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  • Frank Paul February 3, 2023 at 1:59am

    WOW! Gregorio, this is a killer performance! (and btw you're obviously a seriously gifted piano player!). One of the things I liked best about it is that you pulled a few kind of not-specifically-expected surprises here and there - all of which totally worked. I couldn't catch the time stamp but there was a point about one-third of the way in where the intensity and virtuosic fluorish really intensified suddenly, and that was a nice contrast from the introductory section, which, to be honest kind of made me initially think "oh, that's nice, that's pleasant..."  And then you did something similar in at least two other spots in the piece which were similarly thrilling to listen to.  That contrast in intensity is kind of like tension/resolution in a way, and it makes for a super engaging listen.  Thanks for sharing!

  • gregorio X February 3, 2023 at 7:59pm

    Hi Frank.

    I really appreciate your detailed notes on how it came across.

    Thanks so much for your comments.

    gregorio

  • H. S. Teoh February 6, 2023 at 5:12pm

    Hey Grego!! good to hear from you again, it's been a while!

    This is an awesome piece, very cleverly constructed yet unintrusively so.  Bears your hallmark unresolved semitone steps, I like how the opening section sounds more-or-less like traditional harmony but suddenly the flourish in the middle brings it to a whole new territory of modern sound, which you navigated with ease, before finally returning to more familiar waters and wrap it up in one nicely-integrated, coherent whole, where the modern-sounding and more traditional-sounding mesh together without either part feeling out of place.  I'll have to listen to this again later to pick up more of the details, maybe I'll have more to say then.

    (And btw, if you don't mind, I had been hoping to hear your opinion on my two latest fugues, though you happened to be away when I posted them: Fugue in G and Wild Fugue. And yes, this last one was my first venture into more-or-less atonal writing. :-P  Not certain I'd continue in this direction but at least I was reasonably amused with this particular effort!)

    Fugue in G
    I call this a fugue, and it has the outward trappings of a fugue, but I'm pretty sure this isn't something Bach would write. :-P  There are many unco…
    • gregorio X > H. S. Teoh February 7, 2023 at 5:17pm

      Hi HS!

      You have definitely described the framework. I am interested to see if styles can overlap and mesh in an organic sounding way - "uninstrusively" - as you say. I enjoy the mild shocks of harmonic shifts, and attempt to do it  without breaking the 'spell'. (Usually these spots, the melody is modulating to another key, and I use that oppurtunity to add more 'color' to harmonic unpinning.)  My hope, of course, is that it sounds convincing. 

      Thank you so much for listening!  Im glad you liked it!

      I look forward to listening to you new fugues later today!

       

      • H. S. Teoh > gregorio X February 7, 2023 at 5:24pm

        It indeed sounds convincing! In fact, the way you leave those semitone steps unresolved imparts a kind of tantalizing feeling to the music, that draws in the listener to want to hear more.  Something that I should definitely learn to use in my own music!  The less-traditional middle section certainly comes as a "mild shock"... that nonetheless stays within the spirit of the more traditional first and last sections, so the 'spell' isn't broken, just a little shaken up. :-P  I'm impressed by the way you pulled that off, I must say. Finesse!

  • Ingo Lee February 7, 2023 at 2:05am

    Beautifully done Gregorio, good to see you around these parts.  You have a wonderful performance here with lots of contrast and subtlety that us virtual hacks can only dream of ha ha.  You have a style that seems dreamily impressionistic at times but with some passionately romantic explosions thrown in to hold our attention.  Always good to hear from you, thanks for posting!

    • gregorio X > Ingo Lee February 7, 2023 at 6:31pm

      Hey Ingo!

      Awfully kind of you! Contrasts and subtlety are a spectrum I try to be mindful of. Im glad you mentioned 'holding our attention' , because when my attention starts to wane on something Im working on, I take it as a sign that something isn't right.

      Thank you for taking the time to listen, and offering your thoughts! I look for to hearing your new piece for piano and flute.

      Cheers!

      • H. S. Teoh > gregorio X February 7, 2023 at 6:35pm
        ... when my attention starts to wane on something Im working on, I take it as a sign that something isn't right.

        That's an awesome rule of thumb. Something I should apply more often!

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