''Elegiac Cycle'' is a solo piano album by

Brad Mehldau Bradford Alexander Mehldau (; born August 23, 1970) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Mehldau studied music at The New School, and toured and recorded while still a student. He was a member of saxophonist Joshua Redman's Quar ...

. It was issued in 1999 by Warner Bros. produced by Mehldau himself.

Background and music

Mehldau described the influence of

James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ...

's ''

Ulysses Ulysses is one form of the Roman name for Odysseus, a hero in ancient Greek literature. Ulysses may also refer to: People * Ulysses (given name), including a list of people with this name Places in the United States * Ulysses, Kansas * Ulysse ...

'' on the album being "cyclical in design, with a theme that began the record and returned at the ending, just as Odysseus's journey was a circular one in which he eventually arrived home". He also mentioned Joyce's use of Latin translated into English in the novel as an inspiration for a musical effect in "Memory's Tricks": "I silently depressed the notes of its meoldic motif with one hand, and with them held down, improvised other lines with the other hand, allowing the motif to peak out in the sympathetic vibrations that arose from the soundboard."

French edition

In 2011, the French publisher Outre Mesure released in both English and French the complete transcription note for note of ''Elegiac Cycle'', and some musical commentaries by Philippe André, the original manuscript “lead sheets” of Brad Mehldau and a long and recent interview by Ludovic Florin about the genesis of the record and where the musician stands with it now.

Track listing

''All pieces composed by Brad Mehldau'' #"Bard" 2:45 #"Resignation" 5:34 #"Memory's Tricks" 9:17 #"Elegy for William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg" 4:43 #"Lament for Linus" 1:27 #"Trailer Park Ghost" 9:19 #"Goodbye Storyteller (for Fred Myrow)" 10:27 #"Rückblick" 8:56 #"The Bard Returns" 4:16

Personnel

Primary artist *

- piano, producer, liner notes Production *Lawrence Azerrad – art direction, design *Alisha Chamberlain – assistant engineer *Michael Davenport – executive producer, management *Alan Yoshida – mastering *John Clark – photography *Bernie Kirsch – recording

References

{{Authority control 1999 albums Brad Mehldau albums Solo piano jazz albums Warner Records albums