Piano classics with an electronic twist, not your mother's Beethoven.

15 MP3 Songs
ELECTRONIC: Soundscapes, CLASSICAL: Keyboard Music



Details:
Classics Revisited is the first national release for Paul G Hughes. As the name implies, this is a collection of piano classics given a new electronic twist. Being old enough to remember Switched-On-Bach by Wendy Carlos, Hooked On Classics by Louis Clark and Bach Busters by Don Dorsey, Hughes has brought the idea of reinterpreting classical music standards into the 21st century with a fresh look at how these gems can be adapted to a todayâs listeners. Well recognized piano works such as âFur Eliseâ and âMoonlight Sonataâ by Beethoven get a new interpretation with a change in meter and the addition of new instrumentation. The three âGymnopediesâ by Satie get a very fresh interpretation with heavy use of electronic sounds and sequencing techniques.
âThe most difficult piece for me to tackle was the âPiano Concerto #2â by Rachmaninoff. It is such a beautiful work that doing too much to it just didnât feel right. I ended up adding just a touch of bass and a few other electronic sounds to give it a fresh feel.â Other works were taken quite a bit further, while still retraining their original flavor. A good example of this is âMalaguenaâ by Lecuona. The lush orchestral instrumentation is augmented with synth pads and electric bass riffs to fatten up the texture.
âThis project was quite a departure for me. Iâm usually in the studio doing vocal work, so getting back to my piano skills was quite a challenge. Of course, using a sequencing program didnât hurt. Iâm always lamenting on how poor my piano skills are, even after years of lessons and even more years of having to use them in the classroom.â You would never know that listening to any track off of this release. Hughesâ feel for what will work is spot on with this collection of well known piano works, and it is a disc that you can listen to quite often without tiring of it.
So whatâs next for the high school choir director? âIâm working on a disc of original tunes that feature my vocal skills. I love getting in my studio and creating rich four part vocal textures to go along with the sequenced tracks I create.â