The Impostor's Thought Balloons. @greetingsfrommichael - Tumblr Blog

Absent-Minded Romance is out now. Thanks for the love.

Official site for composer & pianist Michael R. Oldham.

#piano #music #new music #composer #michael r. oldham #new album #bandcamp #artist #album release

✨ PRE-ORDER NOW ✨ https://michaelroldham.bandcamp.com/album/absent-minded-romance

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❤️ My new album, “Absent-Minded Romance” is out this year. ❤️ See you soon.

Valentine's Day 2022.

Here's a piece I wrote and released over 10 (!!!!!!!) years ago, "Goodnight Sweet Stranger."

Written during my time studying in Greece, then recorded live at a composer's concert in Boston the following spring.

Violin: Echae Kang

This is a piece about a fool that has a knack for searching for romance in the wrong place every time. Still, his hope remains: perhaps it is in the treetops, the rooftops, the cupboard, the attic, underneath the bed, the fireplace, the pillowcase, the pantry, the hall, the wardrobe, the chimney, inside the washing machine, inside a shoe, in the garden, or sunken in the sofa. This is about an act of foolish whimsy, and dedicated to somewhat of a fool. How foolish.

#piano #violin #composer #chicago #romance #valentine's day #dream #melancholy #whimsy

The Egon Schiele Pieces - VII. The Dancer Moa

I've always been enthralled by dance and movement to music. One of my creative goals as a composer is to write a ballet/dance score. With this portrait, "The Dancer Moa," I wanted to write something that scratched that itch.

Schiele uses his brushstrokes as if they are dancing with Moa in this portrait. They are sweeping, colorful, and filled with potential energy. He shows her face in a focused determination, almost as if she is mid-dance, yet he uses such care overall.

I don't think much is known about their relationship, but I can tell that there is a deeper connection between them. There is an understanding and a beauty completely flowing out of this portrait.

I use an ostinato, or repeating pattern, in this piece to represent Moa's movements. I contrast this with a bright, full melody in the bass to interrupt the flow as a representation of the broad brush strokes. I then bring in softer, fuller harmonies to focus in on the care that Schiele takes with his subject.

I chose to finish "The Egon Schiele Pieces" with this movement because I think it sounds the most hopeful. I want it to inspire those that listen to it to dance, smile, laugh, feel, seek out art, create, and be. For me, this piece is beauty, optimism, whimsy, freedom, and letting go. It's a reminder to savor the little beautiful moments in life. I certainly try to every day. Sending you love, and thank you for listening.

"A Closer Look Reveals" is my new album out now on Bandcamp and streaming all over the internet. XO

#egon schiele #art #music #piano #portrait #dance #album #composer

The Egon Schiele Pieces - VI. Self-Portrait as St. Sebastian

I think of this piece as a continuation from the previous movement. But a jovial, bombastic beginning introduces a bright, new feel. This is celebratory. This is victory after struggle.

I base a lot of this celebratory-fanfare-esque ostinato on a passage written by Simon Abrahams where he states, "So the artist's mind in the process of creation follows, allegorically at least, the suffering and redemption of the Saint's example."

Schiele is acrificing himself for his art. His art is his cross to bear.

So I wanted this piece to represent creative suffering and redemption. We kill ourselves and put everything within ourselves into our art. But what for? Is it suffering that delivers art? Or does art deliver suffering? Can suffering be beautiful? As I write and compose, I rarely (on the journey) feel like I'm a writer at all. I'm crap, I'm this, I'm that... Failed notes, odd harmonies, no through-line, where is this piece going?? Yet I persist and persist because I feel like I have something to say. I need people to hear what I have to say and tell my story. This is how I document all of my life. I play it in music on a piano because it's the only way I know how. Maybe after I play it through a hundred more times, things will start to make more sense to me. Until then, like Schiele in this portrait, I'll carry on with my art, carrying it with me always, not necessarily a burden, just an elaborate navigation system to keep me on course.

"A Closer Look Reveals" is out on Bandcamp and streaming to your brains now.

#Egon Schiele #art #piano #composer #music #painting

The Egon Schiele Pieces - V. Preacher

I chose this piece because Schiele titled this self-portrait, "Preacher." He often did not put too much thought into what he was going to call a painting until after he was finished. So perhaps the pose here: naked, bowed head, hand reaching out...is this a prayer or symbolism of reverence to the divine?

I have always struggled with religion and spirituality. I grew up Catholic and gay, so a duality has been present in my mind. I remember in my religious ed classes when I was young we had to go to confession. It was awful. Worse than the dentist. We would have to go to the church, anxiously wait our turn, and then sit in this little sound-proof room with a priest and tell him everything we've done "wrong" according to the faith. I was struggling with my sexuality and coming to terms with it. I felt like I had to confess that I was gay. I was a sinner. I wasn't "supposed to be this way." I choked and just said that I "said some swear words" as sweat pooled everywhere on my body.

I left the confessional a bit relieved, but then the guilt sank in. I didn't really confess my secret. Would God know and punish me now? I said my "Hail Mary's" and hoped the good lord would just let this one pass.

I wrote this piece as a hymn to reflect on this part of my life. I fully accept who I am now, but those early struggles and existential questions helped shape how I think and feel to this day. Sometimes it's beautiful because I can look back on these darker times with perspective and resilience, like I made it through the other side with only a few bruises.

I chose to stay true to myself rather than give into outside pressures. I chose to reflect rather than judge. I chose to accept rather than force change. Perhaps Schiele created this piece because he too had the same doubts, reflections, and questions? I don't know. This is getting too deep and I need to go to bed.

"A Closer Look Reveals" is out on Bandcamp and streaming everywhere so put it on as you ponder deep things, but turn it off before you go too deep into the void.

http://www.michaelroldham.com

https://michaelroldham.bandcamp.com/album/a-closer-look-reveals https://open.spotify.com/album/1Ty7x07cP2WgnHQgpaNCpa?si=i59hFXDZQ9CTmtVW_JiCQA https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-closer-look-reveals/1579118225

#Egon Schiele #art #music #piano #composer

The Egon Schiele Pieces - IV. Embrace

I really wanted to go more with feeling on this piece. I start off with some strange harmonies and a dissonant melody line seeking to capture a bit of the voyeuristic quality of this particular work. Schiele shows this couple in the raptures of intimacy. But we are complicit in the viewing of such a hidden, personal act of love.

I follow the rise and fall of passion as the piece progresses, with the push and pull of new harmonies and a quickening tempo to a climax where everything drops back down to a single note.

The piece slows down after this, but it's different. It has a bit more beauty to it. The afterglow is warm and tender.

There is a curiosity to the way Schiele uses sexuality and nudity. He uses it as a way to discover himself as well as who we really are as human beings. Again, his contradictions come into play: love is messy, complicated, scary, weird; yet beautiful, deep, passionate, communal, and completely human.

"A Closer Look Reveals" is out on Bandcamp and the underground corners of the internet.

#Egon Schiele #embrace #composer #piano #music #chicago

I took this piece literally at first and decided to write a four-hand piano piece. I see it as Schiele showing two sides of himself: one is curious, hopeful, shy, willing, and youthful, while the other is complicated, dark, confused, anguished, and tortured. I had these two contradicting sides play against each other for the entire piece. The bass ostinato represents the subtle darkness and confusion/misunderstood aspect of Schiele, while the bright, melodic treble represents this youthful openness/curiosity for life and creative expression.

He is a complicated man, but no great art has ever come from someone complacent in their day-to-day. I struggle every day with always trying to do and say the right thing: not making waves, staying pleasant, smiling through it all. But then there are days when everything catches up with me. A cloud rolls in overhead. I'm stuck in bed. Emotions run high. All I want to do is sleep everything away. I'm lonely, upset at the world.

But then I allow myself to feel those feelings, I'll play it out on the piano and maybe write something new. I'll exorcise my demons through music. Schiele does the same with his art. You are your art, and your art is you. So, why not be messy, open, real, and honest in what you create? Art and music would be boring otherwise. Set yourself free and fuck what people think about it.

"A Closer Look Reveals" is out now on Bandcamp and a stream somewhere everyone keeps talking about.

http://www.michaelroldham.com https://michaelroldham.bandcamp.com/album/a-closer-look-reveals https://open.spotify.com/album/1Ty7x07cP2WgnHQgpaNCpa?si=i59hFXDZQ9CTmtVW_JiCQA https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-closer-look-reveals/1579118225

#Egon Schiele #piano #composer #artwork #art #painting #music #portrait

I first premiered this piece at the Art Institute of Chicago's annual 'Block Party,' as a way to introduce Schiele and my compositional process: seeking to use music as a way to find the inner life of an artwork. With this portrait, I wanted to depict, musically, the mental and emotional process of truly understanding a work of art.

To start the piece, I play just the simple melody, unaccompanied. This represents the first moment you look at an artwork. You are absorbing in your mind that this is a work of art. It is on a page (at least in this instance...feel free to also do this for whatever medium you like to digest).

I then play the melody again, and harmonize it in a simple way. You start noticing the lines, colors, and strokes.

The melody is repeated again, but this time, in a stranger and unexpected way. You start to see how Schiele poses himself: angled, insecure, yet open.

The melody is repeated one last time, but every note is harmonized with no regard to the previous chord's relationship. You see how Schiele is looking slightly away, mouth agape. Who is he in this portrait? What's going on in his mind? Why did he paint those sickly greens all over his face? He wants you to know exactly who he is, but he is unsure. Maybe you see a bit of yourself.

Then, I start to strip away the harmonies. One by one. You slowly come back to reality and into the present moment realizing you are just looking at a portrait. Time travel is possible.

"A Closer Look Reveals" is out now on Bandcamp and all the streamy streams.

http://www.michaelroldham.com

#Egon Schiele #piano #music #composer #portrait #art #artwork #painting

The Egon Schiele Pieces - I. Standing Male Nude with a Red Loincloth

I think this portrait serves as a great first introduction to the world of Egon Schiele. He stands in a typical Schiele fashion: his body, arms, hands, and face are contorted. It's strange and beautiful. He is beckoning you into his world, but he is unsure if he really wants you there. I really relate to this on a deeper level, as a lot of the pieces on this album come from a more personal space. I'm still a bit unsure of opening myself up and allowing you all in like this artistically, but there you have it. What's done is done, and hopefully it connects us more closely.

Compositionally, I wanted the melody to sound a little unsure. There are hints of a little idea, but then before it is fully fleshed out, I bring in a new fresh key or harmony to veer away from where I was going initially. It becomes a sort of musical slight-of-hand. I think Schiele does this a lot visually; you think he is showing you one thing, but then you spend more time with the subject only to realize you've been wrong the entire time. It's something else completely, just when you thought you understood it. He's insecure, yet confident. He's vulnerable, yet guarded. He's a mess of contradictions just like me and the rest of us. So this piece edges on the cusp of beauty, strangeness, confidence, insecurity, and openness. Welcome to our world.

"A Closer Look Reveals" is out now on Bandcamp and streaming wherever you stream music.

http://www.michaelroldham.com

#Egon Schiele #music #piano #composer #art #portrait

On my new album, “A Closer Look Reveals,” I wrote seven pieces based on portraits by the enigmatic and provocative artist Egon Schiele. In upcoming posts, I’ll be sharing videos featuring each portrait - with my music - and I’ll explain in detail why I chose them. I’ll also (attempt) to explain what my process was as I wrote for each portrait.

Art is incredible. All I want to do is continue to dive headfirst into the different ways art (in every form) continues to link all of us together in a shared story of humanity and connection.

#egonschiele #music #composer #piano #art #portrait