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My First CD: Portland Cello Project

12/8/2023

4 Comments

 
​This week’s blog was supposed to be about sharing some of the music from the first album I ever owned. An album that I credit for much of my later developments into music. However, as I started to do the research for the post, I realized that this post was growing into a much larger topic. Grab some tea/coffee and get ready for a geek to talk about some really obscure, but incredible music…
Picture
Image source: www.bestbuy.com/site/portland-cello-project-cd/17114276.p?skuId=17114276
My first album was also the first CD that I owned personally. Not one that my parents owned and I borrowed, but one that I kept in my room and played constantly on my half broken radio/alarm/CD player. Nobody else wanted it, it was mine. I remember listening to the music as I fell asleep and imagined stories to suit the tunes–a habit I ended up stopping when I realized it prevented me from sleeping at all. As a budding cellist, there was nothing cooler than a cello ensemble, and this album is chock-full of that magic.

As I sat down to write this post, I pulled up my iTunes account and listened through the whole thing; a trip down memory lane. It was when I started searching for ways to link it to all of you when the depressing truth revealed itself. If you take a look at the link to the cover art above, you can see the issue that I ran into… This album is virtually nonexistent, left behind by the digital age. As a person now well accustomed to the wonderful internet privilege of having every bit of information and music at my fingertips, it was a jarring revelation to have nothing come up. A quick post about one of my favorite album's quickly turned into an extensive archival mission. Although the quality of many of the recordings I found are nowhere near that of the recordings available on the CD, I hope they can do some justice towards showcasing the beautiful eclectic mix that this CD provided me growing up. The following is a walkthrough of my first album, Portland Cello Project.
​

Danza Del Fuego:

​Starting off the album is an all cello arrangement of Manuel de Falla’s, “Danza ritual del fuego” from his ballet, El amor brujo. The performance on the CD is so expressive and deliberate. Snapping pizzicato, ritualistically mechanical bow strokes, and the clack of bows, immerse the listener into an inferno of sound. I can hear my love of over-the-top playing and con legno first emerging from this track. The recording above is not as good as the album, but the grittiness gets closer than most other performances I’ve found.
​

Power (Featuring Nick Jaina):

​This track not only spurred me to create one of the first arrangements I would ever create, but also introduced me to one of my favorite artists, Nick Jaina. I hope to do a post featuring him at some point, so stay tuned. The recording I’ve linked above is the exact recording from the album, which is more than I can offer for most of the other tracks on this list. The cryptic lyrics, haunting voice, and lush, driving cello made me fall in love with this tune.
​

Robin Hood Changes His Oil:

Next on the docket is a track that is not only a blast to listen to but also to play! The echoing delay effect of staggering the parts was such a huge inspiration for me when I first listened to it. It was a technique I borrowed when I got the opportunity to write my own cello work, I cavalieri. I credit Gideon Freudmann (the composer of this beautiful work) with inspiring me to make my earliest attempts at cello ensemble music.
​
There are a bunch of recordings of this track available on YouTube since Portland Cello Project makes a bunch of the music available for purchase on their website (I’ll include more info about them below). Sadly, none of these recordings are the one from the album. However, it is interesting to see how different the interpretations of this one song are, including one where the ensemble starts shuffling their feet back and forth under their instruments…
​

Gold (Featuring Weinland):

An interesting trend with this album that you might be picking up, is the sheer number of collaborations it features. I adore how all over the place it is, with a little bit of music for everyone. Personally, being the ever odder listener, I found something in every tune to enjoy.
​
“Gold”, features some of the most epic and soaring cello solos I had ever heard at the time. I remember whipping out my cello many times to play along, so satisfying! The light and folk-like sound of the voice also started to bring my attention towards a later love of folk music and bluegrass; yet another aspect of my musical identity that I credit to this album.
​

Divertissements for Performing Bears (Featuring 3 Leg Torso):

After much searching, I was ready to give up on this one. However, my brother was able to locate a different recording of the piece. Although not as good as the recording on the album, this is definitely the piece. To give you a rough description, imagine a wild amalgamation of mixed meter, clapping, accordion, violin, and cello. The listener is transported into a bustling tavern filled to the brim with drinking customers cheering on a trio of bears absolutely shredding. Does that help? Probably not, but the imagery always puts a smile on my face.
​

For Misty (Featuring Heather Broderick):

​After the energy and liveliness of the last track comes a solemn and simple tune which never fails to bring a tear to my eye. The repeating progression to me portrays a process of grieving, finding beauty in the loss through the memories left by someone who has passed on. The recording linked above struggles to do it justice, just because of the sheer amount of audience noise in the background. However, I will say that to hear a restless crowd brought into silence and awe can speak volumes to the power of the work.
​

Livin’ On the Side of the Why? (Featuring Hurtbird):​

This might have been one of the most “out there” tracks on the album… An environmentalist rap over cello choir and snare drum—you had to be there, but I promise it was good.
​

Hands in Pockets (Featuring Laura Gibson):

​The folk sound returns with this beautifully intimate song by Laura Gibson. It follows a character letting their love know that they’ll stick with them through the coldest and most uncertain of seasons. A warm and shimmering cello arrangement embraces the tune in a cozy hug as steady pizzicato adds a certain affectionate bumbling to top off an adorable love song.
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Toxic (Featuring John Brophy):

Yes, it’s the Toxic that you know… with bass drum and cello choir added. I warned you, this is an eclectic bunch. I wonder if Britney Spears ever thought her music would end up on a cello ensemble album. This is the sole recording I could find. The live performance elements are rather funny to watch, but I find it pales in comparison to the original, especially with the missing electric cello solo. : (
​

Under Glass (Featuring Musee Mecanique):

"Under Glass" is beautiful, an airy folk sound with glorious countermelodies in the cello. The story follows a regretful lover wishing they could take back something they said.
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Stay (Featuring Anna Fritz):

(Recording Missing)
​

​I’m sad to say that the remainder of the album is nowhere to be found on the great wide internet. If anyone else happens to find a place where you can listen to these, let me know and I’ll add them here for everyone. Alternatively, if you ever run into me and want to listen to them, let me know. I’ll have them on me, and I’ll perform a live version of this blog just for you.

​"Stay" is a tune about the power of music as a force for unification and progressive change, with a nice dual meaning about love. Lots of love songs on this album, a medium I find cello is wonderfully suited for.

Nelson (Featuring Loch Lomond):
​
(Recording Missing)
​

​This one is so intriguing, opening like a whimsical fairytale—an incredibly unique and wispy voice enters to further this otherworldly sensation. It tells a rather dark story and breaks into an absolutely epic cello choir chorus with vocals hollering out, “three feet a year!” Do I know what it means? No. Do I get chills every time I hear it? Yes.
​

Super Mario Bros. Theme:
​
(Recording Missing)
​

Yep, you read that right. After a long silent pause in the above Nelson track, a cello choir arrangement enters playing nine other than Koji Kondo’s theme from Super Mario Bros. Oh but the oddity doesn’t stop there, the track becomes progressively distorted as an electric cello grows steadily in volume until the pitches of the theme are barely distinguishable. Why? Don’t question it! It’s an absolute gem of an Easter egg and I love it. A nice little way to thank the listener for sticking through to the end!

Special thanks to my brother Finn who was able to find a few more of these tunes that I couldn't!
​

Summary and More About Portland Cello Project:
​

​Despite the album being unavailable online, Portland Cello Project has a ton of music that is available online. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you’re a cellist. Again, a lot of the works by Gideon Freudmann are available as sheet music to buy on the Portland Cello Project website or on his website here:
​www.cellobop.com/pdfsheetmusic.php

Portland Cello Project Spotify: 
open.spotify.com/artist/76RtDwuzicmWLEEE5ZtqIj?si=jVl9OAbwQk20vda8eq4b2Q

Portland Cello Project YouTube:
www.youtube.com/user/portlandcelloproject

Portland Cello Project Website:
​www.portlandcelloproject.com/

I hope that this album is one day resurrected online, but until then, I’ll keep searching for any online availability and share it here as I find it. Thank you for bearing with my rambling, thank you for reading, and happy jamming!
4 Comments
Phineas
12/14/2023 11:32:14 am

Very cool! Thanks for the recs!

Reply
Sean
12/14/2023 12:01:39 pm

Of course! Thanks for reading, and for finding a few of these!

Reply
Manny
1/18/2024 02:09:44 am

I'm very glad you found a type of compromise for the sad non-listing of your CD (which really does suck). My friend, I hope to see your work available on streaming platforms in the future! I very much so enjoy your relaxation / romance cello pieces.

I will keep you up to date on my SoundCloud experiment, for if it was worth it for gaining new connections. This project started in January and will complete by early February. If it works, I will immediately share my knowledge.

Bests!

Reply
Sean
1/19/2024 10:19:25 am

Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to comment! I'm hoping to have stuff on there soon. So far it's just SoundCloud and YouTube (the fact that it's free is a huge plus!)

Definitely keep me posted on that experiment. It could be helpful in addressing streaming concerns!

Reply



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    Sean Penzo is a composer, cellist, and writer currently based in Pittsburgh, PA

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