Piano Trio no. 1

at least a year in the making, this is my first foray in the world of "electronic" music- which, to me, means music that is manipulated electronically, whether before or after it is played. Sound collages and field recordings abound, as this was also meant to be more minimalist in nature, relying on soundscapes, simple songs and melodies.
This album is dedicated to the many women who have helped me throughout my life, both on earth and divine in nature- Bonnie Miksch, Lisa Marsh, Su Yim, my own mother, and the Blessed Mother.

I hope you enjoy this work of mine. The mixing and recordings are all lo-fi, and this is about as independent as it gets; it's just me, my zoom recorder, and a free mixing program I downloaded off of the internet.

hope you enjoy.
If you want to support the artist (me) and download it, you can find it at this link: https://thomasdenicola.bandcamp.com/album/electronic .
Thank you.

electronic

A Day In Portland is a solo suite that I wrote for piano during my senior year at college at Portland State University. It consists of five movements, all based on experiences that I had a few summers ago, It was written as a gift for a dear friend, and partially inspired by Debussy's masterwork for piano "Suite Bergamasque." If you wish to download the album and support the artist (me) you can find it on bandcamp at https://thomasdenicola.bandcamp.com/album/a-day-in-portland-ep . I hope you enjoy this piece, something that I worked on day and night both to compose and learn how to play.
Special thanks go towards my piano teacher, Lisa Marsh, who provided the space and pianos for me to record on.

A Day In Portland (Studio Recordings)

Sighs of a Heart is a work for solo piano that I finished writing in November of 2017. The recording process is especially lofi this time, and the only piano I had quick access to is not the shiniest and brightest, but since I wrote the music on this piano I found I wasn't quite satisfied hearing it on any other piano.
Each piece was written with the goal of simplicity and humility in mind, with quiet being more present then loudness, and repeating patterns more present then variations. 
I hope you enjoy this work from my heart, and that it brings whatever comfort it can.

Sighs of a Heart

I wrote this after spending some time with my friend who was recovering in the hospital from a major surgery. This is dedicated to Christopher B. 
My teacher referred to it as "the sentimental piece" before it had a title, hence it's current title. I wrote it as a sort of companion piece to Chopin's Nocturne in Eb major, Op. 9 no. 2, which had a great impact on me as far as delving deeper into classical music.
This was recorded with patience and good humor by James Pearson at PSU one of their grand pianos, and I am grateful to him for taking the time to set up the mics and mix it well.

Valse Sentimental

Watching the Fireworks from the Fourteenth Floor is the fourth movement of a suite for solo piano titled "A Day In Portland." Each piece of the movement is an homage to various composers that inspire me. This movement is an homage to George Crumb. This was recorded live at an area recital for composition majors at Portland State University on March 4th, 2016. 

IV. Watching The Fireworks From the Fourteenth Floor (Live Recording)

This is my first track made with the use of electronics. I took a piano piece that I had written last year, and overlayed noise and effects. The piano piece itself was composed using Arvo Part's method, called tintinnabulation. This piece is meant to be more meditative and calming, and is best enjoyed through good speakers or headphones; perhaps while sipping tea or lying in your favorite spot on the couch to daydream...

the heart learns to love itself

This, in my opinion, is one of the most perfect miniatures written for solo piano. A personal favorite, and beloved by all, I couldn't help but learn it. Hope you like my interpretation!

Traumerei

hungry ghost is an electronic composition consisting of pre-recorded piano, found sound, and synthesized electronic howls. The idea of it is based on an old Buddhist tale of Maudgalyāyana going to hell to save his mother, who had been reborn as an hungry ghost. In the version that I read, he is able to bring her soul to the Western Paradise after pleading with the Buddha. In other versions, I guess she is not so lucky.

hungry ghost

This is the first movement of my first completed Piano Trio.
Much thanks and gratitude go out to Melissa Terrall (on piano), Viet Block (on violin) and Zach Banks (on cello) for all the rehearsals, patience, attention to detail, and excellent playing. I couldn't have asked for better players!
The track itself is largely based on Schnittke's work of the same name.

Piano Trio: 1. Andante (Live)

This is the second movement of my first completed piano trio. 
After many dead-ends, this piece finally flowed out of me in one sitting, inspired heavily by Arvo Part's music. 
Many thanks go out to the players: Melissa Terrall (on piano), Viet Block (on violin), and Zach Banks (on cello).

Piano Trio: 2. Adagio (Live)

The text for this piece come from Ludwig Wittgenstein. It is a text that gives me comfort every time I read it, and is as poetic as it is philosophical.
Many thanks to Emmalyn Luna for doing a stellar job at singing on this track.
The art in the picture was painted by Heather Day, and you can find similar paintings here: https://www.etsy.com/people/heatherdaypaintings

On Death (Live)

This piece is the third electronic piece I have composed. The core of the piece is a recording of the gamelan orchestra at PSU playing an aleatoric composition I wrote. Around that weave samples from other pieces, drifting with the rain.

rainstorm

This is an interlude on a work in progress electronic album. The interludes are meant to be works that are simpler in style and complexity, but between more thought-out tracks.
As I work on more and more of these pieces, I find myself falling in love with field recordings and the sounds around me. It's like there is not only music everywhere, but good, vibrant, eternal music.

interlude: gone, beloved, but not forgotten

Slumber Song

Watching The Fireworks From The 14th Floor

Evening On The South Waterfront

Cafe

Sunrise

coda: message from guanyin is the final track on the album.
Suggested listening guide:
Find somewhere comfortable, ideally alone or away from others, put on a nice pair of headphones, and close your eyes. Let your thoughts run freely and without judgement. If you wish, you can guide your thoughts towards compassion, starting with yourself and then widening your circle to include others; from those easy to love to those that present it as a difficulty.
How this track was made:
This is a "post-minimalist pop passacaglia," essentially. A cadential four chord progression is put on loop, while eleven voices slowly come over it, (beautifully sung by Jessica Sylvia, of local Portland band Cool Schmool), representing the eleven heads of Guanyin, joined at parts by a cello (played by Hasan Abualhaj) and various piano ostinatos. All of this is on top of a field recording taken in the outer SE neighborhood of Portland on Christmas Day, 2016. 
There is only one singer who recorded all of the parts, not classically trained. The idea was to capture something more human and emotional; so I borrowed a page from Miles Davis' work Sketches of Spain- originally recorded with a backing orchestra of classically trained musicians, he found that they played too straight and restrained for his taste, and replaced them with all jazz musicians. Same idea at work here, also strictly adhering to the Cage's concept of nothing being a mistake, yet all of it having a reason for being there.
I tend to listen to this on walks, before I go to bed, or if I need to take a break and rest for a time.
Hope you enjoy!

coda: message from guanyin

razor is a somewhat improvised track that is played with two instruments: guitar and keyboard.
The electric guitar is used to create soundscapes, which is done beautifully by Mark Decapio, who is using two electric razors to manipulate the sound.
This is the last track that is finished for the electronic album, an album that I very much want to be done with so I can move on to other projects. Hearing this particular take helped motivate me to just finish it and put it up.
Hope you enjoy!

razor

Cause of Our Joy

Stella Maria (Sailor's Lullaby)

A Lily amid Thorns

Virgin Most Pure

Crowned with Roses

Lady of Refuge

Flower of Divine Light

Star of the Morning

Listen My Princess, Listen to the Sighs of a Heart

Sighs of a Heart is a work for solo piano that I finished writing in November of 2017. The recording process is especially lofi this time, and the only piano I had quick access to is not the shiniest and brightest, but since I wrote the music on this piano I found I wasn't quite satisfied hearing it on any other piano.
Each piece was written with the goal of simplicity and humility in mind, with quiet being more present then loudness, and repeating patterns more present then variations.
I hope you enjoy this work from my heart, and that it brings whatever comfort it can.

She Who Persevered

Queen of My Heart

Pieta

Recent graduate with a Bachelor's of Music Composition from Portland State University, working on solo and collaborative projects.

Thomas M. DeNicola

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