Huge thanks to all who have watched, liked and commented on the video for ‘Steel Bridge’.

Almost 10K views and 125 shares on Facebook is amazing.

The comments have been lovely to receive – especially peoples stories about relatives who helped build the Tyne Bridge back in the 1920’s

Here’s a small selection.

“Exquisite”

“Wonderfully evocative piece”

“Brought a lump to my throat watching and listening to that fantastic thank you”

“Well, I can hear driving hammers, different layers of work going on all at the same time and even talking between the workmen. Now added to that is an overarching layer of solemnity, befitting of the creation of such an awe inspiring example of engineering. Great stuff.”

“Such beautiful music, to me, it honours a place where my Mam (Mary Wilson from Wallsend) and Dad (at the time sailor from Flanders, Belgium) met about 60 year ago. Moving and emotional and complementing a landmark that is so dear to me and many many others, thank you for sharing your amazing talent.”

“Loved watching this. My dad was a riveter & a bit of a steeplejack & he worked on the bridge. I didn’t inherit his head for heights I’m afraid, but I’m very proud of him. Thank you.”

“Brilliantly composed piece! It’s was like the bridge was playing the instruments it’s self with the violin looking wires bringing the bridge together! Beautiful video too”

“My grandfather and his brother worked on the bridge. Great to see this film”

“Beautiful music, goes wonderfully well with building of our bridge. What brave men”

“My Granda Jimmy Ransom as young boy worked on the bridge start to finish, he was deaf in later life he put it down to his eardrums bleeding when working on the foundations due to the compressed air used in the coffer dams to hold back the Tyne whilst work was carried out, he progressed to been a catcher of the hot rivets, he also told me a story of a big wig as he put it visited the site and asked how many rivets they did in a day, the number 250 sticks in my mind but I could be wrong anyway this big wig offered the riveting squad a halfpenny for every rivet they did over they daily amount they management had to cancel the deal after a week as the squad started early and stayed late every day and earned a tenner each in that weeks wages. He also told me he was first over the bridge as when the last section of the first arch was in place he walked over to shake hands with guys on the other side”

“I could swear I could hear the hammering of rivets. Great music and amazing photographs. “

If you are on facebook you an watch the video here https://www.facebook.com/steveluckmusic/videos/523057515152978/

I would love to know what you think. Leave a comment below.
Steve

Follow me on Spotify to be in with a chance to win two tickets to my next solo piano performance which is on Friday 16th August (7.15pm) underground, in the dark, inside the Victoria Tunnel. The draw will take place on Monday 10th August 2019. If you don’t have a Spotify account leave your email address instead.

This is the 1905 Bechstein in my studio being put to work over the next few days. I am setting up for four mics. Firstly a Rode stereo pair placed inside the lid, close up to the strings for a detailed, clear and pure sound. And secondly two condenser mics in omni mode, a little way out from the instrument but in the firing line of the reflected sound from the lid, which on a grand piano acts in the same way as a speaker – projecting the sound out to the front. The second pair should capture a more rounded ‘room’ sound.

When I mix and master I will listen to the recordings from both sets of microphones and maybe blend the two together with a little reverb and eq.

I also have some stands set up for cameras to record video and stills from the sessions.

The piano tuner is coming in tomorrow and recording will begin in earnest shortly after. For now there is just a bit more practice to be done.

Hopefully you will be able to hear (and see) the results of this process soon.

A composition I put together about a year ago will be re-recorded and released as a single on Spotify,Apple Music, Deezer and all good online streaming and download services towards the end of June 2019.

‘Crescent Moon’ was inspired by the first movement of the Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor “Quasi una fantasia”, Op. 27, No. 2 – popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata.

It is one of the most popular piano pieces of all time and I always thought that it had a very special quality about it. I was inspired to use it as a jumping off point to create something new.

According to Wikipedia “the name “Moonlight Sonata” comes from remarks made by the German music critic and poet Ludwig Rellstab. In 1832, five years after Beethoven’s death, Rellstab likened the effect of the first movement to that of moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne. Within ten years, the name “Moonlight Sonata” (“Mondscheinsonate” in German) was being used in German and English publications. Later in the nineteenth century, the sonata was universally known by that name. Many critics have objected to the subjective, romantic nature of the title “Moonlight”, which has at times been called “a misleading approach to a movement with almost the character of a funeral march” and “absurd”. Other critics have approved of the sobriquet, finding it evocative or in line with their own interpretation of the work.”

My version is kind of a rework/remix/tribute/re-imagining of the original.

Eric Morecambe would have probably said that its “…all the same notes…not necessarily in the same order.”

If you would like to be one of the first to hear it on release visit my spotify artist page here and click ‘follow’

Spotify will let you know once the track is released and you can listen to it immediately. I would love to hear what you think about it- do let me know.

Check out the new album released today. 18 solo piano pieces, over 73 minutes of music including live versions of two previously unreleased tracks plus remastered versions of the rest of the catalogue.

Have a listen below. I hope you like it.