Collection

Collection by David Wahler Review

by Kathy Parsons, Mainly Piano

Collection is a selection of ten of David Wahler's favorite original works from the past year of seclusion and self-imposed lockdown. Soothing, hypnotic, healing, spiritual, and most of all - beautiful - are all words that come to mind while listening to this amazing album - a breath of musical fresh air! Most of the tracks are a combination of piano and keyboard orchestration; a few feature wordless vocals.

The act of creating - be it music, art, poetry or something else - can bring comfort and peace to the creator, but when those qualities can be shared with others, it is truly a gift.

I've been reviewing David Wahler's music since his 2009 debut, Antiquus, and new music from him is always a very special treat. Four singles have been released ahead of the full album - "Noctorno," "Carried Away," "Lost Coast," and "Invictus" - and even if you have all four of them, adding the other six tracks should be easy and you'll have the complete the album.

Collection begins with "Lost Coast," which includes the sounds of sea birds, the ocean and a foghorn. A bit on the mysterious side, it could have been inspired by being on the coast when the shoreline was shrouded in fog. Walking on the beach in dense fog can be an otherworldly experience with no sense of direction or of what's ahead of you - peaceful but a little bit disconcerting! I love that experience, so this piece really speaks to me! "Lila" has a gentle energy that keeps it moving forward as the rhythm swirls around it. "Noctorno" is a favorite. Piano, strings and keyboard are quietly hypnotic and suggest the stillness of night when the whole world seems to be at rest.

I suspect that if Chopin were alive today, he'd be composing music much like this elegant piece.

"Blame It On the Moon" features an operatic soprano voice that soars over the delicate and magical instrumentation. "Carried Away" has a very simple keyboard melody over a quickly-flowing piano rhythm. Dreamy yet gently energetic, it's another favorite. "Invictus" is very special. Quoting David: "It is an anthem dedicated to the strength, courage and fortitude of the Ukrainian people." Bells, piano, choral voices and light orchestration come together to create a stirring and heartfelt musical tribute. "Easy Peasy" is sure to calm the most jangled nerves and soothe away any stress - ahhhh! "Adagio `ala Carlos" feels both Baroque and contemporary. The styling and electronic instrumentation make me think it might be a nod to Wendy Carlos' early work. And what a beautiful piece it is, no matter what inspired it! "Rite" again features the operatic soprano voice over very quiet and peaceful instrumentation - a fascinating study in contrasts. "Peace On Earth" begins with the sounds of the ocean and the call of seabirds before becoming a shimmering ambient piece that soothes the mind as it quiets the spirit.

What a great album! Collection is available on Amazon, Apple Music/iTunes, and many streaming sites like Spotify. Very highly recommended - don't miss it!

by Bill Binkelman, Wind and Wire

"I remember being impressed by David Wahler's recording debut, Antiquus, in 2009.

With every successive release, my admiration and respect for Wahler grows.

He is one of the brightest stars in instrumental keyboard music and Collection is one more jewel in his crown. Pure musical bliss and an album to indulge in many times."

by Steve Sheppard, Music Reviews

There are times when a certain album lands in your lap, and it changes your entire perspective of the day unfurling, this just happened to me, my day was sluggish and unremarkable, but once I started my listen through of this new David Wahler album, I found the calmness and beauty inside of me grow with each passing song, the album in question is Collection, and it is within the realms of this beautiful release we now take a willing voyage.

The opening piece for me was a marvellous moment of great beauty, and reminded me in parts of early Medwyn Goodall, and his piece Misty Morning Water from 87, Wahler has created here an idyllic composition that completely lives up to its title of Lost Coast with sublime ease.

The following musical narrative had a wonderfully light energy about its construction and entitled Lila; the fluency here was a key element for me, as the composition just manifested different aspects as it went, but always kept that quite chilled, and almost cloud like essence about its overall construction, a bliss filled opus of peace with ease.

The realms of darkness have been reached here as we listen to Noctorno, the main theme and melody were both emotive and idyllic, the scene was set perfectly by Wahler on keyboards, creating a relaxed and incredibly atmospheric resonance at all times, in an arrangement that drifted within the early dream like minutes of a new days birth.

The gentle opening to this next offering was utterly beautiful; the track in question is called Invictus, and for me highlights one of the reasons over the years, that David Wahler has been regarded in such high esteem. This is his tenth album and manifestations like this mellow and healing creation should be appreciated for the calming narrative that it creates.

The curiously entitled Easy Peasy is next up on our playlist of plenty, and here Wahler brings to the table a truly chilled vibe that reminds me of classic Phil Thornton from the latter half of the last century. The vibe here is simple and relaxed; a wonderful offering for relaxation indeed.

The deeper waters of the album are reached, and as we arrive on this sublime musical shoreline we are greeted with a splendid composition entitled Adagio ála Carlos. The adagio mood was wonderful, and reminded me in temperament of Ravel’s work at times, this is one of those mood filled opuses that you never wish to end.

We have reached our penultimate track, and this delicious arrangement is called Rite, the ethereal vocalisation here added such a pleasing layer of a musical tapestry into the proceedings for me, so much so, that I found the entire track quite emotional, this would indeed be one of my favourite pieces off of the album, one that I feel will be with me for a long time to come.

Our last track is something that a majority of us would ask for and called Peace On Earth, it’s easy if you just try, it’s easier without an over bloated ego, and here on this last magnificent arrangement Wahler sums up that with a sublime ease, the natural sounds show just how easy and calm life is on our planet without our childlike protestations and fears. The slow, but wonderful construction, the idyllic build and progression on keyboards in this concluding piece, were simply the best way possible to end a superb album.

Collection by David Wahler is the artists 10th release and after much consideration, and in my opinion, I rate it to be his best so far, he has taken those strange moments of isolation and lockdown during the pandemic, and from those moments of introspection, produced one of the best new age albums of the year thus far, this was one release well worth waiting for without a shadow of a doubt.

By BT Fasmer, New Age Music Guide

We humans are by nature collectors of memories and emotions. They tell us who we are and where we are in life. On his new album Collection, which is being released today, David Wahler describes ten memories from recent years, both from Covid19 isolation and life in general. Even though the album doesn’t have a unifying theme, Wahler’s unique sense of musical storytelling makes it all come together in ways that are easily recognizable and in tune with the time we live in. Both new and old fans will find the melodies both comforting and encouraging. Collection is, in short, an album with a heart and a soul. You may get the album on HearNow.

David Wahler began his musical career at the age of 7 playing the piano “by ear”. Early years of summer music clinics and academies at various universities culminated in his studying piano performance at Lawrence University Conservatory of Music; Mannes College of Music in New York; and Berklee College of Music, Boston. David released his first album, Antiquus, in the spring of 2009. Then followed A Star Danced (2010), Secret Dream (2012) and Spiritus (2015). His album Mosaic was honored with Zone Music Award’s Best Relaxation/Meditation album of 2018 at the award concert in New Orleans in May of 2019. His two most recent albums are Two Hearts (2019) and Currents (2021). Many of the tracks on Collection have this spring been released as singles, and Invictus is currently no. 3 on the New Age Music Chart.

Lost Coast

The album opener is called Lost Coast. It starts with the sounds of nature; seagulls, wind and waves immediately transport the listener to a seaside location. It is as if we can taste the salt and feel the wind in our hair. Then delicate synth pads and strings are heard, laying the foundation for everything that follows.

Even though the atmosphere is laid-back, the melody is quite complex as it twists and turns between various sounding pianos and bell-like synth leads. It is, without a doubt, world-class sound design! The coast might be lost, but Wahler truly makes it come to life. Bravo!

Next out is Lila. It doesn’t take long before we sense that this might be a portrait. If so, its primary color will be pink. The female vocalization further refines the idea that we are being introduced to a woman. Notice how Wahler makes Lila come to life; this must be the musical equivalent of painting with thin brushes. The sharp and quick sounds give the impression of movement. Yet again I’m amazed by one of Wahler’s carefully crafted soundscapes. It is delicate and light, yet highly expressive.

Noctorno

The album changes pace and atmosphere the moment Noctorno comes on. It gets a bit darker, it is as if the night is falling. Yet a sense of romanticism is also present, probably influenced by classical music. It is definitely a nocturne, romantic and emotional. Also notice the sharp and eerie strings in the mid section, and how the lead felt piano changes effortlessly to harpsichord. Noctorno is definitely a piece about changes. Nothing stays the same.

Blame It On The Moon continues where Noctorno left off. Suddenly a female soprano sings in the night, followed by an oboe. Some gentle textures are like pixie dust, tastefully sprinkled here and there. It is hauntingly beautiful, as it describes the moon’s effect on our phycology. Moonlit nights have, as you know, had an impact on people throughout history. Blaming the moon seems tempting sometimes, although it might not hold up in court.

Carried Away

The atmosphere gets warmer as Carried Away comes on. The piece is as light as a breeze. A somewhat distant piano plays scales, while a Rhodes keyboard and analog strings are center stage. It is breathtakingly beautiful, making me think that it is everything it has to be and nothing more. Perfect and thought-provoking at the same time, just like a poem. Talking about poems, next out is the mighty Invictus.

Inspired by the famous poem Invictus by British poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903) and dedicated to the brave men, women and children of the Ukraine, the track with the same name sounds defiant, confident and reflective. You may read the poem here, but I will quote its conclusion whose atmosphere Wahler presents magnificently in his music:

I am the master of my fate,

I am the captain of my soul.

Invictus’ beauty underlines the message; to remain courageous in the face of pain and unspeakable evil. That is still sadly a much-needed guiding star for many people in our world today – in Ukraine and too many other places. Here it is if you haven’t heard it yet:

As monumental as Invictus is, Easy Peasy does feel like a breath of fresh air. Its chilled vibe and soft rhythm instantly lift the mood. It is this kind of melodies Wahler does so well. It seems so laid-back, so easy peasy, yet there is a melancholy here too that makes it into a very rewarding listen.

Adagio àla Carlos is a soft-spoken and elegant piece with a hushed vocal synth as lead. It is refreshingly different, effortlessly combining new and old in a thought-provoking way.

Rite is just as interesting. A gorgeous female opera vocal cuts in, overpowering the ultra-light synth arrangement. You might think that such different sounds would not fit together, but thanks to Wahler’s studio wizardry they really do. Just like any social custom, or rite, you will need to experience this piece it many times to “get it”.

The hopeful yet sad Peace On Earth rounds off the album. I like the way it starts like Lost Coast, binding the opening and closing together. The flute sounds brilliant.

Songs named Peace On Earth are usually jolly and a bit too confident about the happy outcome – but Wahler’s album closer does not sugar-coat the fact that lasting peace is hard, incredibly hard, hence the melancholy. Since it doesn’t (spoiler alert!) end on a high note, I always find myself going back to Lost Coast at this stage.

In conclusion: Songwriter Harlan Howard once said: “I’m always collecting emotions for future reference.” On his new release, David Wahler’s has taken this one step further; made ten collected memories into an album. Unpretentious and personal, light yet complex, Collection invites the listener to reflect and dream.

To me, the ten pieces have a lot in common with short stories. Their narrative is something that the listener immediately picks up on, even subconsciously. You don’t have to, as with Wahler’s previous albums, listen actively “to get it.” He is able to communicate on many different levels, often at the same time. That is, in my book, a hallmark of a great artist.

Thanks to its atmosphere and variation in sound, Collection by David Wahler has high replay value. I also believe it communicates the zeitgeist of our time wonderfully.

In other words; get the album! Your collection is not complete without it.