classical

I’m all out of love
I'm not sure what I’m saying?
When nothing can help us now
And I’m in no mood for praying
I’m all out of tears
Can’t you see that I’m crying?
When no one cares, they take your side
They’re tired of listening to my cries
I can’t even look at your face anymore
Without remembering what we had before
I’m all out of love.
All out of love.
I’m all out of hope
And I see this going no where
When I checked out a long time ago
But it seems like you’re still here
I’m all, out of faith
I'm not sure what I believe in
But I, I have to find it myself
And now I’m looking for a reason
I can’t look to you for the answers anymore,
I need to find what I’ve been searching for
I’m all out of love.
All out of love…
Lift this weight upon my shoulders, I’ve carried it too far and long
Now the time has come to walk away
We can’t listen to what other people say
Just embrace your destiny
You know your home’s not here with me
Don’t be afraid to be alone
You know someone else will love you more than me… 

Athanasia Agnostoua, vocal version lyrics, from the woman's perspective

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Andrew Souter -- Other People

Minimal piano composition.  Composed/performed/produced 7/27/13.  Tentative arrangement.

This is representative of the type of material that will find its way onto the third solo piano album.  The first album takes inspiration from romantic love.  The second, from family, friends, and social groups of one form or another.  The third is more spiritual, meditative, and minimalistic and takes pride in the rests as much as the notes.  

In theme one could summarize thus:  eros, philos, and agape...

Let's hear what you all think...





Andrew Souter -- With Purpose

As the saying goes: nothing ever ends well, otherwise it would not end. And yet large parts of us still wish things would not end, even after we convince ourselves it is for the best. Is it an act of grace to accept fate and slowly fade away without a fight, or does the universe want to test our resolve and see just how far we are willing to go to obtain, and more importantly perhaps to keep, the object of our desires? It is human not to know; it is human to exist in bewilderment regarding such matters. Being aware of this, however, never makes it any easier. Endings always bring an emptiness in a person's heart and soul. No one ever wants to fail, but sometimes we wait too long to really try in the right ways to truly succeed. The eleventh hour concession is always the hardest case to handle. It leaves one with many doubts. It leaves a person with the hope that things would be, could be, should be, better if only... In such cases the weather can be forever raining in one's heart. 

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Andrew Souter -- Still Raining There

New piano composition composed 9/11/2013.  Tentative arrangement.

In a time when the world is too easily focused on the differences between different people and cultures and fear of the unknown, online communities such as SoundCloud are amazing places for people from all over the world to come together and celebrate life and the gift of music.

Places like this allow artists to sincerely and honestly share their talents in an uncompromised manner with whomever would listen. This is possible regardless of who the artist is, where they are from, what level of marketing savvy they posses, or what degree of support they have from the entrenched entertainment establishment that purports to dictate what is cool, trending, and marketable.  It allows sincerity to triumph and for real people to find other real people wherever they are.  It allows people to potentially expand their concept of friendship and family from the microcosm of the self to the macrocosm of the global village. It allows us all to focus on our shared commonalities and better believe in the innate goodness in all humans via uniting in our shared passion for the universal language of music.

Special thanks to Loredana whose smile and free spirit can light up a room even from 5,000 miles away.  Of all the amazing people in the world, the D-Flat Major women are some of the truly special ones:

https://soundcloud.com/thesignatureseries/d-flat-major

Andrew Souter -- Smile From Afar

 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, King James Version

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Andrew Souter -- Seasons Pass (Part)

Title: Cant Forgive 용서 못해 (Ballad) 
Album: Temptation of Wife / 아내의 유혹 / 妻子的誘惑 OST

..........................................................................

Cant Forgive 용서 못해 (Ballad)

The repetitive rhythmic structure of the motif invokes the mechanical rhythm of an idealized train engine. There is a constant rhythmic motion to the train, but as we travel we see various shades of colors and textures out of the window and occasionally slip into day-dreaming, reflecting on the past, and imagining the future. At one point the daydream takes over and the rhythm is lost for a short while. A bridge, unrelated to the main theme, takes over for a moment of pure reflection. We are awakened from our daydream by the activity and excitement of the next stop, and the anticipation that this may be our destination. Alas it is not, and as we continue our journey, the rhythm guides us onwards towards the next stop. The stops, which function musically like choruses, focus consciousness on the present and hint at being another step closer to the final destination, until finally we do reach it: the metaphorical New York.

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Andrew Souter -- Train To New York (Part)

A castle fit for a queen is magnificent, but only if you are prepared to be a kind, humble, and loving king. Otherwise it is merely a stone prison, and you will spend your time worrying about loosing what is not rightfully yours.

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Andrew Souter -- Fiesole

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us. (Helen Keller)

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Andrew Souter -- Next Door (Part)

It was seemingly a late Autumn season this year and the leaves held on to their branches a little longer than average this turn of the wheel. I watched as the final remaining members of the deciduous resistance proudly held their ground and clung to their branches, while the wind tried to seduce them to give up their futile attempt at immortality and surrender to the inevitable.  In bold defiance they refused and proudly flew their colorful flags of deep crimson, rust orange, and a shade of yellow so ineffably deep it does not even bare a name. They danced gallantly and gracefully with the wind as they moved in asymmetrical rhythms and flowing tempos - the mathematics of which seemingly beyond human intelligence, boarding on the divine. The eb and flow of the motion together with the beams of sunlight that would burst through the branches and cast a glimmering shimmer onto everything was truly an epically cinematic sight to behold! If I were a cinematographer this is what I would film.  As I am only a composer, I did the best I could with the tools available to my disposal...  I hope you may enjoy it...

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"Autumn Rains" is the second installment in a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This trio represents Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may help you on your journey, as it has us...

"Autumn Rains" is music inspired by the spirit of Agape. It is an album dedicated to the concept of spiritual love and universal compassion clothed in the metaphor of transcendental natural beauty. It is an album that simultaneously expresses deep love for both the creator as well as the creation. It is said God gave us music so that we could pray without words. It could be added that nature was provided as an example of exactly how to do this effectively. In this spirit, Autumn Rains is a prayer of gratitude for the opportunity to learn from the natural beauty of this world, and an expression of a sense of respect for the inescapable universal equality that nature imposes. It humbly attempts to capture deep feelings of awe, granduer, idealism, and a belief in the innate goodness of the world even when we all face exceptionally hard lessons.

Andrew Souter -- The Wind Whispers To The Trees

In existence there are ideal forms and there are imperfect manifestations of these forms.  It is a matter of philosophy which is more real to us in our experience of the world:  the perfect idealized form of an apple, or the imperfect manifestation of this form that is said to "participate in apple-ness".  In fact we don't ever see the real idealized form of an object or an idea. It is as if, as Plato said, we are prisoners of a cave, where the objective form sits outside the cave and casts shadows on the interior wall of the cave.  We see only these shadows that are subject to the limitations of our perception and influenced by the collection of our emotional beliefs and past experiences.  More abstractly, these shadows may represet a potential relationship, any of our desires or goals, our self image, or a myriad of any possible other more mundane things. We reach towards these shadows trying to understand as best we can, trying to refine them to be one step closer to perfection.  Sometimes magic happens here. Other times it does not.  Sometimes we fail to realize when it has happened.  Other times we fool ourselves into believing it has happened when it has not. The best we can hope for is to remain humble and patient, and continue to believe our perception will eventually converge with reality if we continue growing and reaching for shadows...

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Autumn Rains" is the second installment in a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This trio represents Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may help you on your journey, as it has us...

"Autumn Rains" is music inspired by the spirit of Agape. It is an album dedicated to the concept of spiritual love and universal compassion clothed in the metaphor of transcendental natural beauty. It is an album that simultaneously expresses deep love for both the creator as well as the creation. It is said God gave us music so that we could pray without words. It could be added that nature was provided as an example of exactly how to do this effectively. In this spirit, Autumn Rains is a prayer of gratitude for the opportunity to learn from the natural beauty of this world, and an expression of a sense of respect for the inescapable universal equality that nature imposes. It humbly attempts to capture deep feelings of awe, granduer, idealism, and a belief in the innate goodness of the world even when we all face exceptionally hard lessons.

Andrew Souter -- Reaching For Shadows

Flying

A Leap Of Faith

I'm away from the piano at the moment, so I thought I'd share this with everybody...

Compositional sketch for a modern Pastoral Appassionata String Quintet.  Primary composition sometime in November 2013.  Work in progress.

Somebody asked if this is a "sad" song.  Here is my answer:

It is not a "human emotion" song.   It is more a divine/nature/universe  song.  It does not have human emotions like happy/sad.  It has only what is.  It has only pure beauty. Like a waterfall.  Or a mountain.  Or a star. A waterfall is not sad.  Or happy.  It only is. It is simply pure beauty.

Pastoral = of or referring to nature or the creator

Appassionata = with passion  (but in this case, it is not passion like between a man and woman.  it is more passion of the creator for his creation or created for his creator.)

It is more of a spiritual music.  This is what I will do more of later in life. Like these guys:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_minimalism

I aspire to follow in their footsteps one day.

Somebody asked about the plug-ins used:

Solo Bass, Cello, Viola, Violin 1, & Violin 2 from NI Kontact (standard set from Komplete) for this sketch.  Sometime later I will ideally record the real thing... (Or at least use more advanced string libraries.) 6 Instances of 2CAudio Breeze (which I am the developer of) are used here to make the Kontact Strings sound reasonably good. 

http://2caudio.com/products/breeze

The strings samples themselves are not that good.  The reverb is!  :)  That's the trick here.



Many new solo piano compositions to share with you all soon!  Happy New Year!

Andrew Souter -- Pastoral Appassionata For String Quintet (Sketch)

This is your song. I wrote the main parts of it in the first month of our relationship as we were falling in love. I've played parts of it for you before many times, but I had never finished it. I have now evolved it into its complete form. This is how I choose to remember you. I focus on the positives; I idealize and romanticize you. My idea of you remains loving and longing even if we are not meant to be. My idea of you persists and looks past challenges despite how difficult they may seem. I believe our ideas and our ideals create our own reality and therefore it is always best to imagine perfection however we may desire it to be. This song is reflection of all the love and gentleness we shared during good times. Ultimately it is a song of optimism even in the face of adversity. Its verses and chapters moves sideways like the astrological crab that you are, but there is deep beauty in it, and in the end it gets to were it wants to go and finds happiness and peace. Thank you for this song. I hope it may comfort you.


ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Andrew Souter -- The Idea Of You (Part)

Hugh Wolff leads the New England Conservatory Philharmonia and Concert Choir and the Tufts Chamber Singers in a performance of Beethoven's Symphony no 9 in D minor "Ode to Joy". Recorded live in Jordan Hall, Boston February 12, 2014/ 

Beethoven Ninth Symphony: iv. Presto – Allegro assai

Like a gentle rain in spring, she wants to be happy. Blue skys are permeated by sporadic clouds, giving chilly reminders of the past. Green buds on frail branches timidly risk growth in hope of achieving full bloom once again someday. April showers bring May flowers, at least so we hope.

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

Green And Blue

Andrew Souter -- Green And Blue

Her pain was overwhelming--to her as well as me. The loss of a dear friend, was too much for her to bare. She felt an empty, helpless despair. She felt powerless. She felt alone...

A Dancer Remembered

Andrew Souter -- A Dancer Remembered

 "This whole earth in which we inhabit is but a point is space."
 -Henry David Thoreau

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Autumn Rains" is the second installment in a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This trio represents Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may help you on your journey, as it has us...

"Autumn Rains" is music inspired by the spirit of Agape. It is an album dedicated to the concept of spiritual love and universal compassion clothed in the metaphor of transcendental natural beauty. It is an album that simultaneously expresses deep love for both the creator as well as the creation. It is said God gave us music so that we could pray without words. It could be added that nature was provided as an example of exactly how to do this effectively. In this spirit, Autumn Rains is a prayer of gratitude for the opportunity to learn from the natural beauty of this world, and an expression of a sense of respect for the inescapable universal equality that nature imposes. It humbly attempts to capture deep feelings of awe, granduer, idealism, and a belief in the innate goodness of the world even when we all face exceptionally hard lessons.

En Passant

Andrew Souter -- En Passant

"Unless you love, your life will flash before you."

-Terrence Malick, The Tree Of Life

ALBUM INFO:

"The Idea Of You" is the first of a trio of neoclassical solo piano albums composed, performed, and produced by Andrew Souter. These projects have been two decades in the making and represent a return to traditional music composition, engaging song-writing, and the pure passion of emotional story-telling. This Andrew's most personal and intimate music. It is quite literally a love project. We hope it may it help you on your journey, as it has us...

The Idea Of You Cover Art "The Idea Of You" is music inspired by the spirit of Eros and all of its blessings as well as its tribulations. It explores the vicissitudes of romantic love, the delicate seasons and contour of life, and all the lessons learned along the way. Themes of desire, passion, limerence, romantic love, idolatry, jealousy, envy, loss, regret, forgiveness, acknowledgment, appreciation, acceptance, and eventually glimpses of true understanding permeate the work. It attempts to communicate that which so many of us can never quite communicate properly with words. It is an open apology for the clumsy mistakes we all make when coming to maturity in learning how to care selflessly for another human being. It is a gentle reminder as to what is most important in life, as well as an invocation to continuously seek self-improvement regarding our understanding of such matters.

classical

jacob berry