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Chris
Conway - |
piano, keyboards, acoustic & electric 9 string guitar, tin & low Irish whistles, zither, electric kantele, theremin, voices, kalimba, chimes, temple bells. |
continuous mix - like the CD
separate tracks mix (donload only)
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continuous track version
1 |
Nine Dreams On A Moonlit Night |
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separate tracks version
1 |
Dorian Dream |
2 |
Myxolydian Dream |
3 |
Aolian Dream |
4 |
Lydian dream |
5 |
Phrygian Dream |
6 |
Locrian Dream |
7 |
Ioanian Dream |
8 |
Mystic Dream |
9 |
Recurring Dorian Dream |
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A continuous unfolding tapestry of dreamlike piano music set against a backdrop of delicate sounds from many exotic instruments. Every section has it's own atmosphere and each drifts into the next like a flowing sequence of dreams.
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background
After my Celtic Dreamer and Buddha Dreamer albums, I decided to focus on my first instrument and first love in music – piano music.
There is something so atmospheric about piano music, and it’s perfect for relaxing and drifting the mind to sleep and to dream. I had recorded a totally solo piano album, Piano Natural, for Paradise Music some time ago, so this time I wanted to set the piano over a delicate atmospheric music backdrop.
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influences
Steve Kuhn, Marcin Wasilewski, Richie Beirach, Rainer Bruninghaus, Alexander Scriabin.
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trivia
Piano Dreamer is available as a CD and as a download in 2 formats
- full album continuous mix
- separate tracks
Piano
The piano part is also available on it's own as a download - "Piano", also in full album continuous mix and separate tracks.
Dreamer
Another version of Piano Dreamer is available as a download with no piano - "Dreamer" - just the atmospheric background music.
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notes
Nine Dreams On A Moonlit Night
This piece of music is continuous but also contains 9 sections.
I have always been fascinated by musical scales called modes. Modes have their roots in ancient Greek music, and evolved in the Middle Ages when they were used in religious chanting before becoming the modes we have today which still bear the ancient Greek names. Like hearing music in major and minor keys make us feel happy and sad, the modal scales suggest other feelings.
Each section of this piece in a different modal scale, (repeating the opening Dorian mode section at the end.) I have also added another scale devised by the Russian composer Scriabin based on his “Mystic Chord”.
The nine dream sections are
1. Dorian Dream
The Dorian mode has always been special for me – it always evokes a sense of wonder.
2. Mixolydian Dream
The Mixolydian mode has a feeling of strength and also reminds me of the orient, which influnced my arrangement.
3. Aolian Dream
Equivalent of the Western natural minor scale, the Aolian mode has a plaintive feel about it which the low Irish whistle reflects well.
4. Lydian Dream
The Lydian mode always has a peaceful and magical feeling and seems to impart a feeling of warmth and love as well.
5. Phrygian Dream
The Phrygian mode has a Spanish flavour as is often used in flamenco music. It has a drive and passion to it.
6 Locrian Dream
The Locrian mode was not used in Renaissance choral chanting as it contains an interval that was considered demonic. It has an unresolved nature but there is a haunting beauty there also.
7. Ionian Dream
The Ionian mode is the equivalent to the Western major scale always has a warm and positive happy feel to it. I added some Irish tin whistle to compliment this feeling.
8. Mystic Dream
The composer Alexander Scriabin invented the Mystic Chord, which this exotic scale is based. I have a close association with it as I found it myself independently in my teens. When I read that it was the same as Scriabin's chord, soon after, he appeared in a recurring set of dreams, one a night for a week, so I feel I got to know him a little.
9. Recurring Dorian Dream
Talking of recurring dreams, we return to the start, where our wondrous moonlit night began.
all
music composed and produced by Chris Conway
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