Name: The Floating World - For Piano Solo by Theo Rodriguez
Duration: 6 min 40 s
Description: "The Floating World”, is life as lived in a Japanese woodblock print. Japanese art, and especially the Ukiyo-e, has always been particularly close to my heart. Artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige have always inspired me to write music… long may it continue! I hope you all enjoy this work as it is very dear to me. Thank you. Be sure to follow me for more content! 🙏

Something a little different this time... not an original composition at all, but rather a live recording from June of 2017. I recently found this in my files and felt that it would be an interesting share. I apologise for the poor audio quality but this was taken by someone in the audience. This is from a live recital that I gave in New York City featuring early music, minimalism, and it was the USA debut of some of my compositions as well. They had been debuted first in China. Regardless of the audio quality, I hope you all can enjoy it.

Philip Glass - Piano Etude No. 1- Live in NYC

"The Floating World”, is life as lived in a Japanese woodblock print. Japanese art, and especially the Ukiyo-e, has always been particularly close to my heart. Artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige have always inspired me to write music… long may it continue! I hope you all enjoy this work as it is very dear to me. Thank you. Be sure to follow me for more content! 🙏

The Floating World - For Piano Solo

Autumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year. I am reflecting on the ancient city of Oxford that houses the great University. I was very lucky to have studied abroad there. It was a defining time in my life. This piece aims to capture Oxford in the autumn in all its magic and splendour. I dedicate this piece to Dame Maggie Smith who left us today. May her memory be eternal. I have always felt a strong connection with her. We share the same birthday, and she will always be in my heart. Have you enjoyed this piece? Be sure to let me know in the comments below! ⬇️ As always, please do subscribe as I am always working on new music and sharing it with you all! Thank you!

Oxford Autumn Leaves

On the Misty Coastal Path, for Piano Solo, is a piece of profound reflection. My favourite place to be is always the deep countryside. I often find that quiet walks in the countryside can be the most powerful way of getting to know oneself, one’s life experiences, and even one’s soul. Thus, this music is of quiet reminiscence, nostalgia, memories, and all the thoughts that can come in and out of one’s head in peaceful solitary moments. What will you find on the misty coastal path? Be sure to let me know! If you have enjoyed this music please be sure to like this track and follow me for more! I am always composing and sharing new music. Thank you!

On the Misty Coastal Path - For Piano Solo

L’amour pur for vocalist and electronics
Commissioned as First Prize Winner of Sweetwater/SEAMUS Commission Award 

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Program Note

A pure, bold, dazzling connection of souls
At a heartbreakingly beautiful point in time and space. 

How truthful and courageous can you truly be?

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Studio recording
Performance and mixing by Liann J. Kang

L'amour pur (2024)

This music is inspired by my favourite literature from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The beautiful ancient worlds that these writings reveal always produce a deep internal flame of creativity within my soul. Edmund Spenser's, "The Faerie Queen", has always held a most special, hallowed, and sacred place in my heart. As I put the finishing touches on this music and wrote the ending, a stanza from the original ending of Book III came to mind. It is quoted below:     
"Lightly he clipt her twixt his armes twaine,
And streightly did embrace her body bright, 
Her body, late the prison of sad paine,
Now the sweet lodge of loue and deare delight: 
But she faire Lady ouercommen quight
Of huge affection, did in pleasure melt,
And in sweete rauishment pourd out her spright. 
No word they spake, nor earthly thing they felt,
But like two senceles stocks in long embracement dwelt.”
The title, “Gloriana’s Tale”, is an ode to Spenser’s character of the same name in his, “Faerie Queene”, who represents Queen Elizabeth I. Secondly, it alludes to Chaucer’s, “Canterbury Tale’s”, in which each character presents his/her own “tale”. I hope you all enjoy this piece. Thank you. 
If you have been enjoying my music then please be sure to like and subscribe! Thank you!

Gloriana's Tale - For Piano Solo

My piece, "At Jasper Beach", for piano solo, takes us to the hauntingly beautiful Jasper Beach in Machiasport, Maine. I see rain... I see fog... I see mist rising off the sea whilst something heartbreaking and irrevocable occurs. A lost romance, perhaps? What do you think happened that cold grey day at Jasper Beach? What does my music make you feel? 
Do let me know - do be sure to like and follow for more!

At Jasper Beach - For Piano Solo

Darkness covers the sea as its waves crash about. The moon and stars reflect in its ancient dance… 
This is my piece, Starlit Waves… 🌊 
Dedicated to the great, Martha Argerich. Thank you for all the inspiration you have given me.  
I am always sharing new music - do subscribe for more!

Starlit Waves - For Piano Solo

Composer/Pianist. I live to paint with sound.
MM-Yale School of Music

The Floating World - For Piano Solo

Theo Rodriguez

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