| TFrog.com presents the introductory album to the piano solo improvisations of dwight munroe | ||
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Music for the Sentient — Ten selected tracks recorded Piano students are presented with a piece of paper with dots on it — they learn to associate those dots with the fingers on both hands, in order to make music. Composers create music in their heads and scribble dots on paper, hoping to create music which other musicians will one day study and perform. "Streaming" is the simultaneous creation and performance of a finished work. NEW - Free sample MP3 (not included on Streaming) |
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Digital Downloads — Album download $9.99, |
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Audio CD streaming is now available on audio CD Hardcopy for those who haven't yet joined the Digital Age. (I'm looking at YOU, Windows 95 users...) |
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| Liner Notes | ||
May 12, Part II |
The album begins quietly, reflectively, with a meditative exploration. (Running Time 4:05) | |
| May 12, Part III |
(Running Time 4:27) | |
| I got nothin' |
Born out of sheer nothingness. After a minute of "finding its way," this track evolves nicely into a melodic surprise, with hints of Debussy cropping up midway. (Running Time 5:51) | |
| Never as bad... |
A "perfect little gem" that moves from despair to hope, with intriguing bits of disharmony and resolution along the way. (Running Time 4:42) | |
hammers |
Slop Piano was discussed in the first two albums, "noodler" and "GRAND noodler," as piano playing for the sheer joy of playing. Based upon heavy rhythmic elements, Slop Piano is far more basic than the usual improvs found here. "hammers" has the added benefit of being just plain fun and takes its name from the repetitive hard strike of hammer on string. (Running Time 5:00) | |
streaming (Available as album only) |
The title track is the best example of "streaming," its genesis in a simple statement of eight notes, its journey built upon a theme-and-variations style building in complexity into a glorious concert work. (Running Time 10:50) | |
monday morning |
Indeed, recorded on a Monday morning, this captures perfectly the feeling of resignation, with a hint of resentment. An anthem for Everyman who faces another in an endless series of Monday mornings. (Running Time 5:31) | |
Dribble (redux) (Available as album only) |
The Joy of Dribble. Lush, flowing chords and arpeggi throughout, a love song or a quiet celebration. Dribble (redux) hearkens back to the original "dribble" from the first album, "noodler," but is more expansive and ...well... beautiful. (Running Time 10:10) | |
Melancholia (with a Twist) |
A wistful opening develops through long, lingering notes, only to give way to a new sudden Slop - a fun, driving, fastpaced race to the end. (Running Time 6:37) | |
The 4th Noodle (Available as album only) |
Pianists can't dance. That's why they play piano. But pianos can dance! The 4th Noodle contains several dance elements throughout. A massive stream of 14 minutes, and a fitting end to the album. (Running Time 14:00) | |
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Monodrone I is one of those slow developing meditations, beautiful and calming/relaxing, with enough of an edge to keep your interest. For those who love the sound of one piano clapping... Click here to open and download the MP3 file (16.6MB) or right-click (Windows) and choose "Save Target As..." Or click the player below to listen. |
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About dwight — I was born into a musical family - both parents were professional classical musicians. Having begun piano lessons at age 4, I won the annual Philadelphia Orchestra Young Artist competition twice, at ages 9 and 12. The prize was the opportunity to perform a concerto movement with the orchestra, the Haydn Concerto in D and the Kabalevsky Concerto No. 3, respectively. After a promising start, I left classical music and turned to the popular music of the day in my late teens, creating my own solo arrangements. But my real fascination lay with improvisation. Not the typical jazz improvisation, but creating whole cloth from scratch. For years after, I played nothing but dwight, sitting at the piano and playing pure free improvisation. Eventually, life slowed my piano playing to a trickle and then a 12 year absence from the piano entirely. In March 2007, my interest in the piano was reborn, and this time I began recording these one-time creations. Because of the nature of free improvisation, all pieces are unique and cannot be re-created. The first result in mono was my first online album "noodler." In August 2007, my wife presented me with a Knabe baby grand, and the Baldwin studio upright became history. The second online album, "GRAND noodler," was a creative outburst brought about by having a "real" piano. Now recording in true stereo, I have compiled my third online album, "Streaming," a selection of ten representative tracks that show the range of styles and musicality. The title reflects my approach to playing - a direct link between creation of the music and performance through the fingers. Creation and simultaneous performance, true of all improvisation, but here aimed at the creation of a "finished work," a unique performance of a composition that is complete, that stands alone and on its own merits. You are encouraged to listen to these full tracks. An audio CD is available through CDBaby, with individual downloadable MP3s (or whole album) through iTunes. |
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| Hear the genesis of dwight's recordings, the first online album noodler. | ||
| ...back to TOP | ||
