Charles Knudsen
Thank you for visiting my channel.
I compose contemporary classical music rooted in tonality and enriched by impressionistic color.
This channel features original works for strings and piano, including nocturnes, sonatas, and chamber music, performed by professional musicians, with occasional piano performances by me. I also write children's stories and create music for them, so I will at times post narrated videos of my stories here.
I’m drawn to music that balances lyricism and tension, clarity and atmosphere. I also enjoy collaborating with visual artists, exploring how sound and image can enrich each other.
I’m so glad you’re here. Comments and conversation are always welcome.
Charles Knudsen
A lot of people have commented on the great sound quality of this performance. The magic lies in the studio itself.
Please click here to learn all about the new upgrades at the Wroclaw Academy!
www.lsionline.com/news/wroclaw-academy-upgrades-st…
1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 2
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Charles Knudsen
A few years ago, someone in my family with whom I was very close asked me if I would write a piano piece for her.
She had attended her older brother's wedding, where I performed a piece I had composed for the occasion. Afterward, she asked if I would write one for her wedding someday. I promised I would.
At the time, she wasn't seeing anyone, so I didn't begin working on it right away. Later, she met a wonderful man whom she loved dearly, and I finally started writing the piece. It was meant to be romantic, nostalgic, and full of hope.
But I never finished it.
In a tragedy that shocked our entire family, she passed away unexpectedly one night while I was still working on the music. She never heard a single note of it.
For a long time, the unfinished manuscript remained just that—unfinished. I couldn't continue writing it in the same spirit after what had happened.
Then, a few years later, I discovered an old recording on my phone containing some of the original ideas. I decided it was finally time to return to the piece and complete it.
The result is Pavane.
It is not the piece I originally intended to write. It still contains traces of the hopeful and romantic music that came first, but it also carries feelings of loss, longing, and, if I'm honest, a little regret. Above all, though, I hope it reflects something of the grace, kindness, and goodness that made her so special to those who knew her.
I've shared this piece with my family, and now I'm sharing it with all of you.
For those who knew and loved her, I hope it brings a measure of comfort. And for everyone else, I hope the music speaks for itself.
1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 3
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Charles Knudsen
Many of you know Lament for Piano. At the moment, it’s my most-streamed piece on Spotify and probably the piece people mention most often when they contact me.
Recently, I had the opportunity to create a string quartet version, performed by the Emerald Quartet. This was my first time arranging one of my piano works for strings, and I quickly discovered that it was much more than simply assigning notes to different instruments.
One challenge was resonance. A piano can sustain notes with the pedal while other musical events happen around them. In one passage of Lament, a low E continues to ring beneath an F major arpeggio, creating a gentle dissonance that gives the music its color. With strings, that note cannot simply linger on its own. I had to find ways to establish it in the listener’s ear while preserving the flow of the music, sometimes moving material between instruments to keep the passage alive.
Another challenge was harmony. On the piano, all the notes of a chord can be played at once by a single performer. A string quartet gives you four principal voices, and even with occasional double stops, difficult choices have to be made. I found myself asking which notes were truly essential and which could be sacrificed without losing the character of the harmony.
One surprise was that dissonances often sound less sharp in an open string texture than they do on the piano. In a few places, I actually changed bass notes from the original version to restore some of the tension and color I was hearing in my head.
I learned a tremendous amount from this project, and I can’t thank the Emerald Quartet enough for their patience, musicianship, and ability to make the piece sound as though it had always belonged to strings rather than piano.
If you’re interested, I’ll create a playlist so you can listen to the piano and string quartet versions side by side.
And this won’t be the last experiment. The Waltz of Time is already being transformed into a string quartet. Its character is very different from Lament, which presents an entirely new set of challenges. I’m looking forward to sharing that as well.
1 week ago | [YT] | 1
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Charles Knudsen
A little story behind my recently released piece, Nocturne for Piano.
A few years ago, a friend asked me if I would write a romantic nocturne. I thought it was a lovely idea and promised I would. Then life got busy, and somehow two years passed before I finally got around to it.
The funny thing is that by the time I finished the piece, my friend had completely forgotten about the request.
Still, I’m glad I followed through. Inspired by the nocturnes of the late Romantic period, I wanted to create something lyrical, expressive, and heartfelt. I can easily imagine it being played at a wedding or during another special moment.
If you’re a pianist and would like to perform Nocturne for Piano at a wedding or event, send me an email through my website and I’d be happy to send you the score.
I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
1 week ago | [YT] | 2
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Charles Knudsen
More photos from the rehearsal with the Emerald String Quartet!
3 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 18
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Charles Knudsen
Hi, everyone. Just wanted to share that Pavane has been accepted onto a very cool playlist on Spotify. If you like reading to chill music, this playlist is for you.
open.spotify.com/playlist/7dQQPuB0vyQiaoQjULh0Sn?s…
1 month ago | [YT] | 3
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Charles Knudsen
Hi, everyone. I just wanted to share with you an article written about my album and EP in the industry times. I really appreciate the staff writers at the Times for writing such a solid piece.
theindustrytimes.com/charles-knudsen-makes-a-quiet…
1 month ago | [YT] | 6
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Charles Knudsen
Hi, everyone. Just a few updates about upcoming releases. I'm working with the incredible Emerald Strings again on one piece for string quartet and another for piano quintet. They just wrapped up recording yesterday and I should have the video out in a couple of weeks! I've already had a sneak peak and I'm really excited to share it with you.
1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 30
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Charles Knudsen
Hi again. Just a few more updates regarding Spotify playlists.
Pavane was accepted onto Solo Piano Relax
open.spotify.com/playlist/2NPZpcQsKrbRzjGu2YxEWx?s…
Reverie is now on the following:
Piano in the Rain
open.spotify.com/playlist/3d6aihVjBFtdvVI8Tb9P7u?s…
Spring Mornings Instrumentals
open.spotify.com/playlist/0YwrVuyPtWea4G5VKemdLC?s…
Elegant Solo Piano
open.spotify.com/playlist/6jtq6TP78sgGzp9Ms9kpVd?s…
Calm Instrumentals for Work and Focus
open.spotify.com/playlist/3df3qmBm3p9yc6MKVesR3B?s…
Nocturne No. 2 is now on the following:
Relaxing Melodic Instrumental Music for Reading and Studying
open.spotify.com/playlist/3yVHp5ncVoWJwbJyH32lXb?s…
Awake
open.spotify.com/playlist/7dQQPuB0vyQiaoQjULh0Sn?s…
Introspective Instrumental Music
open.spotify.com/playlist/79eYAv4kSFxCUawDkUWspL?s…
Finally, the Waltz of Time is on
Classical Romance Romantic Classical Music
open.spotify.com/playlist/5b9T6LbrHfJmW7CFuCho51?s…
If you get a chance to download or share these playlists, you will be supporting not only the curators but a lot of artists.
1 month ago | [YT] | 3
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Charles Knudsen
Hi, everyone. I'm very happy to share with you that my Nocturne No. 2 has been added to a very special playlist on Spotify called Peaceful Evening Music, which makes perfect sense since my piece is an nocturne from an album called "At Eventide." I was quite thrilled that my piece is played just before Rachmaninoff's "Lilacs," which is one of my favorites. Please support if you can by playing the playlist. It's nine hours long so perfect for those hours before going to sleep and even when you're in a deep slumber. Thanks again.
open.spotify.com/playlist/6wlmkYvptOsKOnrT4mq9iP?s…
1 month ago | [YT] | 5
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