for solo piano (2025)
duration: 10’
GRT • 242
YouTube (Portrait and Blues Hymn)
YouTube (Looking to the Future)
YouTube – Innocence (in Stillness)
recording available
Satellite Mapping
Complete works for solo piano (1989–2014)
Amir Farid
Move Records, MD3402, 2016
score available from
Australian Music Centre
program note
i. Innocence (in stillness)
ii. Portrait and Blues Hymn
iii. Homage
iv. Looking to the Future
Innocence (in stillness) was written in 1995 to mark the birth of Olivia O’Brien. It was written to suit small hands starting out at learning the piano. It was subsequently included in the AMEB Grade Two Syllabus and reprinted in the Series 14 Grade book.
Portrait and Blues Hymn was written in 1991 to celebrate the 30th birthday of Australian actor, Morna Seres. The milestone occurred while we were working together on a new play, Sisters, at the Malthouse Theatre.
Homage is dedicated to the memory of Professor Peter Dennison (1942-1989). He once remarked that contradictory accidentals juxtaposed in different parts should be referred to as ‘cross–relations’ and not ‘false–relations’ since the term ‘false’ might imply that there was something wrong with them. This homage was composed around a cross–relation motive, loosely in the style of Bach, being the style in which Dennison tutored us. The inherently chromatic nature of the motive, however, leads it into harmonic territory more closely associated with Shostakovich.
Looking to the Future was written in 1995 as a theme song for the MTC production of Aftershocks, a play written to document the stories of the 1989 Newcastle earthquake. The Newcastle Workers Club was destroyed by the quake and nine people inside the club died. While this brief piano solo was not ultimately used in the production the idea of looking to the future after devastation gave rise to the hopeful tone of the music.
The 4 miniatures were recorded by Amir Farid on the 2016 album, Satellite Mapping (Move Records MD3402).
reviews
“If the listener allows CD2 to run on for another three minutes after the final track, s/he will discover a piece which is not identified in the paperwork. The “hidden track” is Homage, written in 1989. Apparently the composer did not think that the standard of this work was suitable for inclusion in the listings. Too much Bach and not enough Greenbaum? Certainly it is somewhat different from the later music, yet is quite appropriate, given the context. In any case, it needs to be included in order to give accuracy to the claim of 25 years of piano composition: 1989-2014.”
Gwen Bennett, Music Trust E–Zine, September 2016
"The piece by Stuart Greenbaum, Portrait and Blues Hymn, is refreshingly tinged with jazz."
Sheila Learmonth, Sounds Australian, Winter 1992
“Uplifting and mellow, punchy and calm at the same time - this piece (Portrait and Blues Hymn), composed by Stuart Greenbaum, was written to celebrate the birth of actor, Morna Seres, who Stuart was working with on Stephen Sewell's play, Sisters. Beautiful!”
Amrap, AirIt, December 2016
“Looking to the Future, composed as a theme for a play concerning the 1989 Newcastle earthquake, states a bluesy theme several times, then stops on a middle-instrument question – a real bagatelle.”
Clive O’Connell, O’Connell the Music, August, 2016