NOIR
Impressionistic
thoughts on
everyday life
Through this page i'd like to tell you a bit more behind the compositions that appear on my first solo record. The album was written over a period of two years reflecting on my own life, the world around me and my love for my girlfriend, family and friends.
NOCTURNE
The first composition is called Nocturne. A nocturne (from the French which meant nocturnal, from Latin nocturnus is usually a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night.
That's exactly what I ment by this composition. I wrote this from my appartment in Leiden, overlooking the city at night while a train would occasionaly pass by beneath the appartment complex. While overlooking the city I felt some sense of quiteness falling over the city.
The song is ment to reflect the quiteness of the night that that takes over the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Atelier des Lumieres
While in Paris, me and my girlfriend visited a phenomenal exibition next to Gare du Nord. The former warehouse called Atelier des Lumières next to Gare du Nord housed a 4d visual exposition of Gustav Klimt and Hunderwasser accompanied by beautiful music of amongst others Philip Glass, Wagner & Chopin. The serenity that overwhelmed us took us to a next level of experiencing art. This composition is based on our experiences within that centre of arts. A definite must to visit one day.
BERCEUSE
I wrote Berceuse as a lullaby to my girlfriend during the endless summer of 2018. Siëstas were a common thing back then during those days. We stayed in Haarlem for a couple of days homesitting someone's house for the summer holidays. In the house was an old upright piano that sounded and looked so beautiful that I couldn't resist putting my hands on the keys. While she was asleep I played some soft improvised melodies on the keyboard. One melody definitely drew her attention. She encouraged me to continue to work out this melody. Back in 2020, I still play this composition at least once a week before we go to bed.
Prelude du printemps
Imagine those long rides through the countryside of France in an old car while you look out the window and see nothing but rolling hills, haystacks and meadows. During my time at the conservatory in Utrecht I often looked out the train window for a long time, watching the Dutch landscape pass by. In the train I dreamed of taking a trip through the countryside of France and how that journey would sound like. At school I would often start with putting my thoughts on musical paper that I just got from the journey on the train.
Hypnagogie
Hypnagogie is the experience of the transitional state from wakefulness to sleep: the hypnagogic state of consciousness, during the onset of sleep. With subtle tones I tried to re-create the state of dreams I experience while in a transcendent sleep.