The Heart of Collaboration in Classical Music

I recently visited Oktaven audiO recording studio for a session with Stanley Grill. The experience beautifully highlighted the artistry and collaboration inherent in classical music.

During this session, I worked alongside Allison Brewster Franzetti, a highly acclaimed pianist known for her virtuosity and musicality. Her career includes solo and chamber performances, participation in international festivals, collaborations with renowned artists, as well as contributions as a composer and author. Franzetti has performed at prestigious venues, released several albums, and worked with esteemed musicians and composers. She brought remarkable talent and flexibility to the session, providing insightful advice during rehearsal that made problem-solving seem effortless. Her zen-like approach to performing was truly inspiring.

Our engineer for the day was Ryan Streber, who was incredible at his craft. A master recording engineer, he studied composition with Milton Babbitt and Christopher Rouse at Juilliard (BMA 2001; MMA 2003). His supportive presence and keen ear for detail made everything flow seamlessly. The atmosphere in his studio was nothing short of inspiring, with its expansive room and warm acoustics meticulously designed to enhance classical and jazz music recordings. The back wall was lined with books and scores, creating an environment that felt both professional and deeply dedicated to the arts.

At the heart of the project was our composer, Stanley Grill, who has written more than 260 compositions. His music is inspired by poetry, drawing from a wide range of poets—including Rilke, Hart Crane, Lorca, Yeats, Celan, Frost, Williams, Dickinson, Teasdale, Ausländer, Levitt, Hikmet, Shevchenko, and many others—capturing numerous languages and traditions. Additionally, Grill has composed a small but distinctive collection of works rooted in Greek mythology, focusing on various deities and mythic figures such as Artemis (in "Artemis, Her Silver Bow"), Theia ("Ode to Theia"), Koios ("Koios Sings"), Gaia (in two works), and Orpheus (through Rilke’s "Sonnets to Orpheus"). Together, these themes reveal a composer deeply engaged with language, myth, and the expressive possibilities of art across cultures.

During my stay, I shared several meals with Stanley. Meeting him felt both humbling and deeply inspiring. His intelligence and artistic insight are so natural and unforced that being in his presence expands your understanding of what is possible—musically, intellectually, and in terms of what can be achieved with discipline and dedication. He speaks and thinks with a clarity that makes you aware of how much more there is to comprehend, yet he carries that depth with warmth and generosity rather than ego. Spending time with him was uplifting. I am grateful to have met someone whose perspective on the world inspires me to grow, learn, and create with greater intention.

I also met Stanley's wife, Renee. Our conversations flowed effortlessly, covering topics from parenting and gardening to adventures and politics, each revealing their openness, curiosity, and generous spirit. I was deeply moved by their open-heartedness, the sincerity with which they listened and shared, and the gentle wisdom woven into even the simplest moments. It was especially touching to witness the love they share for one another. Meeting their beloved cat, Atticus—who snuggles, responds when called, and accompanies Stanley on strolls outside—added a layer of sweetness that made the entire visit feel very special

My experience at Oktaven audiO recording studio underscored the profound connection between classical music and the love we infuse into every aspect of our work. From the meticulous care we take in our preparations to the respectful way we treat one another, every moment is steeped in compassion and dedication. In this environment, we become a family, united by our shared passion for art. It takes harmony and love to create something truly beautiful, and it's this spirit that resonates in every note we play and every composition we bring to life. Together, we not only create music but also foster a sense of belonging that enriches our artistic journey.

Texture and Interpretation two works by Stanley Grill’s (Aphorisms IV and Suite in D)

I’m thrilled to share a few glimpses of an upcoming recording project with works by Stanley Grill. https://www.stangrillcomposer.com The pieces—delicate, introspective, and deeply emotional—have been immensely rewarding to learn and interpret. Below you’ll find short excerpts offering a window into the textures, moods and emotional worlds, that make Grill’s music so captivating. Stay tuned for the full release and more behind-the-scenes notes.

About Stanley Grill:

Stanley Grill, a distinguished American contemporary classical composer, was born on January 19, 1953, in New York City. Growing up in the Bronx, his early exposure to music blossomed  after seeing a performance of Debussy’s La Mer at six years old. This pivotal moment propelled him to pursue formal studies at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Robert Helps, Leon Kushner, Ursula Mamlok, and Joseph Prostakoff.

Grill’s musical voice is shaped by his admiration for medieval and Renaissance music, resulting in compositions that are not only melodic but also rich in modal harmonies and intricate contrapuntal textures. His artistic vision encapsulates two central themes: the longing to convey the essence of the physical world and the desire to inspire a sense of global peace through his art. In his own words:

“As I see it, as much as we strive to find reason and purpose in our having been born into this amazing, mysterious and awe-inspiring universe, that attempt is largely futile. It is however, the best part of our nature that obliges us to make the attempt, though the most we can hope for is to gain some small degree of understanding of the world around us, and, more importantly, of ourselves. To achieve this, we each approach the problem in our own way, uniquely shaped by our cultural background, innate talents and abilities, education and so on. For some, science may be the window through which they best perceive and interpret the world, for others, religion. For those to whom the world seems to express itself most clearly and beautifully through sound, music is the voice that speaks to us and through which we, in turn, most effectively express ourselves. The best of my music has arrived, rather inexplicably, as part of a personal effort to understand the world and myself. It is, in a way, an act of translation. The world says something, I try to understand it, and then translate it into musical language. The particular musical language which I speak, is, of course, a product of my conservatory training and personal musical tastes, but hopefully, the outcome, imperfect a translation as it may be, will convey to others something of its original intent.”

STANLEY GRILL

I will be preparing Aphorisms IV and a Suite in D.

Aphorism IV

Grill states that his "Aphorisms" consists of a collection of chamber works created between 2019 and 2024, showcasing a diverse range of instrumentations.This thematic exploration emphasizes short, impactful musical statements rather than expansive forms, allowing Grill to delve into various timbral contexts.

A short summary from Wikipedia: 

An aphorism is a concise and memorable expression of a general truth or principle that often requires interpretation, distilling complex ideas into brief, thought-provoking statements. The term "aphorism" originated from Hippocrates’ Aphorisms, which referred to medical proposition. Overtime they evolved to signify short, insightful sayings in philosophy, literature, and daily life. Unlike axioms, which are self-evident truths derived from reason, aphorisms arise from experience, observation, and cultural traditions. Collections of aphorisms, often referred to as wisdom literature, hold significant importance in the literary traditions of various ancient cultures. Examples include the Sutra texts from India, the Biblical book of Ecclesiastes, the Hadith's of Islam, Pythagoras' Golden Verses, Hesiod’s Works and Days, the Maxims from Delphi, and Epictetus' Handbook. Notable aphorists include; Franz Kafka, Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer, François de La Rochefoucauld, Voltaire, and Oscar Wild.

The opening lines of Aphorisms IV has a very distinct quietude and glow. The ethereal texture in the piano is a mixture of harmonic colors (minor and augmented chords), with octaves, syncopations and large rolled chords (spanning over an octave and a half) creating a still background and dark atmosphere.  The cello line hovers and lilts around the chordal structures with distjunct motion but as a seemless melodic line. Gloaming the best word for this musical texture. It’s Scottish roots, derived from the Old English glōm meaning “twilight,” and related to glōwan, “to glow,” highlighting the faint, lingering light that glows just before night fully descends. This old word, instead of twilight (twi meaning half/double) captures what I hear in the line, as a glowing light represents hope, love, inspiration, and their enduring presence amid darkness and that is what is written here.  A favorite aphorisms that comes to mind: “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book 5.  

Grills music, with its subtle harmonic shades and suspended gloam, dyes time with introspection and colors the soul.

This interesting Allegro arises flickering out of the gloamy scene- catching me personally on the edge of where I am anticipating some silence. Here, the music echoes what I imagine Kafka’s messengers might sound like—with meaningless calls and urgent aimless energy.

 “They were given the choice of becoming kings or the king's messengers. As is the way with children, they all wanted to be messengers. That is why there are only messengers, racing through the world and, since there are no kings, calling out to each other the messages that have now become meaningless.”

― Franz Kafka

The counterpoint vividly captures this image for me. The piano iterates three different voices a distinct bass line, with hidden melodic line within the right hand interspersed with rhythmic interjections. The cello line echoing and doubling the hidden melodic voice each time. Once the madness runs awry and the Allegro closes, an Andante, with ascending and descending fourths calm the scene after so much turbulence. After the opening sections these melodic lines shape my internal landscape. They are transformative musical gestures that offer space for reflection while being emotionally anchoring. I find the melodic fourths in this section to be rarity.  I don’t recall ever seeing them placed in this emotional context. 

The best way to describe the affect of this passage on the work is to invision visiting a powerful scenic view. Personally, it reminds me of reaching the saddle below Bogachiel Peak along the High Divide trail in the Olympic Mountains. Whenever mountains become an important part of musical inspiration, I will read poetry or scripture. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace.” (Isaiah 52:7) These musical lines seem to embody the very message of that verse with quiet strength that carries beauty and peace across impossible distances.

The piece begins it epic conclusion in a series of shifting musical landscapes. Another iteration of the opening theme and then a new Andantino section, tremolo figures and cascading spiccato 16th notes begin tempering the musical atmosphere, bursting forth light and heavy blows. 

In the context of aphorisms, I connect this passage to  Nietzche’s Twilight of the Idols, his subtitle “How to Philosophize with a Hammer.”  Richard Polt’s translation of the author’s forward below:

Another way to recover, which under certain circumstances I like even

better, is sounding out idols . . . There are more idols than realities in the

world: that’s my “evil eye” on this world, and my “evil ear” too . . . To

pose questions here with a hammer for once, and maybe to hear in reply

that well-known hollow tone which tells of bloated innards—how delight-

ful for one who has ears even behind his ears—for me the old psycholo-

gist and pied piper, in whose presence precisely what would like to stay

quiet has to speak up . . .

This book too—the title gives it away—is above all a recovery, a sunny

spot, a sidestep into a psychologist’s idleness. Maybe a new war as well?

And are new idols sounded out? . . . This little book is a great declaration

of war, and as for sounding out idols, this time they are not just idols of

the age, but eternal idols that are touched here with the hammer as with a

tuning fork—there aren’t any older idols at all, none more assured, none

more inflated . . . And none more hollow . . . That doesn’t stop them from

being the ones that are believed in the most—and, especially in the most

prominent case, they aren’t called idols at all . . .

Turin, September 30, 1888,

Friedrich Nietzsche

The process of forging or tempering, involves breaking away from inherited, unexamined beliefs, often referred to as "idols." It requires cultivating inner strength and authenticity through the confrontation of hardship. The transformation of suffering and struggle into self-overcoming is crucial — it is the process by which the soul is “hammered” into form. In the context of the musical score, I hear the hammers here, symbolizeing philosophical craftsmanship: the forging of one’s own values and the shaping of one’s soul through the dismantling of false beliefs.

Two more musical sections follow the Andantino, a Moderato and another Andantino.  Through these sections you will hear new ideas, older lines and additional hammering. All sing across the musical landscape with great emotional strength and jubilation.

The works ends in sublime musical poetry. I needed to find a special word to capture what this section of musically evokes, and I found the word "saudade" to be pretty close. It is a beautiful and complex Portuguese term that doesn’t have a direct translation in English. Saudade describes a deep emotional state of longing, nostalgia, or melancholy for something or someone that is absent. However, it’s more than just sadness; it’s also a tender and poetic feeling, often intertwined with gratitude. The score is inspired by this unique kind of ongoing love that emerges during a state of absence.

In every moment of this final section, melodies evoke the emotions of gratitude, with a sense cherishing someone from a distance. Every breath and musical nuance comes from a place of love and solemn strength. With this poetic ending, one will know the type of love that triumphs over great loss.

Suite in D

Prelude

The prelude begins as a flowing kaleidoscope of shifting colors, lights, and shadows, featuring a web of revolving intervals—fourths, fifths, and thirds. A long, stretching melodic line drifts through this intricate geometry, suspended in slow motion, while quick, lacing sixteenth-note figures flicker across the surface, weaving a texture that is both airy and intricate. Modal inflections lend an ancient gravity to the piece, creating a hypnotic neo-Renaissance soundscape, where floating lines and pizzicato gestures blend Renaissance purity with modern fluidity. Rather than adhering to traditional harmonic motion, the music unfolds through symmetrical transformations—intervallic “spins” that generate a fluid, self-renewing surface, immersing listeners in a captivating interplay of light and shadow.

Écossaise — Brief History

The écossaise, meaning “Scottish” in French, began in the eighteenth century, inspired by Scottish country dances popular in Europe. Though it has a Scottish name, it is mainly French, incorporating lively elements from Scottish reels. The dance is typically in a quick duple meter (2/4 time) and features short, energetic phrases and stamping steps. Dancers usually perform in two lines of couples, highlighting alternating movements. By the early nineteenth century, the écossaise had become a popular ballroom dance in cities like Vienna, Paris, and London. Composers such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, and later Frédéric Chopin wrote short, lively pieces for piano that captured the dance’s rhythm. Although the dance itself declined by the mid-nineteenth century, its musical style continued as a miniature genre, preserving the essence of folk dance within Classical and Romantic music.

The Eccosaise opens with the cello plucked pizzicato, short, crisp notes that immediately set a lively, rhythmic pulse. With light sixteenth-note figures in the piano that echo the cello, creating a sense of forward momentum and sparkling texture. An image that comes to mind, pairs of dancers perform intricate footwork, before advancing gracefully across the room. The music mirrors this motion: ascending fifths in the piano gallant forward, propelling the figures forward with playful energy. In the middle, the cello bursts into driven sixteenth-note patterns, heightening the excitement and adding intensity to the merry-making scene. Every pluck, step, and rhythmic flourish contributes to a lively interplay of motion and sound, capturing the joyful elegance of the dance.

Passamezzo

The dance known as the Passamezzo (or passemezzo) emerged in Italy during the sixteenth century and remained popular into the early seventeenth. It was a lively duple‑meter dance, somewhat faster than the stately Pavane, and its name likely derives from the Italian passo e mezzo (“step and a half”). In musical practice, the Passamezzo is closely tied to two well‑known chord‑progressions: the minor‑mode “passamezzo antico” and the major‑mode “passamezzo moderno”. These progressions served as the harmonic basis for variation sets and instrumental dances, circulating widely throughout Europe from mid‑16th‑century Italy, printed in French and English collections, and remaining influential for centuries.

In the opening of Grill’s Passamezzo, the Lacrimosa character marking provides an expressive contrast within the lively dance suite. The background features passamezzo antico or moderno harmonic chords, while the cello delivers a reflective and lyrical expression, emphasizing melodic richness through broad, sustained lines. This shift invites the listener to step outside under the moonlight, soaking in a pastoral landscape, where moments of tenderness and solemnity emerge, adding a musical repose that showcases the composer’s inventive craftsmanship. The movemet transforms with graceful, flowing lines, elegance  brimming with warmth, beauty, and quiet, tender delight. The movement drifts to a close with lines that recall the moonlit landscape of the opening, murmuring questions of wonder and the quiet marvel of beauty. And still, beneath the gentle questioning, there is a soft, unwavering certainty: all that grace, all that luminous warmth, remains, held tenderly within the heart.

Canario

The energetic dance known as the Canario (also called Canary, Canarie, or Canarios) emerged in 16th‑ and early 17th‑century Europe, rooted in an indigenous dance from the Canary Islands. It's characterized by fast tempo, leaps, stamping feet, and syncopated rhythms, the Canario found its way into court suites and Baroque keyboard music.

In Grill’s Canario, the piano’s continuous sixteenth notes can be heard in several interwoven ways: they evoke endless natural motion, like waves rolling across the islands, while also suggesting the steady pulse of communal or ritual dance, reflecting the vitality of the dancers. At the same time, their hypnotic flow creates an exotic, trance-like atmosphere. Beyond the musical textures, the undulating sixteenth notes in the piano.  I also hear as subtly troubled quality, hinting at the Canario’s complex history. Brought to Europe through the Canary Islands in the context of conquest and forced labor, these dances were connected to displacement and the presence of enslaved peoples. While the music itself celebrates exuberance, spectacle, and rhythmic vitality, this component invites listeners to reflect on the deeper, painful historical realities embedded in the dance’s origins.  Above this, the cello’s short-long syncopations and flying staccato gestures add driven rhythmic interest, providing contrast to the piano’s steady motion and highlighting the spirited energy of the dance. Taken together, the interplay of piano and cello produces an effect that is at once vibrant, mesmerizing, and thought-provoking—inviting the listener to experience both the joyous exuberance of the Canario and the shadowed traces of its historical journey, blending spectacle with reflection and movement with memory.

Paduana

The “Paduana” (also spelled “Paduana” or “Padovana”) is the Italian term for the stately Pavane, a slow processional court dance that became popular in 16th‑ and early 17th‑century Europe. The name derives from the Italian adjective padovana, meaning “of Padua” (Italian: Padova). Originating in northern Italy, the dance was characterised by its dignified, gliding forward and backward steps in duple metre, often used to open formal balls or display elegant courtly attire. While its roots lay in the Italian courts, the Paduana spread through France, England, and Spain, becoming a fixture of aristocratic ceremonial movement and instrumental composition.

Grill’s Paduana, the composer marks the movement affectuoso, signaling a tender, expressive approach to this slow, majestic dance. While the Paduana’s traditional character emphasizes dignity, elegance, and measured procession, the affectuoso marking invites performers to infuse the lines with introspection and intimacy. The subtle emotional depth punctuated with pizzacato and sung lines transforms the courtly form into personal conversation in the opening of the movement. As the movement progresses melodic flowing lines weave through a graceful interplay that balances reflective elegance with heartfelt sweetness. 

Volta

The Volta (or “la volta”) is a Renaissance couple’s dance—its name derived from the Italian verb voltare, meaning “to turn” or “turning”—that gained popularity in the later 16th and early 17th centuries. Closely associated with the Galliard both musically and choreographically, the main figure of the Volta involves a turn and lift executed in a kind of closed position: the man supports the woman beneath the busk of her corset and with his thigh, while she springs into the air as they pivot. At its height, it was both celebrated and controversial, regarded by some moralists of the time as risqué because of the intimate hold and leaps of the partners.

Grill’s Volta is brimming with fantasy, unfolding in long, sweeping lines and playful twirls that capture the dance’s lively spirit. The counterpoint adds a sophisticated, noble quality, giving the music a sense of elegance even amid its exuberance. At times, Grill ventures into episodic tangents, weaving offshoots and musical spurs that feel spontaneous, fun and imaginative. These unexpected flourishes are filled with playful fantasy, suggesting both the thrill of the dance and the composer’s inventive artistry, transforming the Volta into a vivid musical celebration of movement and noble expression. 

Postlude

The term postlude refers to a concluding section or standalone piece played at the end of a larger musical work or ceremony. In Western music history, especially within liturgical and organ‑music traditions, the postlude functions as a musical “exit” or reflective closing gesture, letting the listener dwell in the sound as they depart or resolve the experience.

In the context of Grill’s suite, choosing a postlude to end the work allows the listener to step back from the multiple characters within the dance, each emotionally rich with a mixture of dance gestures, dialogue and imagery, and sink into a moment of inward reflection. With this moment of expressive depth— Grill transforms the suite from a collection of dances into a cohesive narrative arc, ending on with a memory or silent reflection. This collection is inspired by various Renaissance dances, and its sequence and selection of movements create an unusual and imaginative dance suite collection like no other.

Here are some of my related works.

https://www.stangrillcomposer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/02-1918-Thought-at-first-that-grief-had-brought-him-down.mp3

https://www.stangrillcomposer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Die-Erste-Elegie-Track-02.mp3 

https://www.stangrillcomposer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Die-Erste-Elegie-Track-04.mp3 

https://www.stangrillcomposer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Everything-Passes-Remix.mp3

 On Rilke:

https://www.projekt-gutenberg.org/rilke/elegien/elegien.html

Notable Rilke Translators: Stephen Mitchell, C.F. MacIntyre, and Vita and Edward Sackville-West.