What does Piotr Wiese sound like?

Felt piano with the mics up close.

The review of Piotr Wiese – Coming Home

A piano with a felt hammer style of playing will always get a listener right in the feels. Partly due to its intimate feeling and partly because it sounds like you are sitting inside the piano itself. It also instinctively asks the composer to play in a certain way. That’s often slow, steady, and methodical.

Enter Piotr Wiese who takes this style of piano set-up and recording but eschews the gentle playing for chirpier compositions. Across his new EP “Coming Home”, we have three beautifully performed pieces that focus on uptempo melodies, quick finger work and brevity of each note. As Piotr is a contemporary classical composer, there is a hint of melancholy and bittersweet taste to each track, but the sprightliness remains. The title track is the most sombre and reflective of the trio as it delicately balances the longing for being at home with the anticipation of it. Restrained buoyance is how I’d describe the excellent “The Day She Left”. Piotr Wiese has a motif of using a quick run up the scale before he enters the chorus melody and it makes the track fun and fluid. “Returns” is a bittersweet hop-step piece that rounds off the EP with clarity and pace.

Whilst a short release, Piotr Wiese showcases his talents perfectly with these compositions. It’s a delightful palette cleanse from a lot of the relaxed and minimalist felt piano releases that are commonplace these days. Piotr Wiese reminds us that melody and feeling can co-exist with this intimate recording style. Beautiful.

Recommended track: The Day She Left

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