Many Branches By Lynn Tredeau

 

Many Branches

By

Lynn Tredeau

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It is so nice to hear from Lyn Tredeau again, her last creation Reflection seems such a long while ago, but it wasn’t really. Now one of the most creative and emotive female pianists of her day is back with a new manifestation of great songs with an album called Many Branches, and it is this journey through music we now most willingly go.

The opening piece is both delicate but deep in its intent, and one may add, extremely reflective. Tredeau is a true artist in every sense of the word, and here on Room with a View, one can almost visualise the musician sitting gazing out at the mountains while her hands caress the pianos keys, and what comes from them is utter beauty and gratitude, in one of the most loving opening compositions I have heard for quite some time.

Sunshine Tomorrow is our next musical port of call; this is without doubt a soft manifestation of sound, one filled with hope, grace and appreciation, her presentation here is melodic, but always within that structure, there is a refrain that sings of better days to come.

I must admit I am a total lover of the moodiness of the piano, from Beethoven to Bach, from Lanz to, Tredeau, here comes a piece heading your way right now and called On a Distant Hill. There is a wonderfully colourful mysterious quality about this track that I love. Nature is a constant in my life, rolling hills doubly so, one even appears on my last album cover shrouded with mist, it is so pictorial, as indeed is this masterful arrangement.

Many times I have gazed out of my window to see boats drifting across the horizon and over the curve of our beautiful planet; their hulls caress the oceans depths, and as the artist says they simply, Sail Away. This is a beauty of a creation, and Tredeau’s presentation is as sun kissed as the piece itself, new pianists would do themselves a favour by just listening to the harmonic bliss and fluency of this track alone, it is perfection.

The curiously entitled Moon Jellies is up next, interestingly enough this song is about jellyfish, one specific species that the title of this song illuminates; I live on the coast where occasionally we see them, but it’s rare, but it’s also quite beautiful to watch them propel their delicate frames through the water, here the artist spectacularly captures this graceful almost ballet styled movement, through the keys of her trusty piano with an artistic ease.

Now I cannot remember the last time we had rain, so if we get any soon, I will be happy dancing in it! Here on Desert Rain, we have an occurrence that is rare, but it does happen, I live in a very hot country and sometimes it can rain and almost evaporate before it hits the ground, you have to be quick to enjoy it. The slow movement here by Tredeau could well be illustrating the sluggish storm clouds path before despatching their thinly veiled mist as it falls from the sky; this is a wonderfully composed composition, packed with a slow tempered, yet pictorial energy, employing so creatively manifested musical nuances within that are so very appealing.

We are now well within the confines of the second half of this most fine album by Lyn Tredeau and as we tread ever deeper we come across a drifting and harmonic composition entitled Envisaging. This pristine creation has the mood of a waltz within its nature, and its lightness may indeed manifest a mood where literally anything is possible.

Ilunabarra is up next; it is nice to learn something new every day, and apparently this word represents the perfect sunset, something we’re blessed with nearly every day of the year here in Cyprus. Winter sunsets are indeed amazing, so with that in mind I am happy to report that in my view this composition would be perfect for that pre-dusk occasion, the tenderness and artistic intelligence of this arrangement is simply sublime.

To be honest I cannot remember if I have ever ridden upon a Carousel, however the likely hood is very good. This is another very delicate creation by the artist; the high notes here build on the slow swing of the piece to give us a happy refrain, and to bring to the world a piece that is irresistible. 

We are now swimming in the deeper pools of the album as we come across Shadows, the careful and somewhat mournful approach here reminds me of the aforementioned David Lanz in texture, this however is a mysterious and almost deceptive arrangement, illustrating how one can never be sure of what may be hiding just around the corner of life’s rich tapestry, then it occurred to me also, that this very piece would have gone down really well in any movie created by the ever dark, but artistic Tim Burton.

Well we have arrived at the penultimate track off this wonderful new album by Lyn Tredeau called Many Branches, and as we do so we are gifted one more track, in the ever hugging energy of Technicolor Blanket. It is amazing how a simple item either of clothing or a household object can retain such a thing as an emotional response, but it does, I seem to remember the same thing in my life, however the artist has gone one stage further and created a very personal composition about the said blanket, its uses and the memories that it still evokes for her to this day.

The cleverest thing a composer can do is manifest the last track off of any album and that offering is so well created that it leaves the listener wanting more; a compelling concluding song on this very release has been brought into life by the artist and called Morning's Promise. With each sunrise we as creators of our own worlds have the opportunity to do so much good, this in my view is not only a great way with which to leave the album, I also think its anthem like structure could also make a good single for the artist too.

Many Branches by Lynn Tredeau is a very good album; dare I use the old worn out cliché of it being her best work thus far? I am going to yes, this release has a new Tredeau, she has taken her life’s journey and written a full album that holds dear to the wisdom gained, and the knowledge found, this is what musical story telling is all about, and I have no hesitation to state this is a must have for all fans of solo piano, and an album that will be a massive hit on the charts.