Green Grass in January

[quantum]

We have had a somewhat extended period of visible green grass this January.  This is a long form improvisation, à la Ted. 

[ted]

This is a thorough delight, Neil, and thanks for the implicit compliment. I have listened several times and continue to hear vital and interesting moments. The grass image is peculiarly appropriate for me but in antipodean contrast with your own vision. A month ago Auckland experienced a truly colossal downpour resulting in floods and widespread damage. Then a couple of weeks ago a cyclone drifted onto us bringing more downpours, floods and widespread destruction, especially in the North Island. Our kikuyu grass responded by shooting up several inches almost overnight and, as I remarked in another thread, I began to feel I was in the tropical enclosure at the zoo.

This chameleon property of generating profoundly different but valid images and responses in listeners, or in the same listener at different times, is essential to the charm of music for me.

[quantum]

Thanks for listening, Ted!

Over here, January is usually observed with lawns that are covered in snow.  Many would be enjoying winter sports involving ice or snow.  The sight of grass, let alone grass that looked like it might have been in the season of spring, is not common at this time. 

I do appreciate that the observation of green grass in January could mean many different things depending on where in the world one lives, and enjoyed reading your own perspective.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

I listened to this earlier today, and it's really very interesting and colourful. As usual, your improvisations are very nicely recorded. I'm not sure how you do it, but there is a beautiful limpid quality to the sound. In addition to the vibrant sounds eg c. 5m the string effects definitely added something - I take it you are covering them at various points within the improvisation. The idiom you deploy, which began as something not unrelated to Debussy and Scriabin, is not one which is particularly natural to me, but nevertheless I never found it uncomfortable or overly challenging, and for a lengthy improvisation I didn't find my attention wandering. Really engaging music.

[truecam]

Wow!!!

[pianistavt]

I listened a little bit (will listen more later) - really like your post-Scriabin / Sorabji style, at least that's what I can come up with at the moment.  How do you describe it?

[furtwaengler]

I just completed lisening. It warms my heart to see you, Ted, and ronde_des_sylphes still here posting. There is something still right in the world. It is more reason to renew some activity. My thoughts are that if it is a nod to Ted, there is a better way to listen than finding associations with other composers. I will note the Debussy, Scriabin, and Sorabji that were mentioned, but they were only passing through the grass feeling Ives in the wind.

I have always enjoyed the unique voice of Quantum. Time to explore the YouTube channel!

[ted]

Good to see you are still extant Dave. I post much less frequently on either forum now but be assured my improvisation is expanding in all directions, approaching 800 recorded hours since I retired. I shall probably post another one presently. I am still bowled over by your Hammerklavier, by the way, don't know how people do that sort of thing.