Yann Tiersen – Pianodao

Calming Piano Solos

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Hal Leonard recently issued two editions (respectively offering 35 “Piano Solo” pieces and 19 arrangements for “Easy Piano”) of the unambiguously named collection Calming Piano Solos.

I can guess what some readers are thinking, and yes, I Giorni and Una Mattina are present and correct. But before you jump to the wrong conclusion and give up reading further, it’s worth noting that these books are something of a surprise, offering a wealth of fresh and appealing titles.

The first clue that these books would be different was, for me, the front cover promise which reads,

“…beautiful solos including:
The Approaching Night • Butterfly Waltz • Love’s Return • Sea Change • When Morning Comes • Winged Melancholy…”

Hmm, excuse my ignorance, but… say what?

Thanos Fotiadis: Welcome to Earth

THE PIANODAO MUSIC LIBRARY

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Editions Musica Ferrum continue to deliver creative new music suitable for players of all ages and levels, showcasing interesting composers from around the world, the latest of whom is Thanos Fotiadis, a pianist, teacher and composer based in the Netherlands.

According to the publisher,

“Welcome to Earth is a collection of diverse solo piano pieces that capture the imagination of the piano player in multiple ways. Featuring a total of 10 short pieces, plus a bonus one in the end, each piece holds the interest of the pianist, or piano student, by moving from style to style with great ease, but always offering the personal touch of the composer.”

Let’s go exploring…

Yann Tiersen: Kerber

THE PIANODAO MUSIC LIBRARY

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Yann Tiersen is best known for his brilliant and suitably quirky soundtrack to the movie Amélie, which yielded such contemporary classics as the Waltz from Amélie and of course Comptine d’un autre été.

Tiersen’s varied career has taken in further soundtrack work as well as solo instrumental recording projects, the latest of which is the album Kerber, released last month. Kerber maintains the signature sound that his fans have come to love so much, mixing lush piano lines with a gorgeous bed of electronic musical elements, ranging from the subtle to retro kitsch sci-fi.

Comprising 7 tracks which combined last around 46 minutes, Kerber is one of those albums within the new classical space which I think deserves repeated listens, and which I believe will stand the test of time.

Whether this is music that solo piano players will find themselves performing is another matter, but to help satiate the enthusiasm of Tiersen’s fans, Hal Leonard have just published the music book. So do these pieces work without the album’s other musical trappings? Let’s find out…