Customer Reviews

A New Kind of Love

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

WOW!! As I sit here and listen to my "New Kind of Love" CD for the 25th time since I received it Friday, I am in awe of the talent and ability you have to bring such peace and serenity to the piano keyboard (and my life!). This is by far your best album ever, and I would know! I have them all and listen to them daily. After the first track began, I said to myself...this is the best song Robin has ever done! only to hear track two, which was the best song ever...until I heard track 3!!! You can guess the rest of the story. This entire CD is full of "best songs ever". I shared this CD with my sister and my mother, for Mother's Day (which you so kindly signed for each of them). They also are loyal fans of yours and hail this as your best recording. (Is there a grammatical rule that warns against using the word "best" more than 3 times in a paragraph???) I'll be anxiously awaiting the note for note transcription! In a hectic, busy world full of more daily activities than time to do them, your music is the best therapy I could ask for. Thank you for sharing your gift of music with my family.

"A New Kind of Love" is Robin Spielberg's first release of new original material in eight years, and it was definitely worth the wait! With fifteen albums to her credit, Spielberg has matured gracefully both as an artist and as a woman who has experienced vast ups and downs in her life and has expressed many of them via her music. Spielberg has been one of my favorite artists since we first bumped into each other on the internet sometime around 1995, and I do believe this is her best album to date. Anyone who has seen Spielberg perform in concert knows that the stories behind her music are almost as big a part of the concert as the music itself, giving insight into the individual pieces as well as into the artist herself - truly a human being like the rest of us with a family, a garden, pets, love, pain, joy, memories, and all that makes up a life well-lived. Spielberg's liner notes also tell the stories behind the music, and although they are much briefer than the stories told live, they offer vivid pictures of how the music was inspired. AND, Spielberg is an amazing pianist who puts heart and soul into her music, communicating a wide range of emotions to the listener. Most of the CD is on the quiet side, allowing it to be in the background, but this is music that needs to be savored again and again to be fully appreciated.

All of the pieces are excellent, but I have some favorites. "A Walk Between The Raindrops" comes from a charming recollection of wondering as a child why her father never got wet on rainy days. His reply to her was that he just walked between the raindrops and that he'd show her how one day, creating many mysterious images. The music is fluid and graceful and yet suggests the falling of raindrops. "The Orange Fox Waits" is a tender love song for a beloved family cat who sadly passed away the day after the song was recorded. "This Busy Life" reminds me a bit of one of my other favorites of Spielberg's pieces, "The Nature of Time." Full of the energy of a fast-paced life, it also exudes joy and exhilaration rather than stress. A calm interlude in the middle tells of the peace of sitting at the piano, letting everything else go for a time. This should become a Spielberg classic! Robin has done several concert tours in Korea, and has included two popular Korean tunes that have her own special treatment. "Picking Flowers" is another classic Spielberg piece. If you know anything about Spielberg, you know that she absolutely loves her garden. This little piece spills over with joy and sunshine. The title track is about being comfortable being alone and also about the camaraderie of friends. Thoughtful and introspective, it's a gorgeous piece. "Seeing You Seeing Me" is a loving tribute to a longtime best friend who is always there, no matter what. The CD closes with "It's All Just As Well," a piece I adore. It's a bluesy piece that tells of acceptance and letting go of past dreams and ambitions, and is a great close to a great album. Brava, Robin!

I'm sure "A New Kind of Love" is going to be garnering a lot of attention, so pick up a copy and ENJOY!

Robin Spielberg never dissapoints you. Her compositions I am continually in awe of. Keep it up. We love your music.

This is the first music I have purchased after listening to SoundScapes on cable TV. I love the mental imagery of the music played there and this piece is my favorite.

Congratulations to Robin Spielberg on another wonderful recording.

For those of you not familiar with Robin's music, here's a quick tour of her personality: pianist, composer,actress, storyteller, wife, gardener, cat lover, sister, devoted mother, devoted daughter, and world's best friend (mine). Spielberg works all of these elements into "A New Kind of Love," resulting in a recording that any woman with a modern life will relate to and admire.

"A New Kind of Love" is Robin's best recording to date. Her playing has matured beautifully, and she's confident enough to hold back, which bumps her music to a new level. Even the faster pieces have a lilt to them that makes them unhurried, yet purposeful.

The Steinway sound is lovely--particularly in the upper register, the echo and ringing of the notes support her unique style of playing. The soothing tone of the piano makes it perfect background music, but do yourself a favor and take the time to really listen--the rewards are plentiful.

I very much enjoyed "Until You Come Home," not just the performance, but the composition as well. "A Walk Between the Raindrops" captures the mood of the story Spielberg tells in her well-written liner notes. The syncopated long tones interrupt the rolling eighth notes and--like a lull in a rainstorm--they feel just right.

Robin knows what her songs are about--read her stories and you'll understand the many sources of her music. She did a lovely job choosing her titles: "Hymn" is indeed a hymn. "Picking Flowers" sounds like picking flowers. "Starlight" sounds like starlight. I listened to these pieces, glanced at the titles, and said OF COURSE.

Here's the most important thing: As I was listening this morning I felt an overwhelming sense of power in what Robin Spielberg has accomplished. She reminds me that human beings are capable of creating beautiful, bold, and artistic moments, that even in the face of a million obstacles, if we choose to express ourselves honestly, we can. This seems to me to be the most moving thing in the whole world.

Robin Goldsby is the solo piano artist feautured on Songs from the Castle and Twilight. Her book Piano Girl: A Memoir features a chapter on Robin Spielberg.

Just as described, "exquisite melodic creations". Robin Spielberg is indeed a wonderful composer putting her stories into piano songs giving the listener a comfort-place. Love the cover; everything about it spells peacefulness. Love her green dress too. Will seek more of her music on CD. Thank You!