About The Album
What is more fascinating than a journey into the unknown of the universe? And if this were really possible, what would be the moods of a human being who enters this wonder? I tried to imagine myself in this situation giving expression to my musical fantasy and the result was “Journey Across The Universe”, an album that wants to be not only music but also imagination, narration, feeling and desire to share these sensations with other human beings. To each of you who wants to listen to it, it can arouse completely different sensations, but this is the charm of music…
With “Journey Across The Universe” I gave musicality to what is one of the greatest mysteries of our life: what is the Universe? How was it born? What are we, where do we come from and where are we going? Is it all real or just in our mind? Are we the expression of a superhuman intelligence, what we call God or, perhaps, everything was created by itself?
Although I wanted to express in notes what I feel, thinking about “Journey Across The Universe”, listening to my music, each of us can have their own sensations and feel what their imagination suggests… That depends upon each one of us.
Gian
Absolutely beautiful! If you are looking for music that takes your soul on a journey, then this album is a definite to add to your collection. Thank you for sharing such beauty with us. 🙏
Thank you Gian for this fine creation! It took me to different spaces. The ambience is perfect for most any mood. I’m still trying to decide which track is my favorite!
Such beautiful music whenever I go for my walks to ground and just relax I put my headphones on and just follow the sound of the music my favorite is Sirius Dreams it makes me feel like I’m off world and it’s beautiful when releasing or just enjoying music
An incredible album, it takes you on a beautiful introspective journey. Whether you are looking for relaxing background music or to deepen your knowledge of self this album is versatile and adaptable to every occasion! I am so grateful to have found it and Gian Paolo is a very talented artist ! Would recommend 100% Vote 10/10
Congratulations Gian Paolo. As you know, I am not a musician, but I love music, especially PIANO, and I think you have done a great job with your compositions and this album ! Your webpage, your words and your artwork are also of a high and professional standard. I wish you good fortune with this new endeavour ! Geoff.
Dear Gian, When I first heard this music I felt sides of me open up. They were energetic centres like the heart, mind and soul. The Pace and rhythm sets a gradual and patient tone that distills me. I am so over joyed you have found the time and energy to make this music. It is enchanting and takes me to another place.
Track Preview (10)
Journey Across The Universe (Full Album) ( 49:10 )
What is more fascinating than a journey into the unknown of the universe? And if this were really possible, what would be the moods of a human being who enters this wonder?
I tried to imagine myself in this situation giving expression to my musical fantasy and the result was “Journey Across The Universe”, an album that wants to be not only music but also imagination, narration, feeling and desire to share these sensations with other human beings.
To each of you who wants to listen to it, it can arouse completely different sensations, but this is the charm of music…
Tracks
01. Universal Love ( 5:31 )
This is a simple melody that represents universal love which, precisely because it is such, is an immediate act that does not require any meditation but only a simple spontaneous impulse of the heart.
It is a track that I think could go well with the lyrics. I may release a version with the lyrics in the near future. Your opinion on this is particularly welcome!
02. Journey Across The Universe (Title Track) ( 5:14 )
This track refers to a hypothetical journey of a spaceship carrying a human being who admires the universe from the window.
The spaceship flies through different spaces and environments such as the departure from a planet, the exploration of a solar system, the crossing of a nebula, the slalom among meteor swarms, the flight alongside a comet observing its tail, a time jump traveling through the inside of a time tunnel, the escape of crashing into a supernova that explodes, transforming itself into a black hole and more…
03. Sirius’ Dreams ( 5:23 )
This is a dream song describing Sirius in an unconscious state during which she dreams of dancing with her minor star (Sirius is part of a binary system).
The dream state is shaken by her desire for continuous palingenesis that is represented repeatedly by the ascending notes.
The rhythm is sweet and the melody in some parts recalls that of a lullaby.
04. Shining Eurydice ( 5:44 )
Eurydice is an asteroid that in my imagination has an icy tail (hence it is classified as a comet) that glows as it flies across the universe.
Its tail constantly swings and changes in intensity depending on the surrounding environment.
The melody is trying to follow these changes as she is calm as Eurydice crosses empty space and gets excited when she encounters other astral objects.
This journey is about Eurydice finding its origins.
05. Mare Tranquillitatis ( 2:42 )
Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility) is a lunar sea that sits within the Tranquillitatis basin on the Moon. It is the first location on another world to be visited by humans. The track is calm and has a steady tempo as it refers to something that by definition is steady (in fact there is no water in this sea).
The cords are hit precisely as there should be no notes other than those of the cords for the left-hand.
In my imagination this gives the sense of peace, tranquility without any other notes’ interference.
The melody is then repeated with the left hand striking a more articulated arpeggio that represents the first steps of the astronauts walking on our moon causing the first waves of dust on the sea.
06. Alpha Centauri Parthenogenesis ( 3:57 )
Have you ever thought of how a star is born? This track is about the birth of a gentle small faint red dwarf star which is very close to the solar system.
Just few minutes before she’s born, she is a vast, slowly rotating, cloud of cold gas and dust nebulae comfortably lying in the womb of the universe and then all of a sudden Alpha Centauri is born. After few seconds the star is completely formed and can shine enjoying its life.
07. Dance Of The Planets ( 5:26 )
This track is dedicated to the planets of the solar system that are constantly moving around our star.
Each planet has its own orbit with a different speed of revolution compared to the other planets – this is identified with the different parts of the track that represent the planets.
Although I love all my compositions, the deep melody of the low notes of this track arouses particular emotions in me.
08. Walking On The Saturn Rings ( 3:13 )
Imagine walking and hopping on the rings of Saturn with joy and a heart full of hope – exactly for this reason the song also contains major chords.
The minor chords identify the moments of pause in the walk before resuming the walk vigorously.
In the middle of the track, you sit on the edge of one of the rings for a moment of contemplation of the surrounding universe as you clearly perceive we are a small indefinite thing compared to this vast magnificence.
09. Stella Nova ( 5:14 )
Two stars gallantly woo each other as they dance. The movement is irregular as both are excited and fascinated by the idea of the meeting (so the notes are laboriously found, almost stolen).
The melody is deliberately repetitive to emphasize the long courtship. The union ends with incredible power (chords and notes are vigorously struck) in a loving embrace with an explosion of joy.
10. Biocosmic Rhapsody ( 8:46 )
The track is divided in 3 movements identifying the origins of the Universe according to the Big Bang theory (the beginning at hot and infinitely dense point 13.7 billion years ago), that consists of 3 Eras:
• Era of Explosion. First Movement. Time: Instantly. Creation of Matter, Energy, Space and Time.
• Era of Radiation. Second Movement. Time: Instantly. Feature of the Epochs (smaller stages).
• Era of Matter. Third Movement. Time: Billions of years. Creation of Elements (building blocks of matter).
These Eras represent the birth, growth and maturity of the Universe.
Different objects are surfing each Era. The melody is often varying due to different objects behaviors (quarks, stars, black holes, planets, comets, nebulae, meteorites etc.).
New Track Preview
EXPLANATION OF A POEM
They asked me to explain the meaning.of my poems.
I can’t say what you read with words other than the ones I used.
When you explain a poem, it becomes trivial.
Better than any explanation, are the emotions
that poetry can reveal to a soul predisposed to understanding it.
Gian Paolo Avanzo
Musician & Writer
Hello, I am Gian Paolo and I welcome you.
Throughout my life I have been passionate about music and I always dreamed of publishing my songs but I never had time to think seriously about that.
This dream was in a drawer and I opened it from time to time to store some musical ideas and wishes.
Years passed by and a sense of urgency was brewing inside of me telling me I was living my life without trying to realize this dream.
I thought that you actually never really know how things will turn out until you give them a try.
In the end I had nothing to lose, right?
Friends and family encouraged me as they liked my songs a lot but, you know, they are friends and family!
Finally, I decided to publish my first album and here is the outcome of a life journey which now is just beginning again.
I guess any listener would like to know how the composer is expressing his feelings when writing music.
What do I feel when I think of music? What drives my mind to compose this kind of music?
Well, this is both easy and difficult to explain. I’ll try.
The spark comes from within as usual. I like the change and most of my tracks are made up of parts that seem different from the previous and from the next. This feels like a contemplation of evolution or even revolution. Are we not in a continuous state of evolution? Social, cultural, technological, physical, mental and so on…
Among these musical changes, there is still a recurring melody that tries to give a subtle sense of uniformity to each track.
Besides, most of my music is played as if am trying to find the right notes and with longer than expected silences between certain parts. This represents my inner search for how to express the feeling of the moment as joy, sadness, uncertainty, curiosity… in other words “living through music”.
The idea is to generate in the listener an expectation and excitement about what will be the musical part that will follow. I hope you can share this excitement with me and I would be very pleased to know your moods and feedback as you listen to my music.
Thank you for your time and let the journey begin!
Gian Paolo Avanzo
Credits
Composed and performed by Gian Paolo Avanzo, Yamaha Grand Piano
Album cover and track art by Althea Lucrezia Avanzo
Recorded and mastered at One Big Room Studios, Pretoria