BC 95561

VAN VEEN, Piano Music, Volume II


piano

Composer	Jeroen van Veen
Artist	Jeroen van Veen
Format	7 CD
Cat. number	95561
EAN code	5028421955612
Release	June 2018

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Time & Space

All my music is about time and space. The duration of music is an essential part of the concept in my music. Time goes by so quickly in these modern times that it has become an exclusive privilege to people. The concept of music, specifically my minimal oriented music, only can exist in time. The slow progression, building of the material, the motifs and the search for new sounds is audible in this new box. In your hands you have almost nine hours of my music, composed between 2010-2018, in addition to Volume 1.

Continuum, Pianoconcerto for piano and flute octet in three movements (2014)
I was inspired by the Netflix series Continuum in which time traveling is the basic theme. In this piece I would like to take the listener in almost sixty minutes back and forth in time. The setting of the Piano Concerto is a wink to Bach, similar as the Brandenburg Concertos, with the piano in the centre. The opening of the concerto could refer to Schumann or Grieg; both beginning with the piano instead of the orchestra. Or the almost Russian sounding vocal theme. The use of the motives, the adding, enlarging, slowing down techniques could refer to Nyman, Reich and Riley. On the other hand, the basic classical Sonata form, fast-slow-fast (last movement in Rondo form} is a classical example of Mozart, Beethoven or Mendelssohn. In the last movement you can hear Tchaikovsky, Glass, Ten Holt, Tiersen above all Van Veen. The live recording on this album was made during the premiere in Austerlitz.

Minimal Prelude 50, for two pianos (2013)
A seven minute piece for two pianos in b minor, one piano playing an almost ongoing repeated b, and the other piano alternating chords, up and down the scale.

Incanto no 2, for two pianos (2011)
This piece in 11/8 time signature was written between 2011 and 2015. As usual, I'm working at several pieces at the same time. The material has previous been used in Minimal Prelude 40 for Organ, and Minimal Prelude 36 For Organ and Two Pianos. This piece was premiered in the Concertgebouw Amsterdam in 2013 in the Robecco Summer Series. The performers have a great deal of influence in the duration of the piece; it can be played with or without intersections; the total duration can go up to 55 minutes.

Minimal Prelude 48 for one piano (2014)
A slow piece in which two hands are playing different rhythms. There are three sections in which the performer has to make some variations by giving random accents.

Ripalmania for 6 pianos, in six movements (2015)
A complex piece in 5/4 time signature for six pianos in six movements. Each piano is staged on a different spot in the Hall so that each instrument has its own voice. The vibrant energy of the Port Rotterdam is transcribed into music. The Rippen Pianolas have drifted from the shore and are playing on their own. I think this piece will be ideal to dance to; the firm character and the energy will inspire people to move.

In Sea, for any combination of instruments (2013)
This composition was written in the plane to Vancouver where I had to do some masterclasses and workshops. It was premiered in Vancouver in 2013. The final duration is left free to the performers, such as the choice of instruments and the repetitions. On this recording a selection of keyboard instruments.

Minimal Prelude 41 (2010)
Composed in the Metaalkathedraal while staying there as artist in residence. I was literally exploring the space in music, starting from a centre minor motive, and adding layers as time goes by.

Minimal Prelude 46 (2014)
A piece in f Minor, using the reverb of the piano, the pedal; each time going back to the centre chord.

Minimal Prelude 47 (2016)
Written for piano and keyboards in e Flat Minor. Building up and ending with a musical question.

Minimal Prelude 49 for piano and tape delay (2015)
Piece in G minor, using Chords and sound effects, going from left to right and vice versa.

Minimal Prelude 51, Hotwax (2014)
In 2014 I got the request to write music for a short movie by H.E. Kraan called 'Hotwax'. Hotwax; a short movie about courage, timing and trust. Scenario: Frans Pootjes, Digital Copywriter Haarlem. Nominated for the Dutch Film Festival in 2015. With Noortje Herlaar, Gaite Jansen, Maarten Heijmans, Stefan de Walle, Hajo Bruins Korneel Evers and many others.

Minimal Prelude 52, For Mike (2015)
This piece is dedicated to Mike del Ferro, who became one of my closest friends. A Jazz pianist with a love for a warm piano sound, exploring rhythms and musical worlds. The piece has two basic motifs in the left hand, while the right hand is playing a free solo on top of it. Maybe this piece could be described as, Minimal Jazz?

Minimal Prelude 53 (2016)
An almost empty half hour starting with two triads in c Minor; just alternating each other and slowly changing the colour and harmonically. The middle section sounds more like an Etude than a Prelude.


Minimal Prelude 58, for Luk Perceval (2016)
This is the opening piece for ‘Het jaar van de Kreeft’; a play directed by Luk Perceval and produced by Toneel Group Amsterdam. The play has been played many times using my Minimal Preludes, 2, 11, 12, 16, 18, 20, 23, 24, 27, 35 and 58. A few ebows have been used in this piece to extend the sound.

Minimal Prelude 54 (2016)
A freely and spacy preludes in E.

Minimal Prelude 55 (2016)
Written in ABA form, in B Flat minor for piano and sound effects.

Minimal Prelude 56 (2016)
Another one using electronics, the pounding Chords tremble and resemble in the space.

Minimal Prelude for two Rippen Grand Pianos and 6 Ebows (2017)
The most part of my life I have been playing the piano, enjoying the music, listening to the piano sound and the silence afterwards. The piano sound has one disadvantage; the attack that is needed to launch the hammer to hit the string. Even the softest pianissimo is still with an attaque. A few years ago I found the Ebow, and instrument for guitar to produces an endless loop. The little device is able to let the sound ring without any attaque and is really coming out of silence, playing the piano without hitting any keys. One night I was experimenting with a couple of Ebows on the Rippen Grand Piano. These are straight string instruments opposed to the common cross-stringed ones we see all around us. Also the body of the instrument is build of aluminium. The result is an instrument with a typical sound. These instruments were build between 1950 and 1975 in the Netherlands by Rippen. In Pernissimo, my studio near Rotterdam I have a few of these instruments in my collection. At first I was experimenting with the sound, (also in minimal prelude 58, dedicated to Luk Perceval). I used two pianos and walked around the instruments, replacing the Ebows one by one in time, making the new composition. in the first 10 minutes I didn't press any keys, only the stings were ringing. After ten minutes I found it was time to add some short melodies, going down the piano, using both pianos. A night later I added some effects when editing in the studio.

Almost Six O'clock (2012)
In this piece you will hear prepared piano sounds, a piano played on and in the strings instead of the normal hammers.

Una Corda (2017)
A short work for piano solo.

Velvet Piano (2016-2017)
Velvet Piano is about exploring the various sounds of prepared pianos; from pianos with felt, with paper between the hammers and the strings, with lower and sustained sounds, all about sound explorations in a minimal setting. The slow tempo gives this album a real Slow Down feeling. The composition Velvet Piano has nine sections in which the opening song Looping will be played three times; each time a little different.

Minimal Prelude 60, Tango for Organ, For Aart Bergwerff (2017)
This prelude was written and dedicated to Aart Bergwerff, who asked me to write a new piece for organ in Tango style. In my childhood and as a teenager I used to play the organ, and so I felt right away this could be a nice opportunity to compose a Minimal Prelude for organ. With the two against three rhythm, the tango baseline played with the feet (like a Tango dance) and some nice chords.
Since I already composed Minimal Prelude number 40 for him, Aart will receive another composition when I will reach number 80!

Minimal Jazz (2017)
On this album you can hear improvisations on two pianos with Mike del Ferro. Together we did many concerts, exploring the musical space, the musical languages of the impressions we gather as musicians, traveling around the world. In the past, a few of my improvisations have led to new compositions. The line between composition and improvisation is sometimes very thin. But keep in mind that all the great composers and performers liked to improvise; it was part of their music life. So listen carefully to this album and you might hear some influences on my next compositions.

Track list
Disk 1
1. Continuum, Pianoconcerto No. 1, I Continuum, Pianoconcerto No. 1, II Continuum, Pianoconcerto No. 1, III Continuum, Pianoconcerto No. 1, IV Continuum, Pianoconcerto No. 1, V Continuum, Pianoconcerto No. 1, VI Continuum, Pianoconcerto No. 1, Applause Minimal Prelude 50 for two Pianos
Disk 2
Incanto No. 2, Section 01 Incanto No. 2, Section 29 Incanto No. 2, Section ossia 36 Incanto No. 2, Section 36 Incanto No. 2, Section 44 Incanto No. 2, Section 46 Incanto No. 2, Section 63 Minimal Prelude 48
Disk 3
Ripalmania for 6 Pianos, I Ripalmania for 6 Pianos, II Ripalmania for 6 Pianos, III Ripalmania for 6 Pianos, IV Ripalmania for 6 Pianos, V Ripalmania for 6 Pianos, VI In Sea, for any Combination of Instruments
Disk 4
Minimal Prelude 41 Minimal Prelude 46 Minimal Prelude 47 Minimal Prelude 49 for Piano and Tape Delay Minimal Prelude 51, Hotwax Minimal Prelude 52, for Mike Minimal Prelude 53
Disk 5
Minimal Prelude 58, for Luk Perceval Minimal Prelude 54 Minimal Prelude 55 Minimal Prelude 56 Minimal Prelude for Two Rippen Grand Pianos and 6 Ebows Almost Six O’clock Una corda
Disk 6
Velvet Piano, Looping I Velvet Piano, Into Space Velvet Piano, Intemite Velvet Piano, Deepness Velvet Piano, Looping II Velvet Piano, in 5 Velvet Piano, Toy Piano Velvet Piano, Rhythmical Pleasure Velvet Piano, Looping III Minimal Prelude 60, Tango for Organ
Disk 7
Ebow4two Building Inside Out Muted String Dreaming Rocking Back to f Sambanova Two Ways On the Move With a Little Help from my Piano

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