Since music is a form of expression, it can be difficult to replicate. While some may be able to perform and even fine-tune the music of others to great success, others may not find themselves so lucky. Frank Clare recalls learning piano and his youth with a quote, “I started piano at a late age, 15, and was never good at playing other people’s music. But I loved music and wanted to play, so I started composing.” That statement perfectly embodies the soul of his freshman release “Admiratio Magna.”
The album begins with “A Gathering of Possibilities” The contemplative mood is solidified by the meandering piano, whose flutters each skip along the track with a personality of their own. The sounds create different moods as the track goes on that can drastically alter your perception of the track. From the curious intrigue of the opening notes, to the playful flutters of later on, to the enlightened finality of the ending, “A Gathering of Possibilities” succeeds in creating a cinematic feeling of discovery.
“Inceptus” begins with a string of heavy notes followed by curious trailing light ones that feel as though they are feeling around in the darkness laid by the heavier notes. As the song continues, it retains an exploratory feeling of discovery as the whimsical notes skitter through the quiet of the pauses. This pacing creates a dynamic aesthetic that grips the listener as they move through the mysterious melodies, making the moments of dramatic instrumentalism stand out to feel genuinely emotional. The darker contemplations that are layered within the track hit hard, especially when they dance with the more whimsical elements to create a conversational aesthetic. It makes “Inceptus” stand out as a track where the cinematic quality of the music takes over the to tell a story whose scenes become more clear with each listen.
The 20-minute epic, “La Grand Sopresa” is arguable the centerpiece of the album. The cinematic nature of the track is front and center, with the signature creeping piano to lead into it. The dramatic moods that follow feel feverish, whose dramatic intensity creates an air of undeniable anxiety. Constant abrupt pauses make this feeling palpable, making the feeling inescapable to the listener. The soft motifs that it fades into feel airy and curious as they escape the anxiety-ridden keys that chased them off before, only to run into a dour note. It creeps onto the scene to take charge of the song and begins to paint a new picture, taking over to turn the track to a new direction. The amount of musical motifs, aesthetics and meanderings are vast and each come sandwiched between contemplative silence to soak in their individual personalities. The feelings and emotions housed within “La Grand Sopresa” are cinematic and their intensity is presented to the listener in musical scenes. It gives the track an aesthetic that goes back to “A Gathering Of Possibilities,” where the ideas flow like water no matter how varied.
The adventure that “Die Apotheose” takes the listener begins with a dynamic and adventurous melody. It feels triumphant in its momentum as it pushes the pace forward, gripping the listener in the dramatic narrative the instrumental portrays. As the track nears the halfway point, it begins to feel softer, turning away from the rushing force that brought it here. It then playfully dances around like a whirlwind of bright sonic grace that’s easy to get lost in. The track hits hard when you go through all of these emotional moments, only to hit the dreadful notes of the end. Their sinister motifs dominate the finale of the track, making it feel like an inverted form of the momentum that carried the beginning. It’s an incredible musical ride that, while hitting nearly 13 minutes, makes “Die Apotheose” the stand-out track on the album.
“Admiratio Magna” is an engaging and cinematic album. The piano makes the dramatic its home in this album, with harsh and emotional notes sinking in during moments of prolonged silence. When it works, the effect is instantly noticeable and sucks the listener even deeper into the musical world of Frank Clare. While some tracks may seem meandering and the 20-minute “La Grand Sopresa” is a track that may feel daunting to get through, others such as “Die Apotheose” and “Inceptus” show the power of the cinematic quality his music channels. While it may not be for everyone, those that give “Admiratio Magna” a chance will find a lot of sophisticated charm within it.
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