Official Piano Day 2020 Playlist
Happy Piano Day!

Artwork: Alice Baldwin.

Piano Day 2020 Playlist

piano days

blessings

22 Tracks in 20.20

FEDERICO ALBANESE is a composer born in Milan, Italy in 1982, and currently based in Berlin. His musical versatility is a natural gift that pushes him to explore music in all its facets. Albanese's compositions are airy and cinematic, blending classical music, electronics and psychedelia. Federico started studying piano and clarinet as a child before becoming fascinated by rock music. As a teenager he studied bass and became a self-taught guitarist and soon became one of the leading figures of Milan's underground scene, performing in several bands. Influenced by black music, folk, electronic, modern and contemporary classical music his skills as a composer soon emerged.

In February 2014, Federico Albanese released his debut album entitled "THE HOUSEBOAT AND THE MOON" . He recorded all of the piano parts with a 1969 German tape recorder, the Uher Royal Deluxe, which allowed him to catch all of the tiny hidden shades, the imperfections, the noises of the piano and its surrounding space. Federico melted this rarefied sound with electronics, live recordings, strings, and homemade instruments. The result was a combination of contrasts and colors with a variety of atmospheres that wonderfully represented Federico's musical universe

Beyond the Milk Wood

Taken from the new EP "Noyaux" - out Nov. 6th  2015 on Morr Music.
Buy the single on iTunes: api.morrmusic.com/itunes/1044652779
Follow Benoît Pioulard for updates:
http://pioulard.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pioulard
www.morrmusic.com

Buy on iTunes

Benoît Pioulard: Noyaux

My personal contribution in Celebration of a declared annual holiday by Nils Frahm.  "Piano Day".
The 88th day of this year 28th March 2016
You can also enjoy the fitting visuals created for the piece here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujg4YXWaAT4&feature=youtu.be

Enjoy x

'In The Wake' - Piano Day 2016

A piece to represent the perception of the acceleration of time as we get older

Summer

21 to 21

Jim Perkins - 21 To 21

Taken from Dmitry's forthcoming 'Comprehension Of Light' album, which will be released on FatCat's 130701 imprint on October 6th.

The stunning ‘Comprehension Of Light’ marks a sizeable step forward for Dmitry. A must-hear for fans of fellow 130701 alumni Max Richter, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka, the LP is Dmitry’s first ever vinyl release and is a wonderfully conceived and realised work. Where ‘Collage’ was  heavily augmented with an expansive use of electronics and virtual instrumentation, the new album sees Dmitry upgrade to real strings / orchestral instrumentation with a more limited use of software. ISKRA String Quartet (The XX, Radiohead, Jóhann Jóhannsson) contributed strings. Other contributors include William Yates (Memotone), Abul Mogard and Benoit Pîoulard. It was mixed by Addi 800 (Ólafur Arnalds) and mastered by Martyn Heyne (Nils Frahm, Peter Broderick, The National and others).

In places recalling Jóhann Jóhannsson and Hauschka, in others the work of Leyland Kirby / The Caretaker, or Eduard Artemiev's score for Tarkovsky’s ‘Stalker’, 'Comprehension' is a stunning album which traces a redemptive narrative arc and bears witness to a rising young talent in the field of modern composition.

LP includes dig download card (inc. 2 dig-only tracks which don't appear on the vinyl)

Pre-order

Dmitry Evgrafov - Rajas

Usually I do a million takes when I record a new song. This time I stopped around take 10 to prevent perfectionism taking over.. 
So, it’s not super precise, but hey! I finished something! 
I hope you enjoy it. 

*Alice

Unverzagt

In November, Berlin-based cellist and composer Anne Müller released her long awaited astral debut solo album 'Heliopause'. Named after the border of our solar system, the record crosses physical and invisible borders throughout, sending the cello as a typically classical instrument to exciting new and uncharted territory. ⠀

'Heliopause' followed several Erased Tapes releases featuring Anne, including her celebrated collaboration with Nils Frahm titled '7fingers', appearances on Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm’s 'Collaborative Works', Nils Frahm’s 'All Melody' and his acclaimed soundtrack for the film 'Victoria', Lubomyr Melnyk’s 'Fallen Trees', as well as the two bespoke solo pieces Walzer für Robert and Bel Tono for the label’s 5th and 10th anniversary box sets. In fact, a glance at  Müller’s Discogs boasts credits on over 60 releases since she began recording in 2007. 

Classically trained at Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts under the renowned cellist and conductor Michael Sanderling, Anne Müller performed as a cellist in many of Berlin’s symphonies for some time before choosing a different path with her music and focussing on novel approaches to classical instrumentation. A profound believer in the power of artistic collaboration, Anne’s skilled cello playing and instinctive composition became extremely sought after. Following her work with Nils Frahm, an enduring partnership with singer-songwriter-composer Agnes Obel ensued, touring for five years together and featuring on two albums (Philharmonics Deluxe Edition and Aventine)and most recently, working with multi-instrumentalist Markus Sieber (aka Aukai) on his 2019 album Reminiscence. In between all this, Müller also co-founded the progressive live project Solo Collective along with violinist/singer Alex Stolze and pianist/conceptual artist Sebastian Reynolds, releasing Solo Collective Part One in 2017.

“Müller is superb” — The Guardian⠀
“Once you’ve reached the edge of the solar system, why rush back to Earth?” — Pitchfork⠀
“A meditative collection of gorgeous cello pieces” — NPR⠀
“Plaintive, lyrical and sporadically sublime” — UncutMagazine ⠀
“A confidently bold and richly detailed effort” (8/10) — Exclaim!
“Heliopause is a work of some sophistication” — Electronic Sound Magazine

Heliopause

Aarhus / Reminiscences

Buy LP/CD/DL

Anne Müller - Aarhus / Reminiscences

On October 4th 2019, Penguin Cafe released 'Handfuls of Night', the highly anticipated follow-up to their much applauded 2017 album 'The Imperfect Sea' 

Using gut-stringed violins, viola, cello, bass, percussion, upright and grand pianos, synthesiser, harmonium and more, Arthur Jeffes and his cohorts have crafted a vivid series of panoramic sonic landscapes, that are as rich in cerebral poignancy as they are in emotional depth.

Bookended by the atmospheric ambient piano pieces ‘Winter Sun’ and ‘Midnight Sun’, the album traverses glacial minimalism with ease, combining their signature contemporary classical panoramas, such as the melancholic yet upbeat lead track ‘At the Top of the Hill, They Stood...’ and the colossal cinematic piece ‘Chapter’, with the crystalline folktronica on ‘Pythagorus on the Line Again’ — a re-visiting and continuation of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra’s 1993 Union Cafe song on the principles of harmonics.

'Handfuls of Night' began life after Greenpeace commissioned Jeffes to write four pieces of music corresponding to four breeds of penguins, to help raise awareness for the endangered Antarctic seas . A fundraising evening at EartH in Hackney followed, where Penguin Cafe premiered the four songs named after their feathered counterparts to a sold out audience; the rousing contemporary folk inflected ‘Chinstrap’, the mournful and minimalistic ‘Adelie’, stoic and rhythmic ‘The Life of an Emperor’ and the wistful, string-laden ‘Gentoo Origin’.

“Such is its mastery of slowly uncoiling drama you can almost taste the salt in the breeze" ★★★★ — MOJO⠀
⠀
"Arthur Jeffes' music has a direct clarity. Dramatic swells and sweeps showcase the jaw-dropping landscape. Most importantly, though, the music carries an environmental message, which is a critical issue for this generation" — A Closer Listen ⠀
⠀
"One of their most impeccable moments to date" ★★★★ — Music OMH ⠀
⠀
"Elegiac strides across epic landscapes... Arthur Jeffes is doing the legacy of his father proud" — Prog Magazine ⠀
⠀
"Another winner from this group, with Jeffes and company mixing minimalism, folk music and classical string writing into a charming combination” ★★★★ — All About Jazz ⠀
⠀
"A sensitive, frequently lovely follow-up to 2017’s ‘The Imperfect Sea… Handfuls of Night’ conjures pastoral panoramas and weathered vistas" — DJ Magazine⠀

Handfuls of Night

Midnight Sun

Penguin Cafe - Midnight Sun

Woven

The Sun Rose

the sun rose

Pre-Save on Spotify: http://bit.ly/whisperspotify
Buy the HQ audio file on BandCamp http://bit.ly/whisperband

© 2020 Coponat Records. All rights reserved

Whisper

Listen on Spotify

Iuno

complete album here : https://iikki.bandcamp.com/album/cut-off

shift

#pianoday2020

Taken from the album 'To Believe (Remixes)', released 6 March on Ninja Tune: http://tco.lnk.to/remixesSo

Follow James Heather -
Spotify: http://found.ee/jheather-sp
Apple Music: http://found.ee/jheather-am
Instagram: http://found.ee/jheather-ig
Facebook: http://found.ee/jheather-fb
Twitter: http://found.ee/jheather-tw
Youtube: http://found.ee/jheather-yt
Soundcloud: http://found.ee/jheather-sc

Follow The Cinematic Orchestra -
Spotify: https://found.ee/tco-sp
Apple Music: https://found.ee/tco-am
Instagram: https://found.ee/tco-ig
Facebook: https://found.ee/tco-fb
Twitter: https://found.ee/tco-tw
Youtube: https://found.ee/tco-yt
Bandcamp: https://found.ee/tco-bc
Soundcloud: https://found.ee/tco-sc

To Believe (Remixes)

A Caged Bird/Imitations of Life (James Heather Rework) [feat. Roots Manuva]

Where 2

Berlin based composer and producer Ben Lukas Boysen has announced the release of his third album, the progressive and shape-shifting 'Mirage', on 1 May 2020. It follows 2013’s 'Gravity' and the acclaimed 2016 full length 'Spells', a record as much admired by his peers as it was loved by fans that not only yielded remixes from Max Cooper and Tim Hecker, but also opened Jon Hopkins’ Late Night Tales compilation.

Since the release of 'Spells', Ben collaborated with cellist and composer Sebastian Plano on the score for David OReilly’s landmark innovative video game 'Everything'. It was added to the long list for the Best Animated Short at the 90th Academy Awards, making it the first video game to qualify for an Oscar.

As with 'Gravity' and 'Spells', Ben has an array of musical guests adorning Mirage, including long time collaborator, Berlin based cellist and composer Anne Müller as well as Australian saxophonist and composer Daniel Thorne — for whom Ben wrote parts specifically, having heard his 2019 solo debut 'Lines of Sight'. Lead track 'Medela' features both and takes the listener on a kaleidoscopic journey that slides with ease across sonic terrains.

While on 'Spells' Ben made programmed pieces sound indistinguishable from human playing, with 'Mirage' he set out to do the opposite and make the human touch unrecognisable, creating something of a mystery or a mirage.

“A lot of the elements and instruments you hear on the album are either not what you think they are, or exactly what you think they are but behave differently or they’re elements you definitely know but they are hidden, processed, or morphed into something else. With 'Spells' and 'Gravity' I was trying to hide the machines. On 'Mirage', I’m trying to hide the human” — Ben Lukas Boysen

Veröffentlicht von:
    Erased Tapes Records Ltd.
P-line:
    ℗ 2020 Erased Tapes Records Ltd.

Mirage

Medela

Preorder

This piece, initially titled "Untitled 14 March" is now featured on my new album "In a Few Places Along the River" released via Bandcamp on 01/02/2022

https://abulmogard.bandcamp.com/album/in-a-few-places-along-the-river

Thanks to William Oldroyd for providing the initial inspiration for this piece.

In a Few Places Along the River

Along The River

originally only released for Piano Day 2020, now  available on  all platforms.

https://linktr.ee/aukai

A Halcyon is a mythical bird said to lay her eggs in a floating nest at sea, during which time it charms the wind and calms the waves. 

www.aukaimusic.com
www.pianoday.org

Halcyon

thesisproject.bandcamp.com/album/thesi…artyn-heyne

Ben Lukas Boysen - editing, zen garden.
Martyn Heyne - guitar, organ.

Composed, mixed, and mastered by Martyn Heyne + Ben Lukas Boysen at Lichte Studio Berlin.
Additional engineering by Matthias H. Franz Hahn. Vinyl cut by Mike Grinser.

Thank You!
Gregory Euclide, Matthias H. Franz Hahn, everyone at Manners McDade, Erased Tapes Records & Publishing, Claudia Gödke, and Karolina Zenobia Heyne.

Dedicated to Frieda and Frau Bellmann.

Thesis 16

& Martyn Heyne - June

To mark this year’s 88th day and as an acknowledgement to these unprecedented circumstances we find ourselves in, Piano Day founder, pianist and producer Nils Frahm releases a collection of eight solo piano pieces titled 'Empty'. 

Stream and download 'Empty': https://idol.lnk.to/nils-frahm-empty

Conceived of just before Nils broke his thumb and composed the similarly intimate solo piano album 'Screws', 'Empty' is a soothing vessel of eight simple and serene pieces originally recorded as the music to a short art film he shot with his friend and film director Benoit Toulemonde. Drifting through emotions from the stark and sobering opener 'First Defeat', to the gently euphoric 'No Step On Wing' and the contemplative but hopeful closer 'Black Notes', with its poignant minute of silence, 'Empty' is a comforting score for these turbulent times.

“When I came back from the hospital with a broken thumb and listened to the recordings, I felt they were unfinished. I decided to put them aside and started to work on my small album, 'Screws'. 

Many many other notes of the piano have been struck since these days, and before we all forget about this, I thought it would be a good moment to share these lullabies with you. I hope they help you stay all strong and calm in these days of solitude – despite the hardship, we can discover introspection and reflection unexpectedly. Who knows what it is good for.  
 
Much love, Nils”

Empty

No Step On Wing

Stream & order LP · CD

Nils Frahm - No Step On Wing

Kindred piano lovers Peter Broderick and David Allred have gifted the sheet music for their song Hey Stranger, taken from their collaborative 2017 record Find The Ways. Reminding us of the importance and power of friendship, it was originally performed on double bass, with Peter on violin and the two singing together. David kindly recorded this solo piano version to make it easier for you to follow the notes.

www.allredbroderick.com
www.pianoday.org

Find The Ways

Hey Stranger (Solo Piano Version)

Free sheet music

Allred & Broderick - Hey Stranger (Solo Piano Version)

Singer, songwriter and composer based in Brooklyn, NY. 

Releasing music as:
Greg Thomas (songwriter)
Gregory James Thomas (compositions)
Last Coast (electronic hybrid)