[Cathy]

It has become a bit of a (bad) habit of mine that during the school holidays I conjure up some mad idea for a new topic or a crazy poll, but... to be frank, (and I'm not Frank, I'm Cathy) I think I've finally run out of daft ideas.

So, just for once, here's a thoroughly sensible topic.

You may or may not realise that in the past we have had various threads about Ludovico's music (favourite piece etc), many of them now rest silently in forum heaven, for so long untouched, unread and unloved.

So here, right here and right now, why not put all your thoughts together and say all there is to say about Ludovico Einaudi, his music, and how it has affected you. How, where and when did you discover his music? Which piece did you hear first? What are your favourite pieces and why? Have you ever seen him play live? How do you feel when you play his music? How has his music influenced your life? How would you like to see it develop in the future? I'm sure there's plenty to be said ñ so say what you will. Perhaps a little, perhaps a lot...

Or say nothing.

The choice is yours.

[infaddict]

Ludovico has rekindled my love with playing the piano. As a child, I spent 6 years learning and then gave up. 18 years later, I heard Le Onde whilst accidentally tuning into Classic FM! This single piece of music inspired me to go and buy some CD's and sheet music. I bought a piano and began playing again. Here I am several years later and I can play the piano to a much higher standard than I ever did and I find it so relaxing to come home from work and play some Einaudi. Over the years, I've seen Ludovico live 4 times including the wonderful Liverpool Philharmonic concert. His music has helped me through very stressful times at work and at home and I truly thank him for that.

[Josh]

Ludovico's music is massively important to me. When I was 16 I found out my dad was dying of cancer. My dad was a drummer his whole life but as he was dying he played us these recordings he'd made secretly on piano (none of us ever new he played). They weren't difficult pieces, and they were very melancholy. Not really like Einaudi in style but in that sort of mood I suppose. As he got worse and was permenantly hospitlised he gave his drum kit to my brother and his keyboard to me. At this point I'd been teaching myself piano for two years but mostly just played The Heart Asks Pleasure First and made some silly little compositions.
One day I was listening to Classic FM with Laura, my girlfriend at the time, when I heard this piano piece come on. I was transfixed but knowing how things like that normally happen, I was sure I would not be able to catch the composers name and would probably never hear it again. I said this to Laura and she said "why don't you try 2580?" (a phone service where you dial and hold the phone up to a recording and you get a text message with the artist and song title). I didn't think it would work on classical music but it did and it said "Ludovico Einaudi, Questa Notte". That night I listened to Questa Notte over and over again on his website (he had samples at the time, this was 4 years ago) and also listened to his other samples. I fell in love, and a couple of days later made a fan forum (which as most of you know evolved into this place over time). At that moment I decided I needed to learn the piano properly and write a piano album that I could play my dad before he died. Unfortunately he died before I ever got the chance to play it (Sunrise) to him but I carried on writing it and learning how to play the piano through Ludovico's music.
Since then I've done two more albums and Ludovico has been very good and listened to my music and given my very helpful advice (mostly about NOT listening to Ludovico's music!). For four years Ludovico has given me inspiration and a focus in life and his music got me through the most hideous experience and pretty much saved me from myself. God knows where I would have been without Ludovico. I will always be grateful to him.

[Cathy]

That was the start of it all for me. Late autumn 2002. We had just been away for a short break and to make a start on the Christmas shopping. My needs were very few at that time - I had everything I ever wanted in life - a happy family - but my husband had asked me to find a couple of small gifts that the children could wrap up for me for Christmas.

Smooth classics for rough days. It sounded perfect for those lazy Sunday mornings in bed, perfect for sleepless nights, perfect for dark January days and winter bugs. It was one of the best things I ever bought.

We drove home across Salisbury Plain, and, feeling a little bit guilty, as it was meant to be a Christmas present, I decided to have a sneak preview of the cds. The children would never know, as they were spending the weekend with granny and grandad.

I heard Nefeli.

What was that? It didn't sound like any other sort of classical music I had heard. I didn't even particularly like piano music... did I?

My husband was spellbound too. What was it called? Who was it by? I rifled through the box to find out... and struggled to pronounce a name I had never come across before. Then, to my delight, I discovered that he was still alive!!!!!!!!!

I wanted to hear more, but was bamboozled by life. Two young children, the onset of Christmas...

Christmas soon came round and of course I played the cds. I loved them all, but Nefeli haunted me. I did a little research on the pc - it was before my love of all things Google, and I wasn't at all internet inspired in those days. However, Amazon to the rescue. I read the reviews and ordered Le Onde. It arrived, and the very same day I ordered I Giorni. Within two weeks I had ordered Eden Roc... the others followed.

This had never happened to me before.

A little while later I found the website. I don't remember much about it, but I know it was a bit different. Ludovico Einaudi was not only alive, but he did concerts! Better still, Ludovico Einaudi did concerts in the UK!!! I followed the forum for a while, I lurked. Yes, I did. There was someone called Josh, who seemed to know everything there was to know about Ludo, and his mate Hotbox, there was a very funny guy called Scud Wallaby (I loved him straight away), a lovely girl called Caroline and someone who seemed to pop in once in a blue moon and say something sensible, who was called Stephen. One day, I found out the date for one of the upcoming UK concerts from 'Serious', and was brave. I posted. I received a friendly reply and I was hooked. I started to post alongside these 'mad' cyber people! There seemed to be hundreds of Italian posters, but there was one who sometimes hopped over to 'our' side, often with his forum statistics - that was the charming Fabrizio. He posted a picture of himself surfing. It was lust at first sight...

October 2003, I believe, was my first live concert. It took place at Warwick Arts Centre and was a great excuse for another weekend away! The whole weekend was a fantastic experience, but the concert was the highlight. I remember worrying about what to wear, whether it would be too loud, wondering what pieces he would play... When Ludo walked onto the stage, I was quivering... and when he started to play softly from the I Giorni album I just melted... I could not believe anything could be so beautiful. I also couldn't believe that I had the chance to meet him after the concert and when I did, I could only mumble something incoherent. I was so in awe. I'm pretty sure it was a Saturday night. What I do remember is that the music got right into my heart, my soul, my head and for several days I could not let it go. I heard it in my sleep, I couldn't concentrate at work. Worse still, I could not bear to listen to my cds as they sounded so flat. I did not want to lose the richness of the live performance.

More concerts, lots more postings... the love went on. The music developed. Marco Decimo appeared at the Una Mattina concert, and again, my breath was taken away.

At some point, the La Scala cd was released. This was a huge blessing to me. At first I resisted the temptation to buy it - I already had most of the pieces, but in the end I had to buy it for Lady Jane. I am so glad I did. At last I had something I could listen to 'post concert' - it wasn't the same, naturally, but it had some of the warmth and the richness - it felt alive.

So from 2002 till the end of 2005, Ludovico had accompanied me through all the ups and downs of day-to-day life. Hardly a day went by without Ludo in some form or other. I listened to the albums and/or I spoke to my forum friends. He had already impregnated my life.

Then came 2006 - a very turbulent and emotional year for me. I began the year in hospital; as soon as I received the all clear from my operation, my husband left me for someone else - completely out of the blue after 15 happy years, a couple of weeks later my uncle died, and then my son was diagnosed with epilepsy...

For a few days, maybe it was weeks, I couldn't listen to anything. Every time I switched on the radio, they seemed to be playing love songs. I remember one day quickly changing to classic fm where to my horror they were playing Trumpet Voluntary (the piece of music to which I had walked down the aisle!!!) I was fortunate to receive a cd from a friend in America - piano music. It was the only music I could listen to for some time.

Although I couldn't bear to listen to Ludovico for those first few weeks, my emotions were so raw, in a sense he was still there for me. My forum friends rallied round just as much as my local friends - they kept me going, cheered me up, chatted to me at strange hours of the night and stopped me from giving up on life.

There wasn't long between 2nd March and 20th May. I had tickets for the Liverpool concert. I nearly didn't go. I thought I'd break down, it was the weekend of my wedding anniversary...

I'm so grateful to Shirley, Stephen and Gabriel for talking me into going. It was the birth of Divenire. It helped me enormously. It gave me strength. It wasn't the same as any of the other concerts, but it was every bit as special. Maybe more so.

I'm flagging now. I shouldn't have tried to do this in one hit.

I'm just so grateful to Ludovico for everything. There is more, but I'm going to finish it another time. Just want to say - what has prompted this post was hearing I Giorni on Classic Fm tonight. It nearly reduced me to tears, and for a piece of music to do that to me still, after all this time, well, it has to have some power, doesn't it?

To be continued...

(And sorry it's so long... there's just so much to say, as ever.)

[Josh]

That's a touching story Cathy. Ludo certainly seems to be a soundtrack to many peoples' lives, mine included. Sometimes I can listen to I Giorni and it makes me think of my dad's death, either times it makes me think of happy times when I was younger...always a different reaction, even from the same song! It's such amazing music, and the experience of the concerts, his interaction with people, the forum...it all amounts to something pretty spectuacular, I think. Nice one Ludo

[Cathy]

Thanks Josh.

Ever wish you hadn't started something? I've been back to this thread a couple of times today, and contemplated a big edit job on last night's witterings... I really shouldn't post here after dark! However, after some debate, have decided to leave it be - am a great believer in speaking from the heart, even if it is a bit rambling and waffly!!

I really wanted to finish what I was saying. I'd just got to Divenire, which was why I came unstuck. I'm not sure that Divenire is my favourite of all Ludo's albums, but it's definitely the most personal - intensely personal. Several of the tracks reflect the emotions I have felt in recent times, (bitterness, sadness, despair, grieving, and most importantly love and hope) and I know that other people here have similar experiences. I have drawn huge comfort from this album, and it has made me cry and smile in equal measure. Like so much of Ludovico's music, I find it brings about an inner calm, it heals and it effectively wraps its arms around you. Maybe that's too much for some of you... but it makes me feel secure.

Then there was the concert at the Barbican... unforgettable. A memory I shall cherish for the rest of my life. Monday... oh Monday... and then Giorni Dispari... and the joy of sharing it with friends...

I've had such a wonderful time on here, and got to know some lovely and truly amazing people: Josh with his brilliant musical talent; Scud with his unique sense of humour; dear Gabriel, who has been a super friend and an inspiration to me; the naughty but lovely Shirl who has shown such courage and determination; and most of all my fabulous friend Stephen, the King of Calm who's supported me through some truly horrible times and endured all my weird and unpredictable moods, without ever so much as a grumble. (He regularly has a dig at my grammar though... so he's not as saintly as all that. )

So you see, that chance purchase of a cd, back in 2002, really has changed my life. I can't imagine my life without Ludovico's music - and I hope that some of the friends I've met here as a result of it, will stay with me for many years to come.

Thank you, Ludovico, for sharing your special talent and for all those little extras - the handshakes and the autographs, the photos, thank you for ivisit and for taking the trouble to post here and answer our questions.

And thank you to anyone who has bothered to read my long post. I've just typed part two whilst listening to the soundtrack from 'Le Parole di mio Padre'. I finally succumbed and ordered it from Amazon a few days ago. I have to say it's rather sombre, very 'drifty', but there are a couple of tracks - Sguardi and Questo profumo that are rather gorgeous... I think I'd enjoy the film... but you're going off at another tangent there, Cathy... shhhhhh

[Josh]

" " says it all!

[Cathy]

Am very surprised that only three people have posted on this thread. Has no-one else any stories to tell? Has Ludovico never touched your heart, brightened your day, made you stop what you were doing just to listen? It doesn't have to be a life-changing experience. Do you remember your first Einaudi experience? Have you never been to a concert and thought 'wow!'? Don't you have a favourite piece that reminds you of a holiday, a special moment or person? Have you, like infaddict, started to play piano again, inspired by what you have heard? Come on guys - don't be shy - spit it out and share it with your fellow fans!!!

[Dan]

I did type out a reply a while ago but when I clicked add reply it went back to the forum homepage and I lost it.

Basically, my story is that I went to an informal piano recital at my new university (Warwick, thats one of the reasons why I want to see Ludovico there so much - I'm a mathematician so I like symmetry) and someone played 'Le Onde' which I thought was fantastic. I was a beginner pianist then (the Moonlight Sonata and half of The Heart Asks Pleasure First were about the only things I could play) and I had lost a bit of interest in learning new stuff as it was either too hard or too boring. Le Onde sounded just around/above my skill range so went and bought the music and sat at my piano for a couple of weeks until I could do a (not perfect) version of it. Then Divenire came out and I bought that, listened to it and then (as I love live music anyway) bought tickets to see his performance at the Birmingham Symphony Hall which I was simply blown away by. The next day I ordered the sheet and practiced and practiced until I could play the eponymous track which is definitely my favorite piece to play (I've played it at a few parties and stuff that I've thrown/been to and it has been well received). I've also learned a few of the other songs from Divenire, its simply a great album on a number of different levels.

When I had just split up with my girlfriend (whom previously I converted to an Einaudi fan by making her cry with my admittedly terrible version of Nuvole Bianche), I drove down on my own to the iTunes festival where I was myself almost brought to tears by Andare. I think the intimate setting was perfect for my state of mind at that time and I found the whole experience pretty amazing.

I've ordered tickets to see him at the RAH and Warwick Arts Centre as I've never experienced a musical performance that makes me emote as much as when Ludovico hits the ivories. The whole experience is to me what the overuse of the word 'beautiful' fails to express.

[QuestaNotte]

I can't remember the exact details, but I know my friend Jane was involved and that I borrowed the CD Echoes from her. The first piece I heard therefore was Le Onde. Loved it. Loved the whole album. I had never liked classical music that much, but something about the simplicity and the clam of the music captivated me, even at 12 or 13. It was the only album I had for a while, so each piece had its moment. I then asked Jane if she had any of the sheet music, so I borrowed the Le Onde book (don't worry, I do some actual buying soon) and was elated to find that I could play some of the stuff without too much trouble. And it sounded impressive, too.

I think the next step was the purchase of the Best Of sheet music book with some birthday or Christmas money (they merge when your birthday is January the 5th). So for a while I was more a player than a listener. I could only play a few pieces (Due Tramonti being my favourite) but dabbling in some of the harder stuff, even sometimes just playing right hand, gave me pure enjoyment and calm relaxation. It annoyed the hell out of my family though!

Then came the joining of the forum, and the purchase of Una Mattina and Eden Roc. After that, Una Mattina sheet music where I began to love Ora and Resta Con Me.

And here I am today still meaning to get round to buying Divenire. Unlike many other forumers I never started listening to similar music by other artists. Ludo satisfied (and still does) that part of my love of music.

The thing about Ludo's music is that it fits any mood, at any time. There is no time when I would not listen to a piece like Fuori Dalla Notte or Nefeli. In June this year my gran was diagnosed with acute myeloid lukaemia. It's one of those things that makes it seem like your world is ending, and all you can think are negative thoughts. No music seemed right to listen to - all too happy, or sad about trivial things. But here's where Ludo fits: no words. It's about whatever you want it to be. It says 'It's not so bad' or 'Don't worry'. It always fits, from the world ending moment through to when everything goes back to it's own funny kind of normal.
And by the way, gran is doing very well. She's on her third round of low dose chemo and still gardening.

[Josh]

I'm sorry to hear about your gran. I wish her, you and your family well.

I wonder what Ludo would think about his music being so strongly associated with death and failed relationships! Maybe he should write a CD called Happy Happy Joy Joy.

[James Bradley]

Or perhaps 'Diario Mali'

[Gabriel]

QuestaNotte, on Mar 24 2008, 03:33 PM, said:

Hi Gabe. It's nice to hear from you. How are you?

Thanks Kirsty. I'm extremely well thanks. I thought I'd post my reply here as I also wanted to say a big and public THANK YOU to Ludo for inspiring me to finally do something I've thought about for ages - learning to play the piano. I've just passed my first exams! I realise that's quite a modest achievement, but it still feels fantastic. My next exams are (hopefully) in June and I feel I'm making good progress. I've started to develop some ideas of my own (using Sibelius) and maybe one day I will have the skill and ability to produce in reality the music that's always floating about in my head.

I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to post on this thread - I am prone to over-excitement when discussing Ludovico, and I'm still trying to be less opinionated, but.... I still miss the forum (and everyone on it) and so for old time's sake, here goes.....

In fact, I've just re-read the entries on the thread - It's quite painful in parts, but also inspiring. I hadn't realised that you'd come back for a part two Cathy! - and I have to reciprocate: thanks for helping me through my various paranoias and for your advice and constant support. Josh's comment about Ludovico's music being associated with death and relationship breakdown is an interesting one. Sadly, most of us do go through painful and difficult times during our lives, and at those times it's good to focus on something pure and beautiful, something that reflects the good things in life, that comforts and reassures us that there's hope for the future. Ludovico's music does all that. I think it's also Ludovico himself. He comes across as a calm, reliable, friendly and decent person, someone you want to associate with when the rest of your life is in turmoil. Of course his music also touches and enriches many, many people's everyday lives - not only those of us who are in distress.

I find it difficult to think back to my mindset at the time I first heard Ludovico's music, my life has turned around so much in the last three years. I think I was struggling a bit at the time, feeling somewhat disorientated following divorce, and looking for something to focus on and to structure my life around. I think the forum, as much as Ludovico's music provided that at that time. How much Ludovico and his music have contributed to the change around in my life since is difficult to judge, but I feel that it has done so quite significantly. I suppose my 'story' is really one of a growing realisation of just what an unusual and impressive musician Ludovico is. When I initially heard his music (Le Onde and Una Mattina) I was captivated by it's beauty and emotion. I wanted to know more about the music and the interesting person who was making it, so I checked out and eventually joined this forum. Seeing people's loyalty, devotion and affection was the first indication that Ludo was someone very special, however my real story begins the first time I saw him play in concert. I think I was anticipating an exquisite, but relatively formal piano recital by a classically oriented musician. However, right from that first concert at the Barbican I was astounded by the incredible emotional intensity of his playing, and even more so by his preparedness to improvise and experiment and his obvious disinterest in musical boundaries. It's that more than anything that has impressed and excited me, and I am now completely hooked! Having experienced his mind-blowing experimental concert with Paolo Fresu, and the rousing electronic/ rock concert with ToRococoRot I realised I had found a new musical hero, someone who has an artistic confidence and musical courage that, to me, is the hallmark of really great musicians.

I've subsequently seen many more amazing concerts - the stunning first Divenire concert at the Barbican, and the concert in Paris, where Ronald Lippok added percussion to the marvellous Divenire musical group, however there have been two concerts that were stratospherically better than anything I've seen before. Firstly, the 'Il tempo del Mito' concert in the lovely roman ruins at Tivoli, where Ludovico (and Robert Lippok) played an unbroken 80 minute, largely improvised piece of the most thrilling, expressionistic piano music you could ever imagine (in fact I could never have imagined something so wonderful). It included a wildly dramatic 'marching' section, which had me on the edge of my seat - I remember seeing Ludovico 'stamping' on the piano pedals throughout this section, simply stunning!. I've never heard it before or since, but sincerely hope it resurfaces sometime. Secondly, the solo concert in Malaga, where he started the concert with 'Monday', followed by a 30 minute piece that incorporated versions of a number of his songs, woven together by his wonderfully innovative improvisations - I still remember the spine-tingling moment when 'Dietro L'incanto' morphed into 'Uno'. 'Stunning' is a word that is over (and inappropriately) used (often by me ) but in this case it is quite apt, as these concerts left me numbed by their utter brilliance and the realisation that I had experienced something exceptional and profound.

I remember reading someone saying (on the forum I think, but can't remember where) that they were uncertain about Ludovico's collaborations and preferred his solo work (apologies is I'm misrepresenting someone's comments). I understand the point, but in my view the two are inseparable. Ludovico seems to seek out interesting and unusual musicians to collaborate with, and this must influence, challenge and stretch his own work. The concerts I've seen with these collaborators have been incredibly exciting. Not everything has worked for me personally, but when it does it is beyond exhilarating. I wish I'd managed to see one of his concerts with Mercan Dede - they must have been incredible events. I do agree, however that the ultimate expression of his art is at his solo concerts. Incidentally Ludovico is on his trip to Japan and India at the moment, and I'd love to think that he'll touch base with some traditional musicians there, who he can collaborate with in future

I have been privileged to meet Ludovico a number of times and have got to know a little about him. I've found him to be just as impressive a person as he is a musician. I'm sure others here would agree. He's always been very considerate to me (as have Marco Decimo and all the other people around him), and I know he has been the same with many others. I think that's an important factor in why people are so loyal to him. I remember last year, someone on the Italian forum posting that they were sad that they were too ill to get to the concerts and hoping to catch him on Ivisit sometime, so that they didn't miss out. Ludovico obviously read that and arranged to play on Ivisit. I thought wow! - that's different class. It's small gestures like that which mean so much to people, and that mark Ludo out as special. So, whilst it's natural for us to reflect here on how Ludovico and his music have affected our lives, I think it's important that we realise that it's a two-way thing. Hopefully we have helped him and made him feel good through our support, our cheering at concerts, the feedback we give him here, Ivisit, on myspace and in person etc.

Through this forum and the concerts I've been to I've been lucky to make some great new friends, to have visited some fascinating places and through this have developed a great love of Italy itself. I've only seen a small part of Italy, but have read a lot of literature and a number of books on its social and political history - particularly the 20th century. Italy is just so different to England. I am English and will always love my country, but whereas I see England largely in warm but muted tones, I think of Italy in glorious colour - its people, its music and art, countryside, its customs and traditions, its cities with their historic grandeur, social architecture, their special vibrancy, their graffiti and swarms of scooters, above all Italy's sunshine. Seeing Ludovico play in Italy is very special. The people absolutely adore him, and when he comes on stage you can feel great waves of affection surging towards him from the audience - lovely. The only place in the UK that I've felt the same thing has been at the Barbican.

I'm not sure how sustainable it is for me to keep flying off to Ludo concerts! I have got a couple of trips (to Italy) planned for later in the year, but it's unlikely that they'll coincide with his concerts. Hopefully he'll come to the UK again soon. In the meantime I am enjoying his music. I have adored Time Out since I first got it 6 months or so ago, and I love the curiously angular 'Ai Margini dell'Aria'. I still feel that Le Onde is an artistic masterpiece, Una Mattina, so intimate, delicate and comforting, and then Divenire....! I think of Divenire as the moment that Ludovico embraced the power and majesty of the natural world and invited us all to see it through his unique talents. What comes next?, can't wait to find out

gabriel

[Stephen]

That's a lovely post, Gabriel. Very heart-felt. Rather special to read.
You and Cathy have much in common!
As I was skimming down the page, I was amazed to learn that I had not posted on this thread (or maybe it was deleted!!!) Even stranger, was the fact that I know that I have discussed this before on the Forum. Perhaps it was on the old Forum- and I mean the old, old Forum.
It's so long ago, I can hardly remember certain details. I was in WH Smith, glancing at CDs. I saw the cover of Echoes, established it was a piano album and, being partial to a tinkering of the ivories, took a chance and purchased it at once. I was impressed. I found Ludovico's music very melodic and accessible. What happened next is hazy. I probably found his Forum and joined after loitering for a while to see what sort of place it was. Almost certainly, I would have purchased more of his CDs.
It's no secret that Ludovico is one of hundreds of pianists whose music I enjoy. However, he is one of the most famous, and I am always impressed as to how he has never let success go to his head. Encouraging contact with fans (e.g. after-concert signings) is rare amongst musicians of his status.
The way I came across Ludovico was not my normal route. Typically, I hear a piece of music somewhere and think, "I have to have it!" It's the same when I see some Pepsi in front of me. I digress. I know Cathy loves, er, oh heavens....help, David Gale by, er.... blooming heck... a couple of talented musicians- I heard that on Classic FM and was transfixed. Of course, the monkeys did their normal trick and never told me who or what it was, which is where the Internet came in very handy! God Bless the Classic FM website.
I quite often hear a piece of music on an advert, or in a film and know straightaway that a purchase has to be made.
Does anyone else take a chance based purely on a cover and the title? Maybe it's just me. Certainly pre-Internet, I'd see a cover that would catch my eye and would take a gamble.
I'm afraid I don't think Ludovico's music has touched me as deeply as it has for other people here, but no matter. It gives me pleasure.
Anyway, I'm drifting. Taking a chance in WH Smith is how I discovered Ludovico Einaudi. It was a gamble that paid off handsomely.

PS: Great to see you posting, Gabriel.

[Denis]

Hi to all,

As this is my first post on the forum I will first introduce myself. My name is Denis and I live in Cork City in Ireland. It is a beautiful sunny day here( honestly ) and I have just returned from lunch with a friend. I have time on my hand at present as I have recently been made redundant. Enjoying the break but looking to either return to work or maybe do some retraining.

I have been a fan of Ludovico's for about two years. I came to his music via Michael Nyman. The latter appeared at our local Opera House( a grand title but it is a small intimate venue with a capacity of 1,000 ). Loved the concert and when subsequently doing some web based research on Nyman found a reference to Ludovico. The article was discussing the musical genre of Minimalism, hence the connection to our hero.

Le Onde was the first piece I heard and like so many others fell instantly in love with it. I purchased the album Le Onde and felt compelled to seek out more and more of his work. My favourite piece of his is 'In Un' Ultra Vita'. I never tire of listening to it and as I do so I reflect on the people closest to me. Each bar connects me to a different person and a lovely warm sensation drifts over and through me.

I attended the concert at the RAH last year and enjoyed it completely, especially In Un' Altra Vita.

Well, that's a taste of what Ludovico's music means to me. The forum is great and I may I send my best wishes to all of you.

Regards,

Denis

p.s. Thanks to Cathy for helping to sort out my registration problems.

[Stephen]

Very nice to meet you, Denis. Sorry about the loss of your job, but I hope something will soon appear on the horizon.
Welcome to the Forum, and may you enjoy your time here.

[Cathy]

Hello Denis! As you mentioned, we already met thanks to your registration problems. Am pleased you persevered and hope you feel welcome here. I enjoyed reading your first post!

It was also a real treat to see you post on here again, Gabriel. I, too, re-read (albeit at speed) the thread. Am never sure whether or not that is a good idea... Good luck with your piano lessons and (selfishly) may you continue to inspire me to keep looking forwards...

And Stephen, you did indeed introduce me to "The Life of David Gale" (Jake and Alex Parker) A sample here, perhaps... I love it, very mournful, but I reserve it now for the blackest of days. It is not a 'feel good' song!!

I have bought albums because I like the look of the cover or title - but have to admit that it's with limited success - and many of my favourite cds have lousy covers!! I have more success with books...

And isn't it great to see a little life in the forum. Let's hope we're on a roll...

[Stephen]

Hee hee- I don't find it mournful at all. Very beautiful and almost uplifting. Of course, music affects different people in different ways!

[Cathy]

Well, we agree on the 'beautiful' bit!!

I find Ludovico's Il Fiume (Luce dei miei Occhi) and Svanire (Divenire) have a similar effect.

[Naomi]

Ok then - I've put off posting on this thread for long enough! -
I was off work on maternity leave when I re-discovered Classic fm - a lot of sleepless nights and the need for calm! I remember walking into the kitchen on day and just stopping dead in my tracks, completely tranfixed by the music, music which was so unusual, that I'd never heard before and that was so beautiful - I just had to know who it was by. I raved about it for a while and my wonderful husband bought us tickets to my first concert in Brighton - we were right at the back and we bought the La Scala CD, which was almost identical to the concert, we went down for signing and were second in the queue - the feeling of excitement and applause was felt by all when Ludovico walked through the crowd to the table!
It happened again, I was going to work and just about to get out of the car and a lovely 'cello and piano piece came on - I had to listen! (wasn't too late into work!) I just knew it was Einaudi, and was again pulled in - I couldn't help it as I played both 'cello and piano - thats I guess why due Tramontie is one fo my favourites.
Lots more concerts, cds and many good freinds to enjoy the music with have followed and although I don't listen to the music all the time I always have it near when I need a bit of calm or if I'm feeling in need of a pick up, funnily enough I don't associate the music with bad things unlike many others, so I am very fortunate. I do however need my 'fix' of music and concerts to look forward to as it really helps me stop feeling so down in the dumps to have something so wonderful to look forward to!
My daughter turns 5 this weekend - she loves the music and I used to use it to calm her or send her to sleep long before it was released on the baby cd by classic fm. My whole family have had an introduction to the music - including at my wedding! Everyone who hears it for the first time is amazed - what's that? they ask!
I consider it my priviledge to be able to share this music in the hope it will help others to have a little bit of peace and quiet in this far too busy world that we live in!

Thank you ludovico for keeping my spirits up and giving me an escape from life that we all need sometimes!
Thank you also to my friends from here who are the most lovely crowd I have ever met full of encouragement and offering support to those of us who are unsure about going places on our own!