Intensify by Nancy Gosset
Composer Nancy Gosset shares some background & the process behind this month's featured piece.
From the album Rising Mist, "Intensify" explores tension and resolve through musical curves. These mirror the unpredictable paths we navigate daily, reminding us that life's travels are not always easy to calculate and can be a confusing adventure.The darkest of the 5 tracks, Intensify takes the listener on a journey through a storm to a place of clarity. The floating piano lends whimsy to an otherwise moody listening experience! The music is largely improvised and minimally edited, preserving its spontaneity and emotional authenticity.
1. What was the starting point for this composition? Commission, request, opportunity, collaboration, parameters
The starting point was nature and inspiration drawn from a region in France (Parc National de forêts) , a location between northern Burgundy and la Côte d’Or France. This area is known for moody dramatic misty rural landscapes. This experience led to the album entitled “Rising Mist” which was released/distributed by SootheSounds in April 2025.
2. What did you enjoy most about the process of composing this piece?
I enjoyed connecting with the mood of the landscape, exploring the unpredictability of paths we all navigate, and arriving at a point of clarity. I also enjoyed exploring the dynamics through a Romantic, expressive style.
3. What were some of the challenges to consider and work through?
This particular piece didn’t pose a lot of challenges to work through as it was highly improvisational. Some decisions needed to be made in the editing process but nothing major. Finding the right visuals was a bit of a challenge. I wanted to include some whimsy to lower the dramatic temperature which I found in the floating piano. While the region isn’t known for its lakes, the motion and metaphors seemed to fit. (The misty forest toward the end of the video is more evocative of this region. ) Drawing from Romantic composers as inspiration, my intent was not to come at the listener with too much drama. Finding a balance between emotion and control is something I worked through with this piece.
4. Performance details: when/where/by whom?
I performed and created “Intensify” as part of my solo piano work.
Soothesounds distributed it under their Elite artists umbrella making it available to stream on most platforms including Spotify and Apple Music. No performance planned as of yet.
