Shamisen

contemporary

calme

A few years ago I lived in a dorm near the campus's music hall. While walking to and from class I would sometimes hear some other students' playing the piano in one of the private practice rooms. The way they played the piano was so enchanting that I would sit on a step outside of the room and just listen. I was envious at how they could portray their emotions and thoughts so eloquently and precise while I was such a scattered, confused mess. But clarity would come to me for those brief moments I listened to their songs. And now I will always have a weakness for a beautifully done piano composition.

Keys

Sentimental Creative Commons

piano

The Saddest Word of all is Love

the saddest word of all is Love
it cries tears that turn its head
to gaze on the arguments of the undead
as they pretend to fight for life
under the shadow of another dark night
where upon the dying deeds already done
it treatens to break the hearts of everyone
to speak a spoken word so rare - so kind
under the shadow of another distant kiss
two hearts prepare to miss each other
one has given her heart to another
under the shadow of another dark night
two eyes wallow in the sadness of life.

Poem by S.D. Clifford (https://www.facebook.com/sdcliffordpoetry)
This piece is dedicated to Alison

The Saddest Word Of All Is Love

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2QiySZSalNL799iUYyX1cd?si=688a2b6c88b54774

Download: https://www.steven-obrien.net/#piano-sonata-no.-1-in-f-minor-~-ii.-adagio-download

Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (meaning you can use it for free if you can give credit, see link above for instructions). If you want to use it without giving credit, a license can be purchased from https://www.steven-obrien.net/#piano-sonata-no.-1-in-f-minor-~-ii.-adagio-download

Sheet music here: http://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No.1_in_F_minor,_Op.1a_(O'Brien,_Steven)

⏬ Download (free-use)

Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor: II. Adagio

Royalty Free Music! You may use any of the original songs in your video, short film, movie, commercial, etc. 

Send me a video of yours if you used any of these songs in it, I would love to watch them!

There is much more music to come! 

I would prefer if you give me credit, but I am not forcing you to.

Raise Your Hearts

The picture is taken from the Wong Kar Wai Movie "2046"

Story of a woman who took the long route instead of the short one to find the man she loves ...

The image is from the outstanding artist Richard Brocken (see http://www.saatchionline.com/richardbrocken) 

Moonstruck

Her Romantic Short Story

Zen_Sacral (Swadhisthana) Chakra

Serene_Solar Plexus (Manipura) Chakra

Aware_Heart (Anahata) Chakra

Awake_Brow (Ajna) Chakra

Still_Crown (Sahasrara) Chakra

Recently I have been on a business trip to Chicago ... missing my wife and my daughter. There are few places in the world where you feel more lonesome than at an empty hotel bar at night. 

cis minor - Blue Night

A classical waltz ... 

I created this for the "Piano Cloud New Year's Waltz Challenge". 
The image is taken from the most beautiful movie "2046" by Wong Kar-Wai. 

He Thinks Of Her While Smoking A Cigarette

"Rain Has Fallen All The Day" is a marvelous poem by James Joyce. 
Some time ago http://soundcloud.com/mementoaeterna and I had the idea to create a song from it ... and it was a wonderful journey: first we shared our impressions about the various meanings, atmosphere and interpretations of this poem. She is so sensitive, and she has the gift of noticing the extraordinary where others just see the ordinary ... it has been pure pleasure! Once we had an idea of the situation and all layers of meaning the music came out of nowhere. We haven't been in a hurry, hence we allowed ourself more sweet anticipation by simply not finalizing the last percent of work ... but NOW I am incredibly proud to present our collab :-) 

In case you have not listened to her music yet ... wow, than you have some incredible nice experience in front of you! By the way, she is also one of the smartest, nicest, funniest and most gifted persons I have met ... so what are you doing here ... hurry, and go here: http://soundcloud.com/mementoaeterna 

Lyrics: James Joyce 
Vocals: http://soundcloud.com/mementoaeterna 
Artwork: http://soundcloud.com/mementoaeterna  
Piano: cis minor 

Rain Has Fallen All The Day 
=================
Rain has fallen all the day. 
O come among the laden trees: 
The leaves lie thick upon the way 
Of memories. 

Staying a little by the way 
Of memories shall we depart. 
Come, my beloved, where I may 
Speak to your heart.

Rain Has Fallen All The Day (after poem from James Joyce)

The 27 January is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day - a memorial day for the victims of the Holocaust, the genocide that resulted in the annihilation of 6 million Jews, 2 million Gypsies (Roma and Sinti), 15,000 homosexual people and millions of others by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. 

The image "void" is a so called "flame fractal" created with the software Oxidizer. 

void [Composition for The Holocaust Memorial Day - 27th January]

Monday / Tuesday

Yuki-onna (雪女, snow woman) is a spirit in Japanese mythology. Yuki-onna appears on snowy nights as a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair and blue lips. Her inhumanly pale or even transparent skin makes her blend into the snowy landscape. She is at the same time beautiful and serene, yet ruthless in killing unsuspecting mortals. Like the snow and winter weather she represents, Yuki-onna has a softer side. She sometimes lets would-be victims go for various reasons. In one popular Yuki-onna legend, for example, she sets a young boy free because of his beauty and age. She makes him promise never to speak of her, but later in life, he tells the story to his wife who reveals herself to be the snow woman. She reviles him for breaking his promise, but spares him again, this time out of concern for their children (but if he dares mistreat their children, she will return with no mercy. Luckily for him, he is a loving father).

Yuki Onna

All the waterdrops in a the river just have one aspiration ... to become one with the sea again. When we watch a river flow we can feel this ... and we want to take the same route. 

This piece is a birthday present for Astrid - I wish you a happy birthday!!! <3 

I was thinking/reading a lot about harmony-theory recently; and the more I read, the more I wished to create something that does not follow this theory at all. This piece is a try ... instead of any sequence of chords it uses only shades of one lonely chord and a simple melody. 


All Water Is Longing For The Sea

This is a romantic piece for piano.
The image is the chinese actor Fan BingBing from the movie "Lost in Beijing". 

Joe Zazulak has created a shortfilm utilizing this piece: https://vimeo.com/63236597
https://soundcloud.com/manuel-vinicio also used this music in a video: http://vimeo.com/74079638

She Knows Somewhere Love Is Real

A tranquil moment of silence in the midst of the hectic everyday life. 


21st Century Monk

Returning to my native village after many years’ absence: 
Ill, I put up at a country inn and listen to the rain. 
One robe, one bowl is all I have. 
I light incense and strain to sit in meditation; 
All night a steady drizzle outside the dark window --  
Inside, poignant memories of these long years of pilgrimage.
(Ryōkan, 18th century, translated by John Stevens) 


Flute: https://soundcloud.com/soulful-woods 
Piano: https://soundcloud.com/cis-minor 

This lovely music came to me more or less as a gift: some weeks back I recorded the piano (https://soundcloud.com/cis-minor/21st-century-monk-free). The incredible Soulful Woods felt inspired to create an enchanting flute expression - we already planned to do a collab for some longer time. 
From the first time I had heard his music I was intrigued by the sound, the authenticity and the depth of emotional expression in his flute play. His music is pure and thorough. Listening to his music is bringing peace and awareness to me, but still it breathes some sense of solitude and sorrow. Have a listen to this most beautiful and soulful music here: https://soundcloud.com/soulful-woods

A Monk Returns Home

This piece is composed for Harp, Flute & Strings.

WARNING: this is orchestral, but definitely NOT "epic" ;-)  
It's certainly not mainstream ... but a few might be able to hear its beauty and enjoy a rest in this garden. I wrote this music for you <3




 


I Pause In This Garden

Some people ask: can one make a living from music? Let me ask back: can one make a living without music?