Adrian Brinkerhoff: The Himalaya Sessions

Here we present the last record of the nomadic pianist, Adrian Brinkerhoff, in Nepal, just before his disappearance into the deep Himalayas. Brinkerhoff played only for his friends, in settings of his own distracted choosing - power plants, shoe factories, cisterns, moving his Steinway in the dark, surrounded by muscular thugs, traveling further and further away from recognition. The twelve compositions presented here all illustrate different aspects of the day and are all in D flat. In the 675 pages of text (which can be accessed on a DVD machine in a home theater or a computer), the pianist explains the unique connotations of the key of D flat - why a composer would write in D flat rather than, say, F major. The text also includes running commentary by the producer on the recording and its tragic circumstances. 82 photographs are included, taken in Nepal by the pianist at the time of the recording. Here are some thoughts by the pianist. "I've chosen these pieces because to me they cling to that nocturnal trellis that lives only in the world of D flat. The dreams they provoke are not accidental. The moods they inspire must be similar to the same moods that brought them into the world. That is, they re-create themselves easily, assuming the pianist doesn't trip over them, but has the foresight instead to slip into the hedges and wait for thunder." This new CD, even though it is in DVD Audio, using the latest technology, will play on all current CD players.