A completely improvised Concert (live recording)

[nickc]

 I'm curious, as to how a concert of this nature would be perceived by the classical/piano community. Apart from Keith Jarrett, I'm not aware of anyone who really does this nowadays in a concert setting...
As the listeners, how does the music make you feel? 
Looking forward to discussing this. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas Everyone.

All pieces were titled post-performance

Nicholas

1) Night (0:00)
2) The Far East... (5:55)
3) Harmonic Rhythms: Variation Unknown (11:23)
4) Spiders.... (15:35)
5) All things resolved (17:17)
6) The Larks Descending (20:24)
7) Gentle Soul: A Lullaby (23:07)
Strangers Stride (26:50)
9) Violet (28:20)
10) Sky Blue (31:16)
11) Contentment No.1 (33:41)
12) Contentment No.2 (36:25)
13) Diamonds? (38:15)
14) Rhythm? (45:10)
15) Weird (47:37)
16) Wonderland... (51:05)
17) For Chopin (56:25)
18) For Brahms, No.1 (1:00:48)
18) Contrapunto Intermezzi, Si? (1:03:06)
19) For Brahms, No.2(1:06:30)
20) Whisper in the Wind (1:08:00)
21) Until Next time... (1:09:40)

[nickc]

Some feedback would be great. I will be performing next spring across the east coast of Canada and this is how I will perform (though the music will always be different as each place offers different inspiration).

Has anyone on here ever done anything like this before? (a completely improvised recital) If so, how did you find the mental aspect of such a performance? Although I listen to classical music constantly and have the ability to play most pieces in the classical repertoire, I never have as I just don't have the desire.  The only piece of classical music that I have played publicly was Beethoven's sonata no.17. For me, I utilize all other "genres" of music as a drawing board... every piece of music has an idea behind it. My goal is to take that idea (whatever I think that idea might be at the time) and explore it further... whether it be counterpoint, color, tonal exploration or rhythmic variance does not matter.

As the audience, what do you expect to hear or feel in a concert setting? Thank you all, happy new year.

[ted]

I have listened through the set twice now, and I can confidently say that, like all good improvisation, it feeds the mind with new associations and reactions on each hearing. As you know, aside from very few exceptions, I find titles more of a hindrance than a help. If “Spiders”, for instance, is intended to provoke apprehension, the mechanism fails with me because I find them rather jolly creatures. Similarly, I find most of your music to be infused with an Eastern spirit anyway regardless of title.

The trouble with good improvisation, and good music in general, is that the better it is, the less comment is needed. Any analysis of your personal keyboard language, playing forms and so on, I would sooner do privately to avoid implying to forum members the notion that I know better, which is far from the truth. Further, I personally find the improvisation of a set of short, distinct pieces, as you have done here, and as Jarrett did in his more recent concerts, a particularly difficult achievement. I just don’t have the right mind to do it, my brain being closer to the “let it all come out willy-nilly” variety.

I don’t expect to hear anything in a concert setting because I never attend them, but had I been present at this one I would have enjoyed it. Come to think of it, I don’t “expect” anything at all from music any more, but try to bend my perception to accommodate what I hear.

For what the fact is worth, the contrapuntal one stands out for me, but the reaction is personal.