Claire Bigley - Solitude
World, New Age, Piano
Louisiana, United States
Overall Impression: Having had the great pleasure of coming across a previous Claire Bigley composition entitled "Awaken The Deep", I'll be honest and say I came into Solitude with rather high expectations after being so strongly captivated previously, and I can truthfully say that I found "Solitude" to be as equally enthralling. Claire Bigley knows exactly how to both delicately and gracefully evoke a strong emotional response from her listeners, and as she so elegantly expresses, "Solitude" does indeed encapsulate the somewhat melancholic and lonely feeling that winter embodies.
Strongest Point(s): Any piece of music that has the power to reach into a listener's soul and envelop them in a blanket of thought and contemplation is clearly working on a level that requires more from the listener than simply listening, and "Solitude" is a fantastic example of such a piece that rightfully asks the listener to not only listen but experience the music, to let it take your hand, to let it show you what it wants you to see, not many pieces of music have this very poignant quality. Along with Claire's profoundly tender performance, the writing is of a sincerely emotive nature, melodies weave in and out of the underlying harmony with both elegance and gentle grace, echoing the song's themes of introspection perfectly. The slight emphasis on the piano hits at key moments certainly add a slightly harsher and more intense feeling to the music that contrasts beautifully with the softer lines that run underneath, creating a more percussive sound that can feel stark at times, perfectly capturing the bitter crisp edge that winter brings with it.
Target Audience Appeal: This is a fantastic new-age classical piece, and I'm sure lovers of the genre will find themselves connecting with "Solitude" on a resoundingly deep level.
Artist target suggestions: Philip Wesley, Claude Debussy, Yiruma, Jurrivh, Nils Frahm, Stephen Moccio, James Heather, Franz Liszt, Erik Satie, Philip Glass, Max Richter, Fabio di Biase, Jon Hopkins, Annelie, Olivia Belli
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About the Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.