Mistral Gagnant (piano cover)

An orchestral fantasy about the German Christmas Carol "O Tannenbaum".

O Tannenbaum

I intended for Tankards & Tiaras to be written as a pub style sing-a-long song like Roll Out The Barrel, but it slowly started drifting into an instrumental piece.  

When I'm writing I have very strong visions, like scenes from a film and they live repetitively rent free in my head ... sometimes very annoying!  For this piece my vision began in an Edwardian-era working man's pub where folks have gathered at the end of a hard days work, joyous with each others company, raising their tankards to each friend's health.  When I sent it off to Oliver Lodge (composer) I knew I wanted it to transition from working man's pub to an upper-class party at a ballroom; two extremes of the British Edwardian era.

You will hear that the first half of the piece is simply a clunky piano (like you'd find in the corner of a pub) and violins are added to help build the track.  I then wrote a bridge to help lead into the next segment.  I kept the bridge pretty because I am a romantic and I also had visions of the two worlds crossing over romantically, like Romeo and Julia, or a Jane Austen story.  The second half of this track then builds to a full crescendo, as you would expect to hear at an oppulent dance in a ballroom, with Edwardian ladies and gentlemen dressed in full regalia.

How did I do?  Does this track give you any visions?  Could you hear it being played in a ballroom scene in an Edwardian-era film?  Or maybe as background music in a pub?  Or perhaps a music hall?

I haven't release this track as a single but it's on my Moments In Time album being released on Jan 5th, 2024.  Thank you for listening!

Moments In Time

Tankards & Tiaras

Tankards & Tiaras | Joanna Finnis

Journey's End is probably, to date, my favorite instrumental piece I've ever written.  I'm not sure why??  I love the melodies, the 6/8 rhythm and overall this piece, to me, feels very polished.

The first half of the piece came quite quickly but then I started to struggle trying write a continuing melody that flowed prettily into the next section.  I wanted to avoid the piece having too many looping, repeating melodies.  Usually with my songs, if I'm struggling, I keep at it.  I work on a segment, over and over, until something starts to work. However, for this piece I would sit at the piano for say a half hour and if nothing came I would leave it until the next day.  I think I was trying to avoid the piece feeling like a chore, like  "I gotta get this done!".  How do you work at your songwriting?

Anyway, I am sooo happy how it turned out.  Orchestration is by Oliver Lodge.  Journey's End is on the MOMENTS IN TIME album, streaming Jan 5th.  I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for listening!

Moments in Time

Journey' End

Journey's End | Joanna Finnis

Sérénité No. 05
Artwork: AI Image Generator (free, no sign-up, unlimited) ― Perchance License: Public Domain.
William Butler Keats Public Domain

Soundtracks 24

Sérénité No. 05

A short trip on the boat Demeter..with a pair of extra teeth

The Demeter

Inspiration No. 06
Here's another little short tune for your enjoyment.

Inspiration No. 06

Original Song
by Phil Dutton & Les Corlett

Lyrics

Rain, thunder and ocean waves,
A moon so full I feel lost.
I thought of crossing to the other side,
And I didn't mind the cost.
I hope that there's somewhere out there,
It kept me awake last night,
All that have are the memories,
I swear that I'm feeling alright.

I made a decision to put somethings right,
Some others were left where they lay,
There's nothing else there but the sad vacant stare,
And I've seen enough today.
You called me a liar and I must admit,
The sense of elation as I took the hit,
Was worth it I fear,
As one single tear rolled down.

I'm mad at myself,
I know I did wrong,
I simply lost sight of,
You keeping me strong.
In spite of you needing,
To kick me when I'm down,
I kept on believing,
Anyway anyhow.
That it's all for nothing,
Because nobody cares,
But I'm open to dreaming,
Of a place over there.

OPEN TO DREAMING

nr24

Magic Christmas

Flowers #extraepicverse

Thank you for listening to my music. If you want to support me head over to bandcamp.com https://toregthomassen.bandcamp.com/follow_me
tore.thomassen@gmail.com

Magic Christmas

Tore G Thomassen

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