Today I want to share a contemporary piece entitled Elastic Harmonic by Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy (b. 1970): Elastic Harmonic and Dennehy’s Style Elastic Harmonic is not Einaudi. There isn’t a singable melody or anything really familiar about this piece. While Dennehy uses minimalism as a compositional technique, his works do not follow the “modern-classical-music” style. And after […]
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I recently had the opportunity to compose, record, and attend the premiere of my original wind ensemble composition Symphonies of Silence. I began writing the piece in May of 2017, and on May 31, 2018, the Oregon State University Wind Ensemble premiered it at their final concert of the school year. Here is a video of […]
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Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi has written many beautiful piano pieces. What I love about his music is that each composition tells a story. This is no different with his work Le Onde (“The Waves”): *If you like my cover, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel for more! Background of Le Onde Einaudi’s first big hit, Le […]
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We’ve looked at the musical development of minimalism in the mid-20th century (part 1). Then we discussed four minimalist-music pioneers and their contributions to the style (part 2). Today, let’s talk about the impact minimalism has had on 21st-century music and how minimalism continues to make a statement in modern ways. And let me tell […]
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*By the way, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn’t cost more for you! Perhaps one of the most well-known pieces by contemporary composer Ludovico Einaudi, Nuvole Bianche is a gorgeous (and heartbreaking) piano-solo-turned-song that connects with listeners around the world. Like the sheet music? Get it here! *Fun fact: “nuvole bianche” is […]
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Records tell us that Johann Sebastian Bach had 20 children over the course of his life (he did have two wives). But what most people don’t know is that he actually had a 21st child: His name was P.D.Q. Bach. Biography Born in Leipzig, Germany, on April 1, 1742, P.D.Q. was called a “pimple on the […]
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Remember earlier this week when I posted about O Magnum Mysterium, a 16th century motet taken from Catholic Mass? Well, today I want to share another Mass with you – but this one is from the 21st century. Called Sunrise Mass, Norwegian composer Olja Gjeilo (b. 1978) created this 30-minute work for choir and strings with four […]
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Part of the reason I started A Pianist’s Musings was because I wanted to keep a journal (of sorts) on music that interests me. I figured if I could write about the music I was listening to, maybe I could share it with others and help someone else discover some wonderful new music. With that […]
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After hearing about the sudden passing of Jóhann Jóhannsson, I wanted to pay him tribute by compiling a (non-comprehensive) list of his works. The Icelandic composer was best known for his blend of electronic and classical genres. He received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and awards for many of his film scores, and his solo […]
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Divenire means “to become”. And that’s exactly the story that this piece tells. This orchestral/piano work is the title track of Ludovico Einaudi‘s album Divenire, which he released in 2006: Einaudi’s Inspiration Einaudi says of Divenire on his website: “Divenire developed over a long period, beginning in 2002 when I was invited by the organisers of the festival […]
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