There’s something about Einaudi's music. The calming, minimalist style and its emotionally evocative chord progressions. Its simple harmonic structures, easy diatonic chord progressions… the sense of stability and resolution of repetitive patterns.
Anna, a pianist from the Simple Music Ensemble World, sat at the piano in Greyfriars Kirk on Saturday night and played a programme that included Nightbook, Ritornare, Fly, Oltremare, Reverie, Indaco, Berlin Song, Una Mattina, Nuvole bianchi, L’Origine nascota, Lady Labyrinth, The Crane Dance, The snow prelude Nr.2, and Divenire.
The concert got me out of the house. After a particularly difficult week with sad news from the immigration department, it successfully transported me out of my funk. I’m sure those of us who’re single will understand but it can be exhausting being your own confidant in times of high stress and music is such a beautiful listener. There’s no judgement or accusation in Einaudi’s notes.
The final piece, Divenire, with its main theme of C#m – A – E – B – C#m – A – E – B – A – E – F#m – C#m – A – E – B, settled into my bones. I can’t quite explain how it happens, how music can lift you up from the inside, but this tune alongside “Nuvole Bianchi” struck some chord in me - I was tearfully, warmly, passionately entranced. I’m grateful for musicians like Einaudi who gift the world with pearls such as these.
In breaks during her performance, Anna explained about brainwave entrainment. Wherein calming music can promote the production of alpha brainwaves, which are associated with a relaxed but alert state of mind. This can help reduce anxiety and promote a sense of well-being. Theta waves, on the other hand, feature particularly during meditative or deeply relaxing music and inspire creativity and a deep state of calm. Breathing slows, the heart rate aligns with the tempo, and psychoacoustics contribute to a soothing auditory experience.
She described this as something of a “flow state”, where increased feelings of happiness and satisfaction inspire neurochemical change, brainwave entrainment.
Einaudi himself is a deeply impassioned creative, who advocates for the environment and supports a number of sustainability efforts - the strength of his sympathies is felt through the music he writes. He has collaborated with Greenpeace, performing “Elegy for the Artic” on a floating platform in the Arctic Ocean surrounded by melting icebergs. This performance was part of Greenpeace’s campaign to raise awareness about the effects of climate change on the Arctic region.
Ludovico Einaudi - "Elegy for the Arctic" - Official Live (Greenpeace) > source
The event highlighted the urgent need for environmental protection and was widely covered by international media, bringing significant attention to the issue. Albums like “In a Time Lapse” and “Elements” further explore themes of nature, time, and the interconnectedness of all things.
So, whilst his music entertains, it also reminds us – powerfully – of the beauty and fragility of the natural world. And, for me anyway, it speaks to the beauty and fragility of the internal world, too. As I write this “Oltramare” is playing in the background... overwhelmingly graceful with lilting resonance. Ahh, if I could write music like Einaudi.
I woke up this morning with the sun tickling my face. Propped a pillow on the windowsill beneath the skylight and played over the tracks from last night with a coffee – bathed for a while in the feeling of the here and now.
Made a promise to myself. When I am reunited with my keyboard, wherever and whenever that will be, I will buy Einaudi's sheet music.
And learn to play these melodies.
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Photographs: unless otherwise noted, all images were taken by me with an iPhone 8
