Some New YouTube Videos & Anecdotes About Their Music

During the last week I've posted several new YouTube videos about which I would now like to tell you. While I originally intended to post only videos related to keyboard music, whether of my own composition or recordings of my performing the keyboard works of other composers, in the last few days I've posted two videos featuring music I created using Cubase 10.

While I still intend the YouTube page to be primarily for my keyboard work I thought it would be nice to share these other works - works which might be considered "occasional" pieces; works that have sentimental value to me and of which I am proud; works which others too might enjoy.

So here are some of the newly posted videos as well as some background about their music:

• Apollonian/Dionysian: Rhapsody for Clavichord
  I mentioned this clavichord work in a previous post. This has become my most popular video on YouTube. The title of the work references a concept popularized by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900). The work itself was a response to criticisms my music has received from some people in the concert music world.

• Rhapsody on Ancient Arabic and Greek Scales (for Harpsichord)

This version of Rhapsody was recorded at CSU's Keyboard Extravaganza on February 14th, 2020. Of my harpsichord compositions Rhapsody on Ancient Arabic and Greek Scales is probably my favorite. As the title suggests this composition is an improvisatory work; one based on several ancient Arabic and Greek scales (notably the Nikriz maqam and the Olympos pentatonic scale).

I performed Rhapsody on CSU's Russel French double-manual harpsichord, which itself was tuned to a Werckmeister temperament (413 hrz).

Of the YouTube slideshows this is probably my best. It features photos of ancient Greek temples from around the Mediterranean, an ancient Egyptian temple, and images from the recovered Temple of Isis at Pompeii.

• Two Pieces from Songs without Words (for Piano)

Like the previous video this video features a recording of my performance at CSU's 2020 Keyboard Extravaganza. These two little piano pieces were composed by someone who was very much in love at the time he composed them. Despite (or perhaps because of) its simplicity and gentle understatement, the second piece, "In Your Arms Again," is one of my most popular compositions.

• To Hear Your Voice Again

To Hear Your Voice Again is a song without words I improvised into Cubase during a sleepless night last summer. This is a great piece insofar as in it I was able to express perfectly in music what I was feeling at that time. However, this very quality also makes it, for me, difficult listening, as it strongly evokes the emotions and memories that inspired the music in the first place. Nonetheless, without intending to seem narcissistic (a narcissistic composer; who would have ever imagined!), this little piece contains some of the most beautiful music I've created. But the source of its inspiration always brought out the best in me, anyway.

• For Jananiy

For Jananiy is a popular/world music-inspired work I created last August. Like the previous recording this was created with Cubase 10. It was created for and dedicated to a brilliant colleague.

So there you have it: five newly posted videos featuring relatively short compositions or improvisations. I hope you will check out the videos. If you enjoy the videos I hope you will consider subscribing to my new YouTube channel!