Power in the Quiet Storm: Richard Green’s Mid-Journey Reckoning

There is no need for urgency with Richard Green, his music drifts much like the weather – slowly, naturally, an internal push against your body. Sad but Beautiful fits neatly within this tension. Piano, strings, stillness….then something breaks. Not with a bang, rather it would be similar to hearing static below a piece of concrete, the slow sense of collapsing into something emotive.

Developed from bedrooms throughout London and studio locations across Italy, this track has the essence of geography embedded in its core. This can be heard through the rhythm, the disciplined style influenced by classical training or the flexibility of contemporary interpretation. Although Richard Green composes all of his own parts, the manner in which these pieces come together is extremely important. This is represented through Irene Veneziano at Piano and Archimia playing String, both performing as opposed to playing their respective instruments. Both musicians interpret, extend, and inhale the music, resulting in something that feels organic rather than programmed.

We are at the mid-point of this "journey". The composition is meant to be the forefront of a trilogy telling the story of life in all its imperfections and textures, with occasional bruises; beautiful, though unclean; ash stained and a little bit skewed, like a memory.

What is striking about this piece is its purpose - no trend chasing or using an algorithm to achieve artistic success. The composer is simply testing the limits of emotion through the use of minimal equipment, and following this logic has created an honest piece of art.

The next stage of Green's career, whether through electro, techno, or funk, demonstrates his broad range as a composer. Still, through this quiet "storm" of piano and string music, he has shown the most valuable asset he possesses as a composer - control; and music should always be about power - power through control.