with Sibelius 6 and remastered the file with Adobe Soundbooth CS4, so don't worry, it sounds like a piano now.  Now this is a live, unrehearsed, UNEDITED, recording (true improvisation); please keep that in mind.  There are technical errors I'm sure.  I am less interested in how to refine it, but rather, is it worth it?  Anyway, if you've read this far, thank you and enjoy.

-AC

*disclaimer: I apologize in advance to anyone who shuns the imbibement of alcohol.  But in my defense, many great men have created their best works under the influence of "something".  To ridicule me, would ridicule those who came before me, else you risk hypocrisy.*