Prelude to a Dream
By
Shoshana Michel
Written by
Steve Sheppard
Shoshana Michel is back with her third album entitled Prelude to a Dream, this could very well be the best work from her to date, so why not hop aboard our musical boat and let’s travel down this river of fluent compositions together.
The key word used above is fluency, and on this album you will find that in abundance, you only have to listen to the opening piece to recognise that quality. Wonders is a beautifully played piece that is warm and all-encompassing, its eloquent tones bring a certain charm to the overall arrangement.
It’s easy to see why some compare her style to that of the great David Lanz and on this title track, Prelude to a Dream, that’s not too hard to see. There is a slight classical motif; and the confident and articulate performance is so compelling. Michel has created a master piece, just when she needed to, one that reveals the true colour of the whole project, to us the ever eager listener.
Shoshana Michel has worked hard over the last few years and that effort can be heard in abundance on the next piece called A Walk in the Rain, one of my favourites off the album. There is a certain mood of reflection here that creates a narrative that is so very moving, this piece also has a light cinematic feel to it and that theme can also be heard right through the release.
Butterfly Kisses is a track that does what it says on the can, listen to the style and feel those kisses on your neck and your arms, engulf yourself with the sheer love that this pretty composition explores.
The variance of style and theme is so profoundly exciting, and on Tender Words, that is emphasized further. The subtleness of the arrangement is sublime; the heart felt mood it creates is sincere. The artist has truthfully created something deeply real and honest here, it’s a song to gaze into the eyes of your loved one with, and it is a direct musical communication from soul to soul.
We have now reached the half way marker in our journey and this musical trip continues with an up-tempo offering called Kaleidoscope. The performance here is literally sparkling, and with each note played the sense of a profound movement can be felt and heard with ease.
On Applewood we have a composition that has such a gentle caress about its nature, yet this is also a wonderfully organic piece as well. There is a real sense of light and warmth in this beautiful offering that is so very attractive and idyllic. This is one arrangement that could easily be described as a feel good piece.
Meditation would be another of my personal favourites; Shoshana Michel has manifested a really mysterious feel to a composition that seems to explore realms as of yet unknown. In my view this is one of the cleverest compositions I have heard for a while; its mood is careful and almost ponderous at times, but it also has a superb cinematic quality about its creation, which I so deeply adore.
We are now in the far reaches of this musical realm, and at this point as we come across a calming narrative of tone called, A Most Precious Gift. Michel manifests a stunning melody here that is quite emotive at times, but extremely pleasing to listen to, and as the title suggests, it is a most precious gift.
We are now approaching our musical docking bay, but before we cease our sojourn with the artist, let’s listen to the penultimate offering from the release, it’s called Silent Farwell. Michel’s performance here is so engaging, the flow and structure is extremely cinematic, this is a one of those highlight pieces that really emphases the artists growth as a pianist over the last few years.
So our last port of call is now reached, the final composition of natural outstanding beauty is about to be revealed, it is called Ethereal. This album is already making its mark on our shows here at One World Music Radio, and tracks like Ethereal is the reason why. The smooth and gentle beginning is pure class and the crafted build and progression even more so, here is a piece of music that has a classic melody that should resonate for years to come and completes with ease the best work this artist has of yet produced.
Prelude to a Dream has raised the musical bar once more for the musician; this I believe is the album that will place Shoshana Michel’s name firmly on the map as one of the finest female pianists of her day. The album is a collection of truly great compositions, lovingly put together by a lady who has truly resonated with her listener’s demands, and her very own musical soul. If you’re a fan of solo piano, this has to be a must buy release.