Iiro rantala / grand piano
Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Florian Donderer / violin & orchestra leader

recorded live in concert at die glocke bremen
jazzahead! gala concert

Where does new music come from? And how? In my case the answer is very simple. I start improvising on the piano. Before that I do my scales, a little bit of Bach and some Chopin Études, like a good boy.
Then I improvise and if I hear something I dig, I start developing it into a composition. I don’t write it down. I need to remember it the next day, otherwise the idea isn’t clear enough. That’s a composer’s pre-selection. Only one’s strong will makes it into life. Like in the jungle.
I usually don’t have lack of ideas. Something comes out every time when I start improvising. Powerful musical ideas don’t come every day. But when they do come it’s always a fantastic moment of discovery.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was different. It seems like he had an endless amount of brilliant musical ideas. During the 35 years of his life he created so much fantastic music, it can be called a miracle. It seems that the music was ready in his head. He could skip the improvising. That’s how a genius works.

Enjoy listening,
iiro rantala