Nyland, Willem
Piano Studies 337
Sublime private-press piano improvisations channeled from another world by Willem Nyland. Remastered from the original
tapes and reissued for the first time, with in-depth liner notes by Matt Marble of the American Museum of
Paramusicology.
A Columbia-educated chemist by profession and a self-taught pianist by affinity, Willem Nyland (1890-1975) is known as a
spiritual teacher in the tradition of Greek-Armenian mystic George Gurdjieff. In the mid/late 1960s, a split with
Gurdjieff led Nyland to start his own group in upstate New York. There, after a Friday night lecture on "The Work" and a
shot of brandy, Nyland would launch into remarkable piano improvisations on a specially tuned baby grand, sometimes
playing for over an hour. Each improvisation was meticulously recorded and cataloged, a major part of Nyland's
teachings. 16 of these recordings were released as standalone LPs on Nyland's own Gauge Hill Press, with artwork by
Hungarian American decorative artist Ilonka Karasz, Nyland's wife of over 50 years. These records, with their cascading,
deeply emotional playing and beautiful cover art, have become highly coveted by collectors and "paramusicologists." Each
contains depths of spiritual information and lyrical, almost visual instrumental storytelling. Nyland deftly and subtly
shifts moods and tones throughout these truly inspired extended improvisations.
Price
Genre
Format
LP · 1 disc
Release
11-07-2025
Label
Item-nr
1122230
EAN
0850024931886
Availability
Not in stock
Tracks
Title
Artist
1
337.A1
2
337.A2
3
337.A3
4
337.B1
5
337.B2
6
337.B3