The Use Of Nature In New Age Music

In piano music, we find nature constantly.  For many this may seem like a foreign idea, but I assure you there is much truth in it.  Beethoven used to take nature walks before composing.  George Winston has stated that his compositions are reflections of nature and the natural world.  Does a trill played at the high end of the piano not sound like it's pretending to mimic a songbird, or a flying creature of sorts?  When listening to a royal entrance, are the majestic redwoods of California not clearly visible in one's mind?  So why does this idea that music and nature go hand in hand seem, for lack of a better word, "odd" to so many people?

Nature is all around us.  We're surrounded by it, and much of the time we don't even notice.  We have trees in our cities and plant life sprouting up through our sidewalks and roadways.  Insects and many other life forms "share" our households with us.  Yet, we go about our days wearing blinders, oblivious to much of what surrounds us.  Then, at the end of the day, we go for a walk.  Or we enjoy some time with the family dog or cat.  Or we garden.  Or we listen to music.

For those of us who have a passion for New Age piano music, we know the connections to nature are very real.  And in a moment of listening, we reconnect.  We rediscover the wonder of the natural world, the vastness of the cosmos and the oneness with Spirit that can only happen through music.  The rush of the keys gliding up and down the piano can put you in the middle of an ocean wave.  The open chord approach to playing (made popular by George Winston) can set you on a treetop.  Ten finger chords, played on top of each other, can put you at the top of the Grand Canyon.  And the list goes on.  New Age piano music has a sound that can take you virtually anywhere, if you let it.  For me, there's nothing like taking a walk and listening to my favorite piano recordings at the same time, so I can experience both simultaneously!

So next time you want to get away for a while, and experience nature through music in its rawest, purest form, I'd suggest finding some music to listen to that will take you there.  Many of our artists on Enlightened Piano Radio fit this mold.  And I'm sure after a few listening sessions, you'll be "hooked."  And to be hooked on New Age piano music, is a good thing.   I'll see you at the mountain top.

Donovan Johnson is an internationally recognized New Age pianist and recording artist. To learn more, visit his website at www.donovanjohnson.net. Or visit his online New Age piano radio station at www.enlightenedpiano.com