Photo by Robin Mathlener courtesy of Unsplash
Primavera
I have been searching for pieces that feel tender, spacious, and hopeful and allow me to easily drift into my flow space. When a person is “in flow” they may not notice time passing, think about why they are doing the task, or judge their efforts. Instead, they remain completely focused and in the moment. Primavera, by Ludovico Einaudi, is a great piece to enjoy those tender and hopeful moments.
Who is Ludovico Einaudi?
Einaudi (b.1955) is an Italian pianist and composer known for his minimalist style incorporating pop, rock, folk, and world music. Born in Turin, Italy, Einaudi’s grandfather was President of Italy, and his father ran his own publishing company. His mother was one of the earliest musical influences in his life. Einaudi states “When I was a child, my mother often used to play the piano. It was an upright piano that she kept in her room. She played Bach, Chopin’s Preludes and some old children’s songs that she would play for me and my sisters. She had a quite distinctive way of playing: Intimate, delicate and reflective. She would often pause while playing, lingering on passages, as if she were reading a book. I heard that soft and hypnotic sound for years from my room, and it has remained with me. Because of her I started to play, to reflect, and to find my own dimension.”
As an adult, Einaudi took up music as his career, studying first at Milan’s prestigious Conservatorio Verdi, and then with the renowned Italian composer, Luciano Berio.
He is known for his work in cinema, television, theater, and dance - yet his popularity is based largely on his solo piano albums: Le Onde, which was inspired by Virginia Woolf's novel, The Waves, and Il Giorni, which was inspired by his travels around Africa, particularly in Mali.
Minimalism
Fact Magazine claims “Minimalism is something we take for granted. The idea that there is virtue in stripping away, that simplicity can be beautiful and give rise to its own special kind of complexity, is one that feels as old as the world itself – but it’s relatively new.”
Most classical piano music is based on tension and resolution. Minimalist music usually does not follow this formula. Instead it suspends the performer and listener into a place that encourages them to stay in the present moment. Enjoy Minimalism? Here are some other composers to explore: Philip Glass, Terry Riley, Meredith Monk, Steve Reich, Arvo Part, Julius Eastman, John Adams, Nils Frahm, Michael Nyman, and Brian Eno.
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