Songs of Hope

Reviewed By  Janet Mawdesley       August 29, 2017

 

Artist – David Wells   

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           Released:             March 2017

           Running Time:   

           Website:    https://davidwells.hearnow.com/songs-of-hope          

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Listening to this first release from David Wells takes you back to a time when family would gather, a time before TV, emails, Facebook and the like. An older family member would sit at the ever present piano and play; sometimes a piece for the gathering to sing along too, other times simply to entertain and enjoy, but always with the underlying pleasure to be found when creating music.

David has written and composed all of the pieces on this album which takes him back, after many years, to his early passion for composing, discovered as a student at the Wheaton Conservatory of Music.

His music is rich, very accessible and as the titles of the various pieces indicate, based about the things we all recognise and enjoy on a daily and seasonal basis. Summers End has a slight melancholy to the piece reflective of that time in-between, when the bright leaves of the autumn have not yet formed, but the warm enjoyable days of the summer are fast slipping away.

Falling Leaves follows in the natural order with a surprisingly upbeat tempo considering autumn is a time when the earth is beginning to settle, to calm, ready for the long period of rest and restoration of the winter months to come.

Nocturne is a lovely composition which holds a familiarity which immediately comforts with the slightly slower rhythm reminiscent of settling in for the evening, relaxing with a good book or a lovely piece of music and an open fire burning. Familiar and comforting, that is until unexpectedly the tempo increases as if to say wake up, get up, life is there for the living!

As single clear note introduces Time Away which can be enjoyed from many perspectives; that of leaving on a holiday to enjoy an adventure somewhere else, or simply taking time away from the mundane, the ordinary, to tend the garden or visit a friend.

David’s background in Church based music is very apparent in Hymn of Peace and Joy with a fullness of sound found predominantly in hymnal music scores. There are several changes of tempo encased within the composition, which gives it a depth of sound, with the final segment combining the former melodies to end with a lovely contemplative note of reflection.

The final composition Travelling Light is something we all should try to do as we try to trip daintily through this life. The lovely light sound is refreshing, cheerful and a delightful way to bring to a finale this vibrant collection of piano music, which while reminiscent of times gone bye, has the sparkle and light touch of modern music. Tucked away in amongst the pieces, if you listen carefully, there is laughter and joy resonating, along with being there, being here, being in the moment.