Beauty in a garden, the spirit flows into the waves of our thoughts. A mirror listens, the reflection, the music of the moment, the melody drifting through our lives.

Your writing for strings is beautiful, as is the piano, of course. Regarding your helpful observation that it would instructive for a composer to observe orchestra rehearsals, a rehearsal of Delius' One Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring would be a master class on balancing divided strings.

Delighted! His Summer Night on the River is another beauty worth hearing.

Such a beautiful composition! Your melody goes deep into the heart!

This is a wonderful work. And I learned from your description of the piece as well!

@ed-prince-56240454: Wonderful recommendations. Thank you again.

Still my favorite of all your works. Truely.

so expressive in its intimacy. Well instrumented :-)

Experimenting again here with different divisions of strings. Why is getting the balance right so difficult? Part of the answer is that conductors (not composers) are the experts. They ensure, for example, that large numbers of divisions of second violins, avoid blasting smaller numbers of viola divisions into acoustic oblivion.

Small, medium or large orchestras plainly have very different numbers of divisions of the different string instruments. It is very complicated to get the balance right, to say the least. Conductors know how to handle all sorts of different orchestras (small, medium and large)...and therefore all sorts of different divisions, of all sorts of instruments.

The best way for composers to learn (from conductors) is to attend rehearsals of pieces made by famous composers. Making notes of everything the conductor says to the orchestra during rehearsals.

Gustav Mahler was a conductor who happened to compose in his spare time. Being a good conductor, in my opinion, is orders of magnitude more difficult than being a good composer. Controversially, I suggest good conductors should not be required (by the performance notes of a score), to adhere strictly to performance notes. Good conductors should be positively encouraged to interpret scores ad libitum.

Efforts were made in the above study to think about string divisions, in relation to other string divisions and piano. A technical study. Which became the first movement of my first piano concerto.

Piano Concerto No.1 (1st movement) Op.22

I came across the ancient Greek term "Galene," which can refer to a state of a soul filled with peace, but was also the goddess of the calm sea. In that spirit, may this piece bring you calm seas as you listen.

Galene

See the music video (made in VR):  https://youtu.be/Nnxe3I16FMM

We Are Not Robots

I don't know what she just did to me
I thought she was above such childish things
She said to me my truth will never change
But please don't expect me to act my age

Sometimes I just want to be child
Sometimes I want to get a little bit wild

Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

She said people don't know me, they just see
My mistakes and eccentricity
When you get to know me you will see
I'm trying to escape reality

Sometimes I just want to be child
Sometimes I want to get a little bit wild

Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

Nah nah nah nah nah
Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

Sometimes I just want to be child
Sometimes I want to get a little bit wild

Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

Because we are not robots
Nah nah nah nah nah

ISRC:
usx9p2442045

We Are Not Robots

Francesco Adornetto & Ara_Piano - Fragments Of A Dream (G min 81 bpm)

A dreamlike journey through nature and melody, where fleeting fragments of memory and music intertwine in ethereal harmony.

The artwork for Fragments of a Dream transports the viewer into a dreamlike realm rich with symbols and metaphors. 
The visual composition intertwines natural and imaginary elements, such as butterflies, mushrooms, autumn leaves, and a vibrantly colored bird. At its center, a stylized piano, adorned with intricate patterns, represents the intimacy and artistry of music—a space where dreams and reality converge.

The blue butterfly symbolizes transformation and the weightlessness of a dream, while the leaves and mushrooms evoke the cyclical nature of life, reflecting the fleeting, impermanent fragments of dreamlike memories. The bird, with its vivid presence, embodies freedom and melody, suggesting that music transcends the boundaries of the real world.

The entire collage feels like an invitation to an imaginary garden, where every element tells a fragmented story, like torn pages from a dream journal. Francesco Adornetto & Ara_piano’s composition weaves these fragments together, transforming them into a delicate and evocative sonic narrative. 
The title, Fragments of a Dream, suggests that what remains of the dream is as beautiful as it is elusive, like a memory dissolving upon waking.

Fragments Of A Dream

Fragments Of A Dream (Francesco Adornetto & Ara_Piano)

lilting and layered piano and string tracks with just a touch of magical e piano chime sounds

nothing to see, hear

Astronauts say that when they see the Earth from space, it changes their way of understanding life.
We will soon make a guitar version.
Photo: NASA

Beauty Blue

Now into my seventh decade of living, and celebrating my fiftieth anniversary this month as a guitar player (I should play better than do;), I wanted to drop this "little ditty" as my attempt to keep up with the likes of Bill Liggett (@soundcloud.com/greenfleamusic/tracks) and other notable players on this fine platform.  Actually it's an attempt to keep up with myself, seeing if I can still play what I learned 40-plus years ago, in the case of this song, the introductory licks I learned from a very fine Kansas City lounge musician, Mark Bell in 1979.  For those keeping score, you may remember it from the song "This Motel Room" by Jimmy Buffet--a fun and clever song that details the many nights touring musicians have to endure staying in motel rooms.  I took the initial licks heard throughout the song and built an independent melody line around it, half blues ditty, half musical joke, with a serious moment (you know I have to have one of those:), all with the hope of bringing a smile.  I'm proud to say I can still play it, and maybe, just maybe a little better now than then:)  Bill, just don't ask me to play it live;)

A Little Ditty (David, solo guitar)

I'm not too sure how to say this, but I need to. I am not well. I don't know how long I will be able to continue playing the piano. It is getting hard. I have a degenerative neuromuscular disease. It is probably ALS - Lou Gehrigs disease, but they are still doing tests. I can't walk any more ( I can't move my feet) or sit up without a brace and it is getting harder to breath and speak. I often need oxygen. I'm losing my left arm arm - it won't always go to the right piano keys. But I keep pushing. Creating music keeps the brain active and makes me feel like I still have a purpose. Playing the piano has kept my hands and fingers strong, but there are days I can't make it to the piano because I am very weak. I will keep going as long as I can.

All of the music I have written in the last 50 years I have recordings of, along with hand drawn lead sheets and piano scores that I have keyed into musescore for all of the future musicians in my generations to come who might want to play my music. Music is my diary, especially all the songs with lyrics that were written before my time here on SoundCloud. I have been here for 10 years and have made friends with many other musicians. I want to thank everyone who has supported me. It has been a wonderful time for growth when I could no longer play gigs but wanted to keep writing. It is great for senior musicians and for those where music is a creative hobby, not a profession. There is room for everyone. 

I realized after I posted this that I had just used the piano track.  I put different instruments to it and did a new mix. I can't believe I did that.  



Diagnosis Unknown

Recorded April 13th, 2025. Performed on a #Yamaha NU1X hybrid digital upright piano. Rendered using #PianoTeq by #Modartt. Mastered using #LogicPro 11.

Music and lyrics written by Paul Simon. Copyright 1964 Paul Simon.

Piano Concerto No.1 (1st movement) Op.22

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