SINGLE REVIEW
by
Kerry Barnes
FOR
ANNIE LOCKE
“She Dances In The Moonlight”
Piano Solo
I’ve been listening to Annie Locke’s piano works
for a few years now, and always recognize her
musical hallmarks within just the first bar alone.
The quality, the flawless tone, the elegance, the
tenderness borne out of years of perfecting her
craft, and done so at the Royal Academy of Music
in London. I suspect that her ‘teaching’ years that
followed have also played a large part.
All those ingredients are present in her latest
single “She Dances In The Moonlight”. I can’t
express how beautiful it is, but will do my best!!
There is no ‘mystery’ as to why this solo piano
work is so good, it’s all there, laid out for me!
Abundant elegance, every note like a heavily
saturated droplet of pure silver or gold.
The precise moment of recording is bathed in a
blue light, as if she holds the moon in her hands,
the dance begins. A delicate dance that reflects
the moonlight on this beautiful face, her young
and tender limbs offer up to the sun as she pulls
the tides. A moment of still reflection takes me
straight to an early bar in the piece where Annie
just holds one position in broken form, where we
are then set to wondering what’s coming next.
You have to be a supreme artist to pull this off.
A Chopinesque ‘romance’ is ever present and in
the blue haze behind her I picture the masculine
form of a slender tuxedo, he never quite makes
his move, she is too beautiful to be touched. His
eyes just watch this ‘dancing in the moonlight’.
It is a very private encounter, and a ‘dream
creation’ in full.
Annie utilises the whole of the piano registers,
and I’m particularly drawn to treble-tremolandos
and dotted rhythms. There is a call-and-response
feel about her phrasing, and a masterful use of
‘rubato’.
The white drapes of her dress kiss the sand
beneath her feet, while a midnight ocean sings a
song of it’s gentle waves. They look to the sky and
are enchanted by the blanket of snowflake stars
that never move.
My emotions are trying to sense whether she is a
happy or sad dancer??.....it doesn’t really matter
musically of course because this music has
supreme beauty so we’re not drawn into that
thought. I have to say what comes to me!
Annie’s choice of modulations are what epitomise
the soul of this piece, and coupled with her skill
and beautiful instrument, well, you just can’t go
wrong!!
An absolute must for lovers of all things PIANO!!
Thank you Annie for your gift of music, that we
are all privileged to hear.
by
Kerry Barnes
FOR
ANNIE LOCKE
“She Dances In The Moonlight”
Piano Solo
I’ve been listening to Annie Locke’s piano works
for a few years now, and always recognize her
musical hallmarks within just the first bar alone.
The quality, the flawless tone, the elegance, the
tenderness borne out of years of perfecting her
craft, and done so at the Royal Academy of Music
in London. I suspect that her ‘teaching’ years that
followed have also played a large part.
All those ingredients are present in her latest
single “She Dances In The Moonlight”. I can’t
express how beautiful it is, but will do my best!!
There is no ‘mystery’ as to why this solo piano
work is so good, it’s all there, laid out for me!
Abundant elegance, every note like a heavily
saturated droplet of pure silver or gold.
The precise moment of recording is bathed in a
blue light, as if she holds the moon in her hands,
the dance begins. A delicate dance that reflects
the moonlight on this beautiful face, her young
and tender limbs offer up to the sun as she pulls
the tides. A moment of still reflection takes me
straight to an early bar in the piece where Annie
just holds one position in broken form, where we
are then set to wondering what’s coming next.
You have to be a supreme artist to pull this off.
A Chopinesque ‘romance’ is ever present and in
the blue haze behind her I picture the masculine
form of a slender tuxedo, he never quite makes
his move, she is too beautiful to be touched. His
eyes just watch this ‘dancing in the moonlight’.
It is a very private encounter, and a ‘dream
creation’ in full.
Annie utilises the whole of the piano registers,
and I’m particularly drawn to treble-tremolandos
and dotted rhythms. There is a call-and-response
feel about her phrasing, and a masterful use of
‘rubato’.
The white drapes of her dress kiss the sand
beneath her feet, while a midnight ocean sings a
song of it’s gentle waves. They look to the sky and
are enchanted by the blanket of snowflake stars
that never move.
My emotions are trying to sense whether she is a
happy or sad dancer??.....it doesn’t really matter
musically of course because this music has
supreme beauty so we’re not drawn into that
thought. I have to say what comes to me!
Annie’s choice of modulations are what epitomise
the soul of this piece, and coupled with her skill
and beautiful instrument, well, you just can’t go
wrong!!
An absolute must for lovers of all things PIANO!!
Thank you Annie for your gift of music, that we
are all privileged to hear.