DeLange, Berlin Review

Frank DeLange is a Dutch neo-romantic composer and pianist specializing in his passion for writing for solo piano. As DeLange experiences music in colors and shapes (a condition called chromesthesia, or sound-to-color synesthesia), he crafts every composition like a painting. DeLange became comfortable with the great piano composers from the romantic and early modern era early in his childhood. His parents endlessly played recordings of the works of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Debussy. DeLange completed his classical training at the conservatory and started working as a pianist writing for and accompanying other artists. A desire to capture his emotions led him to work on a repertoire of his own compositions. Going by only his last name, DeLange, as a pianist and composer, he started writing, producing, and recording his music to form his first album, Images, in September 2020. The album garnered almost 9 million streams worldwide and led to his first tour, where he performed at renowned concert venues throughout The Netherlands to sold-out venues. DeLange writes in his own distinctive style, which is best described as neo-romantic. His music is lyrical, with a heavy emphasis on melodic flow. The music is mainly to be played with ‘feather touch’ -an expression he likes to use as it best describes the dynamics of his work. DeLange is now releasing his single titled “Berlin.”

Bottom Line: “Berlin” is the first single from DeLange’s upcoming second album, releasing in 2022. For this new album, he chose his long-lost upright piano as a perfect companion to compose his latest pieces on. Using vintage microphones he acquired from his dad – also a musician, he captured the warm and characteristic sound of the piano. “Berlin” is about the turmoil of everyday life in an urban environment. Opening with lightly played voicings, the active arpeggio figure soon breaks the calm. The melody is flowing, and Delange’s juxtaposition of activity and rest within the theme is enjoyable. The variations on the themes add to the overall flow of the composition, as does DeLange’s touch on the piano. According to DeLange, the song was inspired by “the chaotic but forward energy of the city as a metaphor of a period in one’s life. Searching for connection in anonymous surroundings. The feeling of being overwhelmed by the intensity of life alternating with a sense of freedom and autonomy.” The ascending lines against the left-hand’s arpeggio is a dynamic bridge figure. The hypnotic patterns mix with elements of classic romanticism to form a composition that is endearing and lovely. That’s the short of it!

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