ESTUARIES - G.Steinway (Sosnowski)

**etLux** · 10-03-2009, 01:13 PM

Hi Yudit!

Originally Posted by sunbird

David,

Hearing your improvisation I couldn't help but see and hear a river......

As if this water body was somehow confined so far and all of a sudden
has found the way to stream again in its natural boundaries.

Water and light (and often both at once) have fascinated
me since childhood, and both are recurrent themes for me.

Along its way it sometimes encounters obstacles adjusting to them,
at other times it comes to peaceful areas resting for a while...

I found it interesting and am really amazed at the ease
with which you improvise!

Well done, etLux...

~Yudit~

The mention of "ease" at improvisation gave me something of
a chuckle, Yudit. The thinking part, that's come to be easy;
but, of course, at the point in life where the playing part is
just the opposite... lol.

Another of God's wonderful jokes, I think.

All my best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

**DelCarry** · 10-05-2009, 10:16 AM

David - this is a very honest piece/improv and very wonderful! For me and many others, this is what music is all about. If we don't express ourselves through music, we will die, (our soul, that is)

Del

**GaryBric** · 10-10-2009, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by etLux

Estuaries
Piano Improvisation
David Sosnowski

...............snip..............

Enjoy...

All my best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

David,

Great writing and production of the piece. Of course I expected nothing less from you! thanks for sharing with the forum.

Gary

www.garybricault.com

**etLux** · 10-14-2009, 02:15 AM

Hi Steve,

Originally Posted by sosmus

David:
Wow! What an impressive gem you have created.

Many thanks, my friend. For many, this kind of piece
will miss the mark by virtue of impatience and inattention;
and while it does not surprise, it certainly pleases me a
great deal that a seasoned ear finds merit in it.

If I could play piano AND improvise as you do, I'd never write anything down again as I would be whiling away my hours, 'gassing' myself with my marvelous, musical musings.

It's either this or I'd be watching Letterman.

It has already been mentioned but I was struck by the coherence of the entire piece. I've heard other "modern" pieces (the written down kind) that could not hold a candle to your formal construction.

Thanks again, Steve. To me, that's high among the main
objects of, oh, gosh, forty-fifty years of improvisation...
one doesn't intend to simply make sweet-sounding noises;
most anyone can manage that; but, rather, to improvise
a well crafted piece of real music.

To further the Ives connection, places in your piece brought back recollections of walking down the hall passing the practice rooms and hearing two or three pianists working on totally different pieces, that would mysteriously coalesce.

I've sometimes wondered if only I had had that experience.
True story: In college, I'd often sit for long periods of time
listening to the meshing of several pianists at once in the
practice rooms. It fascinated me how, very often, it would
all come together, make musical sense...

It is evident that your "improvisations" are the product of a very logical and disciplined mind.

I don't know quite what to say to that, Steve. If you
spent even a few minutes in here, you'd probably be
appalled at the junkyard in my head... rofl!

All my best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

**etLux** · 10-20-2009, 02:24 AM

Hi Andy,

Pleased you made it by for a listen, my friend!

Originally Posted by Andy Brick

Well I have to say Im going the opposite direction of some of the other responses here. I think this is fantastic.

Opinions differ. As they should... lol.

Man I wish I could let go and improvise like that! Its on that blissful edge between chaos and control and oh how I like the way you walk that razors edge!

One of the pleasures of improvisation is striding out on
those planks you'd never walk in formal writing -- then
seeing if you can get back off without going for a swim.

Im listening on really nice Adam monitors and even in the lowest sections its not muddy at all and the piano sounds great here.

Good good! Thanks on that. It's tricky to play those
low, tight passages -- they won't fly without a lot of
pedal; but the slightest bit too much and they're sludge.

Now this would be a piece to orchestrate!

I'm thinking about it.

Terrific!

Andy

All my best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

**KE Peace** · 10-26-2009, 06:10 AM

Hi David,

listening to this right now. I am always pretty much mute when it comes to commenting on your music because it is so far beyond my competence to do so. But I will say that it has a water-like, flowing feel to me, that it challenges my ear to absorb new harmonies, and that your improv abilities continue to astound. I remember sometime back when you posted an improv -- you said you had not touched the keyboard in many years if I recall, and apologized for your playing technique -- and then there was this gorgeous piece someone liked to Chopin -- and listening to it, I wept....

BTW, just ordered your CD from Amazon.

Sorry I have been so scarce (sorry for myself, that is!! LOL!), time seems to have slipped away from me. I have been getting more connected here in the springs... sang at a couple of fundraisers (some standard vocal literature and some original stuff), have a concert of my music (Requiem and other pieces) planned in the fall of 2010 with the chamber orchestra of the springs and the colorado vocal arts ensemble (CVAE), and have been asked to set some poetry to music for CVAE for April 2010 performance. I really enjoy the poetry to music thing. I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating - -that the encouragement and feedback from this forum, and from you in particular, I count as singularly important in giving me the confidence to pursue some of these endeavors.

As always,
All my very best,
Karen

**etLux** · 11-01-2009, 11:03 PM

Hi Mike,

Originally Posted by MikeInFL

this is a brilliant improvisation, some really nice moments, though it wanders aimlessly a little too much for my particular taste. The less chromatic moments are the moments I like the most, the chromatic moments I feel are the more 'aimless' moments, if that makes sense. There are some inspiriing chords you play that I wish you lingered on, they pass on too fast. I especially like 10:37 to the end! Very nice!

Thanks for listening, and for the good word, Mike.

The thoughts on the chromatic parts are well taken;
and interesting to me... they're actually more structured
than the contrasting material, as they're more difficult
to maintain, and I pay more attention. Yet, I think the
deviation from center, regardless of tighter structure,
creates a sense of having been thrown at sea.

That kind of observation always intrigues me -- it provides
me with valued insights I might otherwise have not considered.
Thanks for that one!

All the best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

**etLux** · 11-08-2009, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by germancomponist

Sorry that I was missing this.

Hmmm. After considerable and extended cogitation, I have
concluded that, since you are here, you did not miss this,
Gunny... lol.

David, what the others said + 1

A perfect player plays on a perfect sampled piano.

A very coooool improvisation! BRAVO!

Best

Gunther

The Garritan Steinway has become practically a daily
guilty pleasure for me, my friend... I sneak away from
doing work to go play with it sometimes.

Thanks for listening and the good word!

My best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

**etLux** · 11-10-2009, 03:25 PM

Hi Del,

Originally Posted by DelCarry

David - this is a very honest piece/improv and very wonderful! For me and many others, this is what music is all about. If we don't express ourselves through music, we will die, (our soul, that is)

Del

Thank you for the kind thoughts, my friend.

Why we do music remains a puzzle to me; but the
need to do it... remains.

My best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com

**etLux** · 11-10-2009, 03:26 PM

Hi Karen,

Originally Posted by KE Peace

Hi David,

listening to this right now. I am always pretty much mute when it comes to commenting on your music because it is so far beyond my competence to do so. But I will say that it has a water-like, flowing feel to me, that it challenges my ear to absorb new harmonies, and that your improv abilities continue to astound. I remember sometime back when you posted an improv -- you said you had not touched the keyboard in many years if I recall, and apologized for your playing technique -- and then there was this gorgeous piece someone liked to Chopin -- and listening to it, I wept....

BTW, just ordered your CD from Amazon.

Sorry I have been so scarce (sorry for myself, that is!! LOL!), time seems to have slipped away from me. I have been getting more connected here in the springs... sang at a couple of fundraisers (some standard vocal literature and some original stuff), have a concert of my music (Requiem and other pieces) planned in the fall of 2010 with the chamber orchestra of the springs and the colorado vocal arts ensemble (CVAE), and have been asked to set some poetry to music for CVAE for April 2010 performance. I really enjoy the poetry to music thing. I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating - -that the encouragement and feedback from this forum, and from you in particular, I count as singularly important in giving me the confidence to pursue some of these endeavors.

As always,
All my very best,
Karen

Thanks for listening, Karen -- and for buying the CD!

Sounds like you're staying (productively!) busy.

All my best,

David
-----
David Sosnowski
www.DavidSosnowski.com