One step at a Time...

The Chinese have a saying that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I don't why this comes to my mind when I listen to the music of Andrew Violette, maybe it is the concept of thousands and thousands of notes adding up to something bigger - more grand. In talking to today's composers the topic of tunes come up. Pop music still has tunes that are beautiful and endlessly repeated. Classical composers know that with twelve notes to an octave there are limitations on what one can say. Leonard Bernstein said he knew too much music to be an effective composer, these four notes remind him of Beethoven or Copland and there goes the creative energy down someone else's path.

Today's composers work more in rhythm and density that, coupled with the twelve notes of an octave gives much more material to work with. On the Piano this Sunday an artist that couples all of what has been mentioned with ten powerful fingers, incredible energy and imagination and you have Andrew Violette's Piano Sonata No. 7. Spanning three CDs this music is the journey of thousands and thousands of notes, with a logic that is bracing. Like with many long trips we can't reach the end in one go so, this whale of a sonata will be presented in three sections every Sunday through the month of July.

The Piano this Sunday afternoon at 5 on KPAC & KTXI.

host, Randy Anderson