Nice dark piano, elegant strings, and tasteful reverb. This falls right into the department of ambient chamber music. A Day of Poetry is an expression and fruit of poetic moments lived and dreamed. Currently available in a four panel Digi Pak case (limited quantity).

It's a return to solo piano and a new found interest in compositions for four

Nice dark piano, elegant strings, and tasteful reverb. This falls right into the department of ambient chamber music. A Day of Poetry is an expression and fruit of poetic moments lived and dreamed. Currently available in a four panel Digi Pak case (limited quantity).

It's a return to solo piano and a new found interest in compositions for four hands, chamber string accompaniment, and tasteful reverb. A Day of Poetry is an expression and fruit of poetic moments lived and dreamed. Like the artwork on the front cover, this album has a somewhat ethereal nature to it. It has a fluent and gentle pace that every melody and phrase played embraces with ease and enchantment. With the nice dark piano and elegant strings, this album falls right into the the category of ambient chamber music.

A Day of Poetry ranked #7 in the Echoes Top 25 for September 2012. The physical cd is currently available with a four panel digi-pak case...a definate collector's item.

"Born in California and based in North Carolina, Nathan Speir reinvents new age and contemporary piano music with solemn pieces of splendor and contemplative tunes of magical joy. The instrumental work, A Day Of Poetry, is a nine-track release than incorporates solo piano with some sampled string accompaniment. In this case, Nathan’s piano textures are fluid, inspirational, and relaxing in a very poetic way.

“Morning Duo” opens the set with very delicately-played piano notes that sparkle with morning sunlight and echoing beauty of sonic resilience. However, the song is rather short and void of vocals or additional instrumentation. Nevertheless, Nathan opens the album with a very poignant song that is rich with inner and outer brilliance.

“A Little Sanctuary” begins with piano notes and the low drone of an electronic string instrument. The higher violin tones permeate the primary instruments with heavenly beauty. The higher tones appropriately offset the sparkling piano tones and low cello-like accompaniment perfectly. The music is instrumental and meditative, but there are more instrumental effects on this track than on others throughout the album. The pizzicato effects even appear near the end of the song, before the high shrill of the violin sounds signal the end of the song.

“Mysterious Perspectives” begins with a pensive piano melody and low, reverberating electronic string accompaniment. The cello-like sounds make the song eerie and dark; especially with the lower piano register. However, the piano notes reach a higher climax and the string sounds brighten in unison. Both instruments seem to wander about almost aimlessly, but that is not necessarily a negative attribute. In fact, the manner in which the song is composed creates an experimental approach that is different with each repeated listen. Specifically, something new is discovered with each listen.

“Floating” begins with a few quick piano notes that ambulate slowly throughout the entire song. This is one of the slowest compositions on the album, but that does not make it entirely boring or negative. In fact, the song is an instrumental ode of poetic beauty with plenty of room to think, dream, and reflect. The spacious song is something Hearts of Space would welcome or fans of new age piano. Do not let the spacey description deter a listen, since the main title of the song suggests a light, airy, and simplistic musical masterpiece, which Nathan delivers admirably.

“Legend Of The Pelican” opens with wispy piano notes and an electronic string sample that resembles low cello tones, but the piano becomes more pronounced. The pizzicato sounds interrupt the piano and cello-like sounds, but they provide a more Enya-esque quality that is serene and beautiful. The different musical tones provide a more textured song that glitters with classical, new age, electronic, and easy listening moments suitable for any occasion. Near the end of the song, the electronic strings resemble the higher notes characteristic of a fiddle or violin, which seem to move in and out of varying timbres. The result is a very emotive piece; especially near the end of the song.

Nathan Speir’s impressive new release, A Day Of Poetry, is an instrumental wonder on contemporary piano and a few other electronic strings. The music is void of vocals and percussion, which is not a negative. The music moves in different directions weaving a tapestry of aural sounds into enticing packages of musical candy for listeners of new age, instrumental, classical, experimental, and ambient music. There are no worries here, as the music is intelligently-composed and deliciously-delivered with heartfelt intentions. "

Artist: Nathan Speir Album: A Day Of Poetry
Review by Matthew Forss Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)