Jonathan Hannau - Snow came through the other day...

Well, another long break between recordings. I have been working on a few pieces that will make their way onto video at some point, but they have proved to be more challenging than I first thought!

Anyway, It snowed a couple weeks ago, and the trees looked so beautiful covered in snow that I went out for a walk in the woods. I was recording some videos of the scenery on my phone when I suddenly remembered that my friend Jonathan had sent me a piece he composed for three violas, and that the title had something to do with snow. I immediately convinced myself that I was a master cinematographer, and had visions of a lush music video with majestic snowy vistas and swooping camera moves. These aspirations were eventually pared down to a couple shots of snowy paths with title cards over them, but I think it turned out all right!

This is another one where I played and recorded all three parts, and then mixed the recordings together. It is a really nice piece, with some extended techniques and “effects” (the scratches are intentional, I swear!), but also some beautiful melodies and harmonies. I really miss playing with Jonathan and all my Ursa friends, so it was nice to get to collaborate again, even from a distance!

Check out Jonathan’s website!

https://www.jonathanhannau.com/

Nicholas JefferyComment