I originally worked this up and submitted the audio recording for the 2012 "Un-sung Heroes E-cital." The piece is "Consolation," the fifth in "Eleven Works for Piano" (c 2010), a collection works by contemporary American composer (and PW member) Steve Chandler. Steve has a wonderful sense of melody and an affinity for layered sounds with intriguing harmonies. In my opinion, his music needs and deserves interpreters. I wrote in my introduction of the piece for the e-cital that I hoped people with chops for, say, Kapustin, might be interested to try some of Steve's more technically demanding works.

To me, "Consolation" has an enfolding, rocking, comforting, tear-wiping quality to it, and to my ears, Steve's choice of key, Db maj., is enhanced in emotional power by the Equal Beating Victorian Temperament III tuning on the Lester, which puts an edge to the hurt and a warmth to the comfort. It is a complex juxtaposition of sound and story, which, I am beginning to understand, is trademark Steve Chandler, and one reason that I am a fan.

With Steve's permission, I youtube-i-fied this in the "rolling score" format. Careful readers will notice some broken and strummed chords towards the end of the piece--one at m. 41, and others at m. 65 and following. Actually, the one at m. 65 is more of an ornament than a broken chord, and I did it to maintain the melodic aspect of the phrasing as I was trying to keep track of everything. Those touches were worked into the interpretation only after discussing them with Steve. It is really a neat thing to be able to correspond with the man who wrote the piece!

Steve Chandler--"Consolation"

--Andy

Andy,

Again thank you for posting this. The creative use of rolling score makes this interesting to watch (for music geeks). Consolation was composed as balm for the soul after hearing In Such a Small Place, which is a tragic piece inspired by the breakdown of middle east peace talks back in 2000. Once again you've brought great sensitivity to my music and I appreciate your efforts.

I don't come to Member Recordings very often so I apologize for the delay in responding to this post.