Latest news with #TheSummerPortraits
Korea Herald
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Ludovico Einaudi: composer behind soundtrack of our lives
Italian composer with 39 billion global streams talks about source of inspiration ahead of his visit to Korea You may not recognize the name Ludovico Einaudi, but chances are you've heard his music. The Italian composer's delicate piano melodies have resonated worldwide, featured in films, advertisements and streaming playlists. His compositions have surpassed 39 billion global streams -- more than Mozart or Beethoven in the digital era -- while his track 'Experience' has amassed 15.6 billion views on TikTok. His music has left a lasting impact on cinema as well, appearing in Academy Award-winning films such as 'Nomadland' and 'The Father.' On April 2, Einaudi, who recently released his 17th studio album, 'The Summer Portraits,' will perform at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, marking his first visit in eight years after a 2020 trip was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Life of endless inspiration Einaudi's inspirations are vast. His early exposure to Chopin, Bach and Schumann, thanks to his pianist mother, led him to explore European folk music, the Beatles and other 1960s rock. Over time, his influences expanded to include Vivaldi, Stravinsky, Bartok and even Billie Eilish, Eminem and Radiohead. 'I've listened to such a variety of music throughout my life, and I know I will continue to, as music remains a constant source of inspiration,' he said during a recent online interview with Korean media. Books are another creative wellspring. He always carries Henry David Thoreau's 'Walden' and 'The Journal." "Walden" is a classic reflection on simple living and nature, while "The Journal" is a collection of Thoreau's personal writings and observations. Both books explore themes of self-sufficiency, solitude and humanity's connection to nature. 'Reading Thoreau's work every day provides me with new inspiration. Each time I turn a page, I discover something fresh — not only about where we are now but also about where we should be heading in the future,' he added. For Einaudi, making music is like writing a book -- each album tells a different story. 'I see creating an album as similar to writing a book. It's about searching for the stories that will go into it. For example, my latest album, 'The Summer Portraits,' is about memories of summer. I once created an album centered around the theme of waves, and I like to think of each album as a book with its own unique story. The music within them is like the chapters of that book,' he said. Constant search for new territories The 70-year-old composer emphasized that he has no interest in repeating himself musically. 'Even if I had a successful piece from five or 10 years ago, I have no desire to repeat it. The power of what you create is always to find a new territory to explore something new. I like to be involved in the excitement of exploring new territories with new ideas with my music,' he said. When facing creative challenges, instead of actively searching for inspiration by traveling to specific places, he simply sits at the piano, follows his instincts, and refines his ideas. 'I analyze them and I develop the ones that I think are good and sometimes I find new territories of my soul,' he explained. His upcoming visit to Korea might be another source of new discoveries. 'I'd love to explore something interesting during this visit -- maybe even dive into the K-pop scene and its possibilities,' he said.
The Independent
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Ludovico Einaudi: ‘When it comes to critics, my vision is strong – I trust in what I do'
Ludovico Einaudi, one of the most-streamed composers in the world, has admitted that harsh reviews of his work can still sting, despite his confidence in his artistic vision. The renowned Italian composer discussed his polarising status among music critics in an exclusive interview with The Independent. 'I mean, it's not nice when someone is writing against you, and you cannot reply, you cannot do anything about it,' Einaudi, 69, confessed. 'But my trust in what I do, my vision is stronger, so I keep doing what I feel, and this for me is the most important [thing].' Einaudi is the debut guest on Roisin O'Connor's Good Vibrations podcast, which launches Friday 31 January. He rose to international fame in the early Eighties, performing original compositions at prestigious venues such as the Lincoln Centre and Teatro alla Scala. By the Nineties, he had cemented his reputation with a series of critically acclaimed albums, including Le Onde (The Waves), inspired by Virginia Woolf's novel, and 1999's Eden Roc. His work has spanned not only concert halls but also cinema, with acclaimed scores for films such as Shane Meadows' Bafta-winning This Is England (2006) and Florian Zeller's The Father (2020), starring Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins. Einaudi's latest work, The Summer Portraits, is arguably his most personal yet. Inspired by a trip to a Mediterranean villa, the album explores themes of childhood innocence, summer holidays, and family trauma. His music has long been admired for its ability to evoke powerful emotions, but it has also drawn criticism for being 'too populist' or overly accessible—criticisms that the composer dismisses with quiet resolve. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members) Sign up 'I keep doing what I feel,' he said, reflecting on the divide between his detractors and the millions of listeners who resonate with his music. 'My vision is what connects me with the people who listen. That's the most important thing for me.' Some of The Summer Portraits was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London, a treat for Einaudi who has previously spoken of his love of The Beatles. He revealed that he's excited about the Oasis reunion taking place this summer: 'Listening to their albums now, I think they had a nice energy,' he said. 'It's rock and roll but it's like they squeezed something out from the best moments of rock and roll and took it into the Nineties.' He continued: 'Probably if they were together they wouldn't have done so much. But I think they are stronger together. I was listening recently before the reunion – I was curious so I listened to both of their single projects, and not one of them was totally convincing for me [compared to Oasis albums]. I think it was like that for me also with The Beatles.' When it comes to composing his own work, Einaudi said: 'Music represents the vision of the world that I would like to have, where I would like to live, where I would like to be, how I would like to relate to others, how I would see a perfect life, of perfect emotions and feelings.' Lead single 'Rose Bay' takes its name from the suburb of Sydney where Einaudi's paternal grandfather, conductor Waldo Aldrovandi, emigrated in the 1930s in protest of Italy's fascist government, leaving his family behind. 'For my mother, music was connected with the loss of her father, so there was a very strong and sentimental connection – when she was playing piano, it was a way of communicating with the father she never saw again,' Einaudi said. Other upcoming guests on the Good Vibrations podcast include The Cult guitarist Billy Duffy, Mercury Prize-shortlisted R&B artist Nao, British actor and singer Ben Barnes, Nineties pop icon Chesney Hawkes, and critically acclaimed US alt-pop artist BANKS. Each episode will air fortnightly on Fridays and star a high-profile guest from the world of music. The podcast will be available on all major streaming services including Apple Music and Spotify. Ludovico Einaudi's new album The Summer Portraits is out Friday 31 January on Decca. He performs at the Royal Albert Hall London (30 June to 4 July), Manchester Co-op Live (6 July), Dublin 3Arena (8 July) and Edinburgh Castle 10-11 July).
