Steven Watson - Fantasy on a Theme by King Henry VIII (2019)

[@drewburgess3039]

Hi Steven, thank you for sharing. I am enjoying listening here at the kitchen table. Openness and experimentation is what makes KZbin such a value-the shared artistic exploration.

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Yes, youtube is a good informal space for testing things out. Thanks for listening Drew!

[@StefanNiggl]

An impressive piece! Lots of nice ideas. I really like it. And your nail playing is fabulous. The contrasts and colors you create give the piece a lot of life. Bravo Steven!

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Thanks Stefan -- am very pleased by what you say! There was definitely a certain kind of enthusiasm and fire that went into this. I don't think I would or could do something like it now -- I feel my musical temperament has changed. Yes, I used to really go for Bream-like extreme textures when I had nails. Possibly the thing I most like about nails is how dirty you can make the tone, so I find it odd that most modern players seem to go out of their way to avoid this and smooth out their sound.

[@hyperboreal]

This is brilliant and being your first (!?) work I think you really underrate what you're able to create. Thanks for posting.

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Well there were sketches of things before it, but this was the first proper piece I think. Thanks, I'm heartened by what you say!

[@speusippus]

Very cool piece, Steven. I like it! I know what you mean about not knowing what to make of a composition. I feel the same about my song cycle. Don't know what to think of it!

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Thanks Bryan. Yes it's strange, much of composing is a series of judgement-calls, yet when I sit back and look at a finished composition, I frequently can't make any judgements about it as a whole!

[@speusippus]

@@StevenWatsonMusic Oh yes. I guess when we finish a piece, the judgement from then on is up to the listeners.

[@Nylon_and_Gut-MatteoLaurenzi]

well this also quite a work Steve!! Really enjoyed it!!

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Glad you enjoyed it, grazie Matteo!

[@ClassicalGuitarMusings]

Amazing composition

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Thanks

[@Josh.Vanjani]

An interesting composition, Steven! Not necessarily something I would listen to, unless you composed it, ha ha. But that being said, I was able to hear some allusions to other pieces, ideas, etc. Namely, the beginning reminds me of the opening to one of Chopin's Mazurka's (I'll get back to you on the opus number, can't remember and a quick search didn't turn it up).

[@StevenWatsonMusic]

Thanks Josh, appreciate you giving it a lesson nevertheless! I think you might mean the one in A minor, Op. 17 No. 4?

[@Josh.Vanjani]

@@StevenWatsonMusic That's exactly it, yes! Saved me combing through to find it, ha ha.