Lilies past their prime sit on a dark background: the picture paints a thousand stories. Melancholia, a word which in the modern vernacular portrays sadness, depression and a sense of fear, but during the Renaissance years stood for a sign of creative genius which was glorified in the mediums of art and fashion. Melancholia: a state of emotion we have all experienced
Melancholia from Doug Hammer portrays all of these meanings in this well executed collection of pieces which has the stamp of delicate creativity woven thoughout the emotions of each composition.
How the listener interprets the emotional fragility of each piece will be a very personal journey as the evocative nature of the titles also helps set the scene for the flow of the music. Do they reflect the loss of a loved one, the changes in emotion felt during the time of letting go, of acceptance of change?
Memories found and reborn by Monsieur Barre’s Carousel and Empty Chair are poignant as is the hauntingly beautiful Dancing Alone.
Melancholia appears as a deeply personal album for Doug Hammer, perhaps reflective of the tragic nature of the world we find ourselves living within, or the deep sense of loss when a loved one passes, a relationship comes to an end or possibly, in many ways, life moving ever onward showing little regard to the human perspective.
Music, especially solo piano is the perfect medium for capturing the purity of emotion as it allows little if any distraction from the story being told. Hammer has used the technique of felted piano to further enhance the pensive nature of the compositions, which draws to a close with the bewitching Almost Midnight before moving into the deeply felt Farewell.
Reflective, sad, and hauntingly beautiful, Melancholia is a step away from Hammer’s usual style. In its perfect simplicity the notes of the piano capture so many of the emotions often left hidden, tucked away in a dark recess, but better, far more healing, to be offered into the light.
