I
started when I was very young … becoming a musician
was not in my plans, but the piano was there already and
it turned out to be my favourite toy. Then as a teenager,
and after graduating from the music school, the electronic
instruments caught my attention even before the MIDI keyboards
showed up.
Q :
What are your particular musical skills/abilities?
Contemplative music has always been close to me.
I believe music has physical, mental and spiritual reach
…which is a lot. It influences the biochemistry of
our body, it produces alterations in our heart-beat and
breathing.
Creating music is a need for me, and it’s not necessarily
related to pleasure; creativity means friction, disorder,
the unstable… till the moment the work lets us contemplate
it, with its own uncertainty of remaining unfinished. I
don’t know if I have the necessary ability to do it,
but my compositions are intended to transmit to the listener
something else other than emotional stimulus or simple entertainment...
Q :
Why did you decide to release an album of piano music?
Piano is my
“root” instrument, it has been with me through
all of my life, and the fact that I decided to record the
piano now has simply happened.
The "Piano Textures" reflect around us, sustained
dreams atmospheres.
A world of hypnotic ambients, passing slowly, sliding between
moods.
Q :
What was the inspiration behind the music?
My dreams
that emerged from "the naps" taken before those
sessions, are obviously part of the creative essence.
I try to place “REC in red” when my soul is truly
inspired.
As in all my music, the reflection of “oniria”
is always present.
Q :
How did you record the intriguing sounds on Piano Textures?
I recorded
during night sessions, and the tracks are organized in chronological
order.
The pure and dry sound of the piano is not in this album,
every texture has undergone a careful process till reaching
the point where I wanted to create with it.
You can also listen to Strings, Armenian Duduk and some synthesizers.
I recommend listening to “Piano Textures” at mid
volume, not too loud.
Q :
Is your music gradually becoming increasingly ambient in approach?
That’s
what my last four or five albums reflect, and I suppose this
is related to the calm mood I’ve been experiencing lately.
I think they are frequent searches of a composer, particularly
if you want to be honest with your work. My music has always
been contemplative, it’s just that now it contains less
speech, it’s more ethereal and minimalist; Piano Textures
is the best example. During the ’90s, my works were
more symphonic, they were closer to the soundtrack music type.
Q :
You have a label of your own with Max Corbacho – what
is the philosophy behind the label?
Our ad21music
label, based in Spain since 1998, is nowadays launching
our own work exclusively. Also we are offering our albums
released by other prestigious labels.
Our releases in CD are recorded in professional 24-bit quality
producing the finest audiophile.
We offer the music from the most important stores such as
itunes, MSN, eMusic and Napster, among others, but honestly
we prefer the “concept album”.
We believe there is something magic in it since it is made
up of a collection of carefully related tracks, aimed to
create a speech from the beginning to the end.
Its artwork, its concept and its technical data make us
believe that this is a little art jewel created for the
self enjoyment of those who have the sensibility to appreciate
it. For this reason, and as long as our audience is interested
in it, we will continue offering our music in this format.
Q :
You have close musical connections with Max Corbacho –
how do you collaborate and how did you begin working together?
I’ve practically known Max since
I arrived at Spain from Argentina in 2000. I admire his
works, his atmospheres are extraordinary, and I’m
not saying this just because he’s a good friend.
In 2004, ad21music launched “Indalo”, a mutual
collaboration album. Luckily, the work aroused much interest,
and we enjoyed a it lot. We have also shared some concerts.
We carefully supervise all the production; it’s
a real pleasure for me to work with him and to continue
growing in music together.
Q :
What do you think have been the most interesting developments
in music in recent years?
I
think that in the recent years, the most remarkable characteristic
of music has been its aesthetic diversity. The costs reduction
in technology applied to art in general has generated a
large amount of proposals, most of them produced at the
“home studio”.
I believe this is an interesting moment, though it’s
natural to become confused when searching for the music
you like since the industry seems to have the necessity
to “label”… and this is even harder now.
Q :
What might we expect from the future from ad21music and Bruno
Sanfilippo?
Max and
I have a very quiet and spiritual life, we are not in the
“life rally”, that’s why we record when
we really want to, that is to say, we don’t release
albums systematically. Right now we are creating new music,
single projects and projects in collaboration with other
European musicians.
The best thing that happened to me in life was creating
music; it has always kept me very enthusiastic, which is
a lot.
Thanks
to Bruno Sanfilippo for allowing us that interview.
