Much current music relies on programmed textures, layered effects, and familiar production formulas. A solo piano recording works differently: with one player at a grand piano, every pause, attack, and shift in tempo remains exposed. That directness is part of its appeal. “Passion,” the new 10-track album by composer and pianist Rainer Oleak, centres on touch, timing, and the natural sound of the instrument.
Released through the Nu Jazzical imprint of Klangspot Recordings, this contemporary solo piano album brings classical composition together with jazz-inflected harmony. Oleak does not present those traditions as opposites. The pieces retain a clear formal shape, while their phrasing often feels loose and conversational. It will appeal to listeners who enjoy neoclassical piano and want more harmonic tension than a purely ambient record usually offers.
The musician behind the piano
“Passion” draws on Rainer Oleak’s long career in film and music. He has more than 1,500 credits and has written scores for films including Ich war noch niemals in New York and television series such as Stubbe. His studies at Berlin’s Hanns Eisler Academy gave him a foundation in composition, orchestration, and piano performance. That background comes through in the way these pieces develop: melodic ideas return, change direction, and leave space rather than rushing towards a neat ending.
Oleak’s work includes large orchestral scores as well as smaller, more personal recordings. He writes from his Tonscheune Oleak studio in Brandenburg, but on “Passion” he sets the orchestra aside. The piano carries every melodic line, harmonic turn, and dramatic shift. The arrangements are spare without feeling slight. A few carefully placed notes can achieve more than a crowded arrangement. The album is emotional without pressing too hard for sentiment, a restraint that suits intimate piano music.
The idea behind “Passion”
The title “Passion” suggests intensity, attachment, and private feeling. Oleak approaches those ideas through changing moods rather than a single emotional register. Some passages move gently and almost weightlessly; others settle into darker chords or a more insistent pulse. The record unfolds as a sequence of brief musical scenes, connected by the piano’s sound and the player’s measured approach.
Oleak does not depend on speed or flashy virtuosity. Much of the album’s character lies in restraint: a phrase held back for a moment, a chord allowed to fade, or a slight change in pressure that alters a note’s colour. The pacing leaves room for close listening, particularly on headphones, while remaining approachable at a low volume in the room.
“Puppet” in focus
Among the pieces on “Passion,” “Puppet” offers a particularly clear view of Oleak’s style. It moves between delicacy and weight while keeping a recognisable shape. The piece does not pursue a large climax. Instead, its tension gathers through small gestures, then eases before the music becomes too heavy.
The opening chords of “Puppet” are slightly melancholy, though their movement also carries a playful quality. Its understated waltz-like pulse suggests the uneven steps of a marionette. Oleak uses rubato, stretching and tightening the tempo, so the performance breathes instead of following a rigid grid. The harmony moves between warmth and unease, pairing a classically formed melody with fuller jazz chords. The writing has a cinematic quality that suits a composer known for screen music, yet “Puppet” does not require an imagined scene. It works as a solo piano composition with its own quiet logic.
Where Nu Jazzical fits
The music on “Passion” resists a single genre label. That makes the Nu Jazzical imprint of Klangspot Recordings a natural home for the release. Listeners searching for neoclassical jazz piano, modern classical piano, or instrumental music shaped by jazz harmony will find elements of each approach here.
The album has the controlled dynamics, thematic development, and careful phrasing associated with contemporary classical piano. At times, its direct emotional tone recalls Romantic piano writing. Oleak also uses jazz dissonance, extended chords, and resolutions that arrive later than expected, if they arrive at all. These choices prevent the music from becoming overly polished or sweet. Classical clarity and jazz colour sit together naturally. “Passion” can accompany a quiet evening, while repeated listens bring out further detail in its chord voicings and subtle rhythmic shifts.
An intimate piano recording
A solo piano album depends heavily on its recording. If the sound is too distant, the player loses intimacy; if it is too close or processed, the piano can become clinical. “Passion” finds a convincing middle ground, with a warm, close sound that keeps the instrument present without removing the sense of room around it.
The recording captures more than sustained notes. The soft impact of wooden hammers, the action of the felt dampers, and the room’s natural decay remain audible. These details give the performance a physical scale. The production also retains dynamic range rather than flattening each phrase with heavy compression. Quiet notes remain quiet, and when Oleak leans into a chord, it has force. That contrast matters in cinematic piano music, where atmosphere can become bland when every moment has the same volume and density.
Music for work and rest
“Passion” also suits ordinary parts of the day. Instrumental piano music can accompany a space without demanding constant attention, especially after hours of notifications, meetings, and background noise. This is not music made to fill silence at any cost. Silence remains part of the performance.
The album can accompany writing, reading, studying, or work that benefits from a calm but active atmosphere. There is enough melodic movement to hold the ear, though the music rarely becomes distracting. It also fits later in the day, when a quieter record may be more satisfying than another screen or stream of information. Some listeners may return most often to individual pieces; others may prefer to let the album unfold without interruption.
Rainer Oleak’s focused solo piano album
On “Passion,” Rainer Oleak brings classical structure and jazz harmony together in a focused solo piano recording. His compositions are controlled, yet they leave room for uncertainty, tension, and silence. The album does not attempt to overwhelm. Its character emerges through phrasing, touch, and careful harmonic detail. For listeners seeking contemporary piano music for a quiet evening, a study session, or close headphone listening, “Passion” rewards return visits. Klangspot Recordings has released a record that keeps its focus on the piano and the player behind it.
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