Craig Shepard

"I remember the first time I sat at a piano, my feet dangling over the edge. As I tested the keys, I felt a wonder and joy at the sound coming out of the instrument. I still feel that joy every time I sit at a piano. In the two drone works in this release: "December" and "Thomas," I was intrigued in the contrast of the rhythm of the hammers striking the strings with the rhythm of the swelling overtones. On "Thomas", the trumpet tones blend and contrast, sometimes revealing the piano, and sometimes sprouting out of it."

"Thomas" was commissioned by Thomas Stiegler, who performed piano on the premiere. "Gelassenheit" was a commission from Nicolas Horvath as part of an homage to Philip Glass." - Craig Shepard 

The 20-minute piece occupies the A-side of the record, while the B-side features two additional compositions: Gelassenheit and Thomas. The shorter composition Gelassenheit explores the piano’s overtones in a distinctive way, allowing more space between the chords and letting the resonant frequencies slowly dissolve into the room tone. Thomas builds on the sonic ideas introduced in December, taking them a step further by adding a trumpet layer -performed by Sam Vloemans- that interacts with, and at times contrasts, the piano’s overtones.