Stephen Emmer is a deliberate genre-defying composer/ artist from Amsterdam…
…who believes that limiting yourself to one musical genre is an undesirable restraint on artistic self-development and should not be the main representation or objective in search of a personal musical identity.
He has preciously released 4 startling diverse artist albums, which were all being met with international acclaim, accolades and awards next to his involvement earlier in international bands such as The Associates, Minny Pops, The Lotus Eaters and Act. The albums were in consecutive order Vogue Estate, Recitement, International Blue and Home Ground.
The again eclectic line up shows his own and unique way of thinking about music. New wave, cinematic jazz, chamber pop, orchestral soul, experimental electronic noise and now alt- or indie classical with his new and latest album called Maison Melody, mixed by Francesco Donadello.
Tony Visconti said: “Stephen Emmer is one of those musicians /composers who knows the musical rules best and therefore also how to break them.”
“It’s with pride and joy that I herewith like to offer to you my new album called Maison Melody. It’s an instrumental music-project performed on piano and strings and indie-released on a non-profit basis.
Why is the album named Maison Melody?
For centuries now a music-composer prefers to work in solitude on his creations and often the only ‘companion’ in this process is the direct environment, his/her house. The composer develops a special relationship with the house through his creations and this way finds his desire for quietude, the peace of mind so essential to the mental work of composition. Historically music-composers always have distanced themselves from busy communal places in order to be able to better hear their own inner voice that can lead to a more thorough artistic self-expression.
In this hyper-focus mode the relationship of yourself with your direct environment, your house, becomes your partner in crime. This way you create at home by travelling in your own mind and tapping in to your own imagination without external distractions. And this is exactly how I, about a year ago, composed my most personal and introspective melodies so far in the confinements of my own house and therefore this album project is called Maison Melody.
Tell something more about the album…
After finishing composing and arranging in my own house, later in 2019 I re-recorded the piano and string-quartet outside of the house with some other musicians next to myself such as Marcel Worms, Dimitri Leivici and the West Side Trio in a professional studio and the album got mixed by Francesco Donadello who previously has worked a.o. with Hildur Guonadottir, Johann Johannson & Einaudi. Mastering took place in Berlin early 2020. It contains 10 compositions and they are lyrical and meditative piano – miniatures characterized by impressionist elegance with simple and direct melody with me trying to compose calm and soothing music for people who have an unspoken voice deep inside of them.
Why the hashtags #createathome and #MMXX ?
Hopefully you will enjoy listening to Maison Melody and it would be great if it inspires you toalso keep on/ to start with creating things whilst at home; to make music, start to paint, write letters & books or anything creative as all art has a positive and calming effect on both the people who create it as on people who experience it. So therefore: #createathome. Maison Melody is released in 2020 and therefore we’ve condensed the alliteration of the album title with the year of release: #MMXX.
[Stephen Emmer]
Release date : 20 May 2020
Tracklisting
MM I
MM II
MM III
MM IV
MM V
MM VI
MM VII
MM VIII
MM IX
MM X
Credits
Composer, producer, arranger – Stephen Emmer
Musicians
Stephen Emmer – piano & keyboards
Marcel Worms – piano
Dimitrie Leivici – first violin
Vera van der Bie – violin
Isabella Petersen – viola
Annie Tangberg – cello
Orchestration
Willem Friede
Recording Engineers
Lau Kagenaar
Fieke van den Hurk
Joris Wolff
Mixing Engineer
Francesco Donadello
Mastering Engineer
Bo Kondren
Project Management
Connie Kemp
Artwork Design, Video Editing & Digital Coordination
Maarten Bousie
Recorded, mixed and mastered by…
Recorded at Wisseloord Studios (Hilversum) and @ Home (Amsterdam)
Mixed at Electric Monkey Studios (Amsterdam)
Mastered at Calyx Mastering (Berlin)
Inspired by the music of silence by Federico Mompou
Dedicated to Fred, Roekie, Julia, Inez & Daphne
Photo and original artwork picture by Stephen Emmer #createathome
(p) 2020 Stephen Emmer B.V. & (c) 2020 Electric Fairytale Recordings
All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited.
For further information, licensing inquiries and other requests, please contact
Liner notes
In these historical and difficult times in the year 2020 this is music meant to sooth the pain of social distancing for the isolated listener & made by a composer in self quarantaine. Historically music composers always have already distanced themselves from busy communal places in order to be able to better hear their own inner voice that can lead to a more thorough artistic self expression.
In this hyper focus mode the relationship of yourself with your direct environment, your house becomes your partner in crime. And this is how I made my most personal melodies so far in the confinements of my own house and therefore this album project is called Maison Melody. And whilst there is uncertainty at home, queues in the shops, Maison Melody hopes to inspire you to also keep on creating things whilst at home, write music, start to paint, write letters & books as all art has a calming effect on both people who create it as people who experience it.
If you feel that you know other people who might benefit from calming well meant melodies feel free to share my music without any obligation and don’t forget to create yourself either. Here is to a better world soon.
