Three neoclassical pieces to ease you into the weekend

DeLange – “Images”
-Living in 2020 in the US has had us all dealing with images we never thought we’d see. I’ll leave the politics out of a post about a beautiful song like this, but let’s just say this soothing piano work was far more emotional and cathartic than I ever imagined possible. It’s great for meditating on some of the images in your life, both pleasant and unpleasant. We cannot ignore the ugliness in our world, but we cannot let the beauty pass us by either. This piece helped me reflect on that.

Hideyuki Hashimoto – “Oku”
-I don’t know Japanese, so I’m not sure what this title means. But what I can feel from the music is a genuine, heartfelt reflection. This is a gorgeous melody that leads from one line into the next. Something about the visceral recording quality here, being able to hear the pedals and the mechanics of the music is just lovely. I am delighted to feature Hashimoto’s entrancing writing style on our site.

Ribeiro DeCastro – “Saudade”
-The phrasing of this piece of music is engaging, pulling me in to wonder what is going to unfold next. The articulation is intentional, making sure that different phrases carry different connotations. I am not certain the meaning of the piece, but to me the sections with the minor key and turns expresses some sense of tension and unrest. Despite this, the later resolution in the piece brings out a sense of relief and having “made it through” the tension. I view this with hope.