Terry Riley: The Harp of New Albion
The Harp of New Albion is a transfixing solo piano recording,  conceived and performed by world-renowned minimalist composer, the  ever-innovative Terry Riley. His inspiration for this work came from a  legendary harp, left behind in the New World in 1579, on the shores of Nova  Albion, which is now called San Francisco Bay. A Native American medicine  man is said to have found the harp and placed it on a cliff where the  westerly winds played upon it and temperature and humidity changes created  an ever-shifting set of tonalities.  Riley bases the ten movements of The Harp of New Albion on the concept of  tonalities. The liner notes explain the complicated ratios Riley devised  for tuning his octaves. He says, "The idea of piano as harp influences my  method of playing, as does the tuning from which the particular consonances  and dissonances determine the emerging energies that flow through both  instrument and performer."  Although Riley improvises throughout The Harp of New Albion, each movement  is defined by structural or composed elements. Astonishingly, the halo of  harmonics drifting above his solo piano creates an orchestral sound,  complete with horns, reeds, strings and voices. At times, the melodic  interplay is ethereal, the micro-tonal relationships within the standing  waves of sounds creating a haunting spectrum.  Special note should be taken of the majestic Bosendorfer Imperial grand  piano, especially tuned for Riley to play in the acoustically-fabulous  Academy of Music in Munich, Germany. The entire recording was accomplished  during one incredible night of inspired piano performance.