Apr 062015
 

In recognition and support of the world’s first Piano Day, Portland-based composer Keith Kenniff releases a stunningly beautiful rendition of Michael Nyman‘s “Molly.”

Piano Day – the first holiday to celebrate the instrument – is the initiative of highly acclaimed German composer Nils Frahm, who has declared the 88th day of the year to be a worldwide celebration of our favorite 88-key instrument. This 29th of March marked the first celebration in what will hopefully be a long history of piano-related festivities.

With several musicians having contributed to celebrating the holiday’s premiere (among them esteemed neo-classical composers such as Ólafur Arnalds, Nils Frahm and Lucy Claire), Kenniff follows in their steps, pitching in with a soothing piano cover of Nyman’s “Molly” – taken from the sublime score of Michael Winterbottom’s Wonderland (1999).

Operating under the post-classical minimalist moniker Goldmund, the Berklee College of Music honors graduate transforms the already gentle piece into a serene and touching instrumental experience. By far the most haunting piece I’ll hear all week, Goldmund’s “Molly” drips with bittersweet melancholy pangs and a quiet calm reminiscent of Sigur Rós, Efterklang, and a dash of Yann Tiersen.

While mildly disappointed to have missed the first celebration, I definitely know what date I’ll be looking forward to in 2016.

Happy (somewhat belated) Piano Day, folks. Be sure to mark your calendars for March 29th of next year, and in the meantime – enjoy Goldmund’s breathtaking cover down below.

Listen to Keith Kenniff here. Also, visit pianoday.org to learn more about the holiday. 

Dec 052011
 

Keith Kenniff describes the music he records under the name Goldmund as “post-classical” and the name seems apt. As opposed to the lush ambient soundscapes he records with Helios, Goldmund strips away electronics and artifice for piano-based records that resonate with a simplicity that seems to come from a bygone era. Continue reading »