“A STORY” by Richard Green

Richard Green’s A Story, released on April 24, 2024, represents a significant contribution to contemporary neoclassical music and forms the opening track of A Journey, the second installment in his three-part trilogy. Conceived as more than a composition, the work is positioned as a musical narrative, drawing listeners into an exploration of the human condition through sound. By framing music as lived experience, Green continues to refine his distinctive vision: the transformation of memory, emotion, and philosophy into art. The piece was composed in London and recorded at Studio Elfo in Piacenza, Italy, a location known for its dedication to acoustic clarity and artistic excellence. In A Story, Green demonstrates a capacity to move fluidly between genres, merging the sophistication of classical composition with the expressive intensity of jazz and the emotional resonance of blues. This integration is not decorative; it is structural, giving the piece an unpredictability that reflects the very subject it seeks to portray—life itself.

Central to the recording is the performance of acclaimed pianist Irene Veneziano. Her interpretive command provides both nuance and authority, articulating Green’s themes with precision and depth. Complementing her is the Archimia String Quartet, whose presence lends warmth, texture, and harmonic richness. Their collaboration exemplifies the balance between individual virtuosity and ensemble cohesion, ensuring that the composition achieves both clarity of detail and breadth of expression. At its thematic core, A Story emphasizes the concept of music as narrative. Green’s trilogy is carefully structured, with each part contributing to a larger arc. Within this design, A Story operates as a point of reflection, suggesting that every life—through its joys, struggles, and transformations—constitutes an unfolding tale.

The composition captures this idea through deliberate shifts: passages of intimate lyricism alternate with bold, jazz-inflected statements, resisting monotony and echoing the unpredictability of lived experience. What distinguishes the work within Green’s catalogue is its structural ambition. The transitions between styles are not abrupt but purposeful, creating a sense of inevitability in the movement from one section to the next. The result is music that is technically rigorous yet emotionally immediate, accessible without sacrificing depth. As anticipation builds for the completion of the trilogy with First Chapter, A Story affirms Green’s stature as a composer who unites classical refinement with contemporary resonance, offering a work that endures both as art and as a statement of vision.