A return to the playlist's roots this week with a stunning solo piece from Canadian pianist Ian Wong. While sad songs - and by songs I mean tracks with lyrics - can tell a specific story - sometimes you just need an instrumental track to create your own narrative. Right now it's raining outside, the sky is kinda grey and you know it's cold - there's a general melancholic feel to the world and this track accompanies it perfectly.
Here's what Ian had to say about the track:
"She's Like the Swallow" is a traditional Canadian Folk Song about the loss of a loved one. In the song, the final line of the first verse is "I love my love, and love is no more". Last year, I wrote a piano arrangement of this folk song that focused on its tragic nature. What emerged was a piece that immerses the listener in a dreamlike world full of sorrow.
...The music tells a story that conjures feelings of grief and heartbreak. I deliberately wrote the melody in a disjointed way to emphasize the confusion that often accompanies grief. I also, chose emphasized harmonic progressions that were particularly dramatic.
Sad music is indeed a useful tool to help one heal, and my hope is that this instrumental piece has been doing this to those who have listened to it, or played the score (published in the Canadian National Conservatory of Music).
Follow us here
You can learn more about Ian Wong here:
About the Curator - Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the dark forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top. They would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
After my dad died I was very sad - I couldn't play for a while and when I did, the music that came out reflected my grieving state. I wrote an album of solo piano music called Music to Grieve to - from which the idea of the Music to community originated.
If you'd like to know more you should read Nicole's fabulous article on why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
Latest Posts
Don’t Give Up – Peter Gabriel
24 September 2022
What’s the point?
You ever find yourself asking that?
The point of this playlist is to bring succor to people who are grieving. That’s it. We listen to and feature songs that we hope people can resonate with and perhaps elicit a cathartic release – at the very least – to help them feel less alone…
Strange Beauty – First Aid Kit
18 September 2022
It’s still September. We’re still talking about Suicide. We’re doing this because the experts tell us that the more we talk about it – the more we bring it into the open – the less likely it is that people will go through with it.
And yet – people still do…
Open Letter – Mr. Phelps
11 September 2022
So it’s September – and for the Grieve To list – that means our thoughts turn to suicide.
Yep – if you didn’t know – September is Suicide Awareness Month – it’s also National Suicide Prevention Month and in fact right now – between the 8th and the 14th – it’s actually National Suicide Prevention Week. If you are in any doubt as to the impact suicide has on society – spend a minute here: Suicide Statistics – the rate inches up every year – and as a middle aged white male – well – I’m slap bang in the highest risk group…
Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to be creative and brilliant without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As a creator / contributor at musicto I’m part of a global creator community that collaborates through music. You can learn more about our community here.