Customer Reviews

Malady of Elegance

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Keith Kenniff is back on Type Records with his second full length album under Goldmund alias, titled The Malady Of Elegance. A previous EP, Two Point Discrimination (Western Vinyl, 2007), hit the streets on the heels of Kenniff's much anticipated Helios release, Ayres (Type, 2007). Whether Kenniff flips between his more ambient and acoustic electronica works under Helios or modern and contemporary classical pieces under Goldmund, he seems to shine at everything he touches. Especially when it comes to piano keys. The Malady Of Elegance is very cozy, intimate and personal. It is, as if Keith was playing in your own living room and you had your ear against the sound board, picking up each stroke of a hammer, a creek of the pedal, and a soft brush of the finger tips. The melancholic lullabies gently sway the listener into a meditative state of contemplation. It is especially important to recognize how a simple single instrument, like piano, can capture enough emotion to be gently wrapped in an album. The story behind The Malady Of Elegance is a bit of a mystery. But the aged photograph on the cover, the track titles and the music itself, hint at a voyage into the past, suggesting "that the ghosts of old America [still] haunt the keys." And even if this cinematic fantasy creates a world a bit out of reach, it's still comforting to know, that on The Malady Of Elegance Keith Kenniff plays for you. Your own private performance. Incidentally... The album layout and design of The Malady Of Elegance was designed by Erik Skodvin, who is none other than Svarte Greiner and one half of Deaf Center. They must be friends ;). The cover photograph on the album, however, was taken by Linus Lohoff. Meanwhile... It seems that Mr. Kenniff has been a bit busy with yet another release on John Twells' (Xela) Type Records, this time under Helios moniker, titled Caesura. You can be sure I'll grab that one as well. Recommended for the likes of Hauschka, Sylvain Chauveau, Erik Satie, Peter Broderick and Max Richter.

The music made me cry of joy. The music is simply godly, it is delicate and yet overwhelmingly strong, it cuts through to your deepest hideaways in your soul that you forgot about. There are not many notes in each story, but the silence between them is breathtaking. I just simply don't have enough words to describe the sense of recognition. It is the most enjoyable piano music I have ever heard. I do wish the very best to the author. Please, do continue doing whatever you are doing that produces this wonderful music.

Malady of Elegance by Goldmund (aka Keith Keniff), (2008), is a breathtakingly beautiful album of solo piano music, composed and performed by Goldmund, that exists - and leads the listener into - the highest realm of beauty imaginable. The silence at the heart of these musical compositions is exquisite and powerful because of a sparseness and simplicity that is the essence of its music. This is the kind of music I am always hoping to come across, but rarely find. Discovering it is the greatest gift. One I can't help sharing. This is music not easy to put in a convenient category. It represents a new kind of classical music. There are also ambient and minimalist forces at work here. Perhaps, neo-classical is the term that gets closest to describing this cd. If you like the music of Peter Broderick, Max Richter, Sylvain Chauveau and especially Olafur Arnalds - I think you'll fall in love with this cd. I discovered and purchased it on Amazon. I cannot too highly recommend this album.

Quiet, thoughtful flow of slow paced melody; like a series of memories of nearly forgotten people and places. Reoccurring patterns with elements of tension and closure. An excellent addition to your contemporary piano collection.