“Vienna Blues”
(Composed and performed by Reynold D. Philipsek 2011 and 2026 copyright Zino-Rephi Music BMI)*
This is a “live” in-studio recording video done by my friend Rene Erickson. The original studio recording appears on the “Picture This” and “Tales from the North Woods” albums. This is a very condensed version.
The piece is based on a 12-tone row but I tried to relieve the melodic angularity by shaping the harmony, in a small way, to fashion a more blues-like mood.
Of course, the very seriously grim Arnold Schoenberg (the originator of 12-tone composition and father of the Second Viennese School) and the “Blues” don’t seem like an obvious match but that was the challenge to and subtle joke about it.
(S.J. Perelman once said, “the best jokes are the ones nobody ever gets.”)
The 12 tone row I used for “Vienna Blues” is B flat, D, E flat, C, F, G, E, F Sharp, A,
G sharp, C sharp, B. (I’m pretty sure no one really cares about that info but I felt obligated to prove it really is a 12 tone row).
It’s stuff like this which has helped to make Philipsek a household name.
Stay well.
Be kind.
Love,
Reyn