Thematic Studies by James Armstrong
These current thematic studies are dedicated in their entirety to my family friend and teacher Ms. Margaret Lehmer Elliott (1921-2025), whom I knew from my earliest years.
Margaret was a master violist and highly accomplished symphonic musician, who kindly shared technical advice and useful music references over many decades.
In their pacing and exploration of orchestral color, the performances document the continued influence of music by Messrs. Ferruccio Busoni, Masabumi Kikuchi, and Olivier Messiaen.
James D. Armstrong, Jr.
August 2025
Tracklist
| 1. | Thematic Study no. 1 | 21:05 |
| 2. | Thematic Study no. 2 | 14:15 |
| 3. | Thematic Study no. 3 | 8:07 |
| 4. | Thematic Study no. 4 | 6:55 |
| 5. | Thematic Study no. 5 | 6:20 |
Credits
Recorded by Doug Pohorski on August 3, 2025. Acoustic Sound Shop, San Jose, California, United States. Yamaha C7 piano.
Many thanks to Mr. Christopher Burnett, Artists Recording Collective, Kansas City, Missouri. ARC-6694.
License
All rights reserved.
Forty years after university, I continue to explore the intersection of improvisation and modern classical music, through the medium of concert grand piano. Purposely removed from electronic effects, this is a content-driven music centered on extended, real-time performance; an original practice that has moved beyond the political barriers that exist in the San Francisco Bay Area.