Emerald Path

TobinMueller

Genre: Piano

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Description

I have always loved New Age Celtic music. I tried to combine Chopin and a little boogie-woogie (see sections 2 and 3, respectively) with this tradition. I tried to balance different styles. I thought it was a nice pre-spring (winter) kind of song to share. It's kind of a spring moment bounding up amid mid-winter bleakness, like a crocus.

I was trying to play with register changes, to show the various sounds all up and down the keyboard, dancing between octaves. Also, I wrote this after seeing Riverdance. Maybe you can tell.

Artwork is by an ArtsForge friend of mine from Madison WI, David Camp, "Forest of Mirrors."

The Morning Whispers CD can be purchased from Simig Media, all proceeds from online sales go to Macjams.

Other songs from from this album (most are pre-mastered drafts) include:
Just Above Ground
Under A Western Sky
Morning Whispers
Eruption of Previous Life (tribute to Oscar Peterson)
I Sail On (I recorded a new improved version of this for 13 Masks)

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Song Stats

Hits: 2584
Comments: 33
Fans: 17
Plays: 153
Downloads: 129
Votes: 9
Uploaded: Jan 04, 2008 - 08:49:29 AM
Last Updated: Feb 26, 2008 - 01:10:06 PM Last Played: Apr 28, 2013 - 12:09:14 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Song Actions

Keywords:

jazz (819), new age (157), celtic (127), classical (742), neoclassical (13), acoustic (789), piano (929), solo piano (27), instrumental (794), Morning Whispers (7), keyboard (80), keyboards (40), Ivory (10)

Comments

	said 1964 days ago (January 4th, 2008)
	Nice Listen The beginning is very compelling with all those staccato runs, and I like the middle a lot (Chopin AND Boogie-Woogie? Who would have ever thought it?) And toward the end, where the music is very tonally rich, the whole thing is just swell. But.... this piano sound has a plastic-y quality that grates after a while (to my ears, anyway). Is this a software instrument?

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1964 days ago (January 4th, 2008)

Ivory
Yes, its the Ivory plugin, Yamaha Grand setting. (I noticed the software info is not registering on the page for some reason.) I know what you mean about the sound, like I'm pounding too much in places. Funny how the ear can desensitize to that sort of things after hundred playings... I mix my own emotions with what is coming out of the speakers, what is playing in my headphones, and hear something mixed with imagination. The bass is rich, the grand doesn't have the roundness of the Steinway patch, but has wonderful crystalline high end, which is why I used that setting for this song.

Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

Feter	Feter said 1963 days ago (January 4th, 2008)
	Emerald Path just Incedible facets of too many emotions and feelings ...its like a diamond with too much rainbow reflection .such awesome piece thnx for sharin !! Check out my latest song called Roll with it

davisamerica	davisamerica said 1963 days ago (January 4th, 2008)
	wow tobin very cool and all there brother Check out my latest song called 12

telefan	telefan said 1962 days ago (January 5th, 2008)
	This is great - thanks so much for sharing your tremendous talent. Great composition and performance. Check out my latest song called Shine Your Light

peacepiano	peacepiano said 1962 days ago (January 5th, 2008)
	Piano Fine composition and piano playing. Always a pleasure to hear your playing. Thanks Bill Check out my latest song called Sex tet

guitapick	guitapick said 1962 days ago (January 6th, 2008)
	I think they call this... ..."remarkable"... Just a fantastic composition and performance, Tobin. Check out my latest song called 'Cuz I Can

pablatone	pablatone said 1961 days ago (January 6th, 2008)
	This is so cool Tobin, if I could play like that I would never get anything else done cause all I would ever do is play. Check out my latest song called King Kong

notraditionmuskwerks	notraditionmuskwerks said 1961 days ago (January 6th, 2008)
	So Irish... Well paint me green & buy me a Guiness!!! Check out my latest song called Airybody onna Flat 9, y'all!!!

jiguma	jiguma said 1961 days ago (January 6th, 2008)
	Lovely stuff Tobin! Sounds a little loud in the mid/upper ranges on my phones, but that may be their problem rather than the eq. Fantastic playing too - saw Jon Cleary (plays piano with Bonnie Raitt) on TV the other night and realised how much I'd love to play keyboards in my next life. Thanks for posting this Tobin. Neil Check out my latest song called News Is Gonna Break

DWL	DWL said 1959 days ago (January 9th, 2008)
	Wonderful playing and you do all that with just 2 hands? Nice to hear the full range of the piano used. I bet this is also a great piece visually with as much physical movement as there is musical. Cheers Dick Check out my latest song called Not For The Likes of You

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1957 days ago (January 11th, 2008)

Liberace
Yes, one of my showmanship pieces. Liberace was one of my early heroes, when I was 6 or 7 years old. (He was from Wisconsin, as was I.) I could never believe such precise excellent playing came from a guy who smiled that much... Then I saw Chico Marx, as an early teen, and he became my fav. Then I saw Victor Borge and he eclipsed them all. I wish I had a better sense of humor.... Once I got into jazz and all the smiling was internalized.

Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

caroline	caroline said 1958 days ago (January 9th, 2008)
	i felt as if i was walking - and later dancing - barefoot on the emerald grass through that glade and amongst the trees - thank you x Check out my latest song called i'm a reunion maid MJRF 2010

timothy devine

timothy devine said 1953 days ago (January 15th, 2008)

Really nice
I totally envision a snow fall. One of those real nice ones where the soft snow accumulates, and then the thunder, and huge blasts of wind swirl to lift the storm to the next level. Returning back to the quite calm that comes with the fresh fallen blanket of endless white
peace comes
Thanks for this beautiful beautiful piano
nice playing

Check out my latest song called Inside of You

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1925 days ago (February 12th, 2008)
	Snowfall What a cool image. With the green hiding beneath. Thanks for that... Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

	said 1950 days ago (January 17th, 2008)
	So impressive Brings reality to the doorstep, I wish I could even attemp to play something so grand on piano! Great achievement Excellent!

stacey	stacey said 1945 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)
	Wow again. This is gorgeous. You are amazing as always. Check out my latest song called tick tock

lavalamp	lavalamp said 1945 days ago (January 23rd, 2008)
	Brilliant Complete. Kind of a Bruce Hornsby sound mix with classical. Great sound here. Bravo, Dave Check out my latest song called A Funky Little Thing

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1925 days ago (February 12th, 2008)
	Bruce Hornsby I am a big Hornsby fan. Thanks for mentioning him. Isn't it great how everything we listen to, we appreciate, can come through in what we do? The synthesis of creation. We stand on so many shoulders... Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

thetiler

thetiler said 1924 days ago (February 13th, 2008)

Enjoyed
I have been hearing a lot of different piano styles. But it seems like you have a style all your own. I get the feel of big city sounds in most of your tunes. I guess it's the broadway work you do professionally. But it seems to come out in a lot of your wonderful music. I enjoy typing away as I listen to your music. But as the tunes continues I think it further substantiates what I say. Broadway, big city, busy, a lot of that comes out in your music somehow.

Check out my latest song called When Your Strange

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1923 days ago (February 14th, 2008)

Broadway sound
Sometimes I wish I could do something without a hint of Broadway coming thru. Then again, when I think of Broadway's roots, which include early jazz, popular songwriting from the 30-50s (a great era), music that brings characters to life, that tries to create a context for storytelling, I guess I can't really shake most of those roots either. I often get criticized by theatre critics for not writing music that sounds enough like Broadway (becuz I bring in so many other elements and always try to make it sound my own), I guess I can't win. At this point in my life, I just like writing/performing whatever it is I hear and try not to put too much of a spin on whatever that happens to be. Thanks for continuing to listen. I keep trying to grow as a composer.

Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

rsorensen	rsorensen said 1918 days ago (February 19th, 2008)
	wow ive discovered some great new (to me) music! this one in particular is quite moving. some unorthodox but extremely creative and cool improv going on here. thanks! Check out my latest song called Again

bonnieprincejohnny

bonnieprincejohnny said 1917 days ago (February 20th, 2008)

Fabulosity.
Great playing and fine artwork. I was looking forward to the 'boogie-woogie' section and kinda deflated when it arrived - I like the auld boogie a la Pinetops or Albert Ammonds and I get the feeling that Chopin would've preferred a more traditional stride bass 12 bar take on this section. However a quality listen and aw the best to you Mr M.

Check out my latest song called twenty seven

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1902 days ago (March 6th, 2008)
	Chopin's perspective Your line "Chopin would've preferred a more traditional stride bass 12 bar take" made me smile. You are right, of course. But just the thought is such a fun place to go. Thanks. Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

sschedra	sschedra said 1915 days ago (February 22nd, 2008)
	Tobin Captivating keyboard playing. Someone earlier complained about the Yamaha sound. That is typical of the Yamaha I think even in the real thing. But the crispness does show well when clarity counts. Your playing is just masterful and it works wonders. Stephen Check out my latest song called E Lucevan Le Stelle

dirigent	dirigent said 1911 days ago (February 26th, 2008)
	Wow Wow- this blows me away. Keith Jarrett and Frederic Chopin en concert ... Magic playing, amazing track. Kudos to you!! Check out my latest song called Piglets in Wonderland

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1908 days ago (February 29th, 2008)
	Keith Jarrett meets Frederic Chopin Very cool explanation. I love them both. Both are huge influences, not only technically, but as embedded emotional gurus who always live inside me. Thanks for the comment. Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

	said 1903 days ago (March 5th, 2008)
	Great I really like piano music... This sounds great... Beautiful played... A great piece of music.... Fantastic... I like your music... Thanks for sharing it....

	said 1902 days ago (March 6th, 2008)
	Very Nice! Very nice piano composition, I loved the sound of this piano. Enjoyed! Thanks for sharing ... Take Care - Yeman A. Al-Rawi

magnatone

magnatone said 1893 days ago (March 14th, 2008)

WOW
You are FABULOUS! I'm just hearing you for the first time - don't know how I've missed you up till now. As a pianist, I'm really really impressed with your dynamics, control with simultaneous expansiveness, and wonderful compositional style. Oh dear - now I'm going to have to stop everything and see what else you've got! Thanks

Check out my latest song called Blind Love (Seeing Heart) - Orchestral Version

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1870 days ago (April 7th, 2008)
	Rowayton Than you. And now I find out your lived in Rowayton 40 years ago. How cool is that. I look forward to exchanging stories. Can't believe that you and Suzanne had the same piano teacher in the 1960s! Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

guygrooves	guygrooves said 1872 days ago (April 5th, 2008)
	I have to be careful... With your music as I may not get my jaw off the floor. Everything in moderation I guess. Amazing piece Tobin. Check out my latest song called Summer Bossa with sloparts and Loob

paul f. page

paul f. page said 1816 days ago (May 31st, 2008)

Riverdance...
...indeed! I don't know exactly why, Tobin, but I think I like this piano number just about the best of all the things I've heard you write. Maybe it's because there is a certainly clarity with the counterpoint even when you go two against threes (or whatever that is). I just enjoyed this very very much. It is so accessible. My only critical [in an academic sense] comment is that I think there are two distinct numbers here. I personally find that disconcerting, though you very adroitly bring back the original feeing in such a smooth manner. You are a real in your conceptualization of this. And your performance is par excellance. Nice.
Peace.
Paul

Check out my latest song called I Speak Of Love

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Artist Info

Name: Tobin Mueller
Location: Rowayton CT USA

I am a professional musician, composer, playwright and director. I've led a charmed life. I'm married to fellow MJer Suzanne. MJer Twonicus is my son, he currently fronts 3 bands in the NYC area, including "Hoodless." My second son just received his... [see more]

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