Pauline Frechette – “Moonlight Sonata In The Solitary Hour”
Pauline Frechette – “Moonlight Sonata In The Solitary Hour” – Single Review
I like learning. I saw this line on Pauline’s latest single posted about how this fusion between her song “In The Solitary Hour” and Beethoven’s legendary “Moonlight Sonata” and how “the combination of the two pieces of music has resulted in an enchanting and beautiful composition that gives further proof of Frechette’s emend talent.” “Emend talent” eh? That’s a word I had no idea even existed before now!
And now that I know what it is, I’m less sure about the context, but I do appreciate what’s being said. Beyond that, whether you consider it emend, or the good ol’ regular run of the mill extraordinary musical kind you see on our pages here all the time – the bottom line is yes, Pauline is a remarkable talent, all definitions considered and by any measure or standard. I’ll put it to you this way – I’ve been listening to her music since about 2016…so about five years now…I’ve not only had the pleasure of hearing her graceful & professional piano playing in a variety of impressive ways to this point in time – but the very idea of being able to hear a musician I respect as much as Frechette take on a timeless classic like “Moonlight Sonata” and incorporate that into a new hybrid ultra-composition…well…let’s just say I was more than a little excited about that opportunity, to say the least so that this review isn’t ninety pages long to read. For real though – I’m not even remotely kidding…I’d be hard pressed to be able to name a piece of music out there on this planet that I might actually enjoy more than I do listening to “Moonlight Sonata” – I’ve sure heard a lot of songs in this lifetime of mine, but that’s probably still the best of the best, no matter what category, style, or sound – it’s audible perfection. And while I understood the task at hand here…that Pauline would eventually deviate from that beloved classic to infuse her own original into the mix as well…I gotta say, it was still such a genuinely divine pleasure to hear the beginning of “Moonlight Sonata In The Solitary Hour” and recognize that superb melody of Beethoven’s start the song before it shifted along the way into what Frechette brings to it.
Speaking of…I’d reckon you’d actually consider that to be the main feature – what Pauline brings to it. I’ll fully admit, I didn’t actually know her original “In The Solitary Hour” song – it came from an EP she released back in 2019 called An Intimate Story…I didn’t end up reviewing that record personally, though I did review one of its main singles with “Jewel Box” in October of that year. The real bottom line here in context of listening in that regard, is that while I might not know Pauline’s single all that well, I know “Moonlight Sonata” almost inside & out – and the changes made to fuse these two songs together can be instantaneously heard less than about thirty seconds as the song begins to shift its dimensions & scope. While you’ll find the occasional piece come back here & there like around the 1:20 mark & such, the vast majority of what you hear becomes much more based around Pauline’s original, which is great! As it should be in a situation like this in my opinion. She’s done a tremendous job with how the transitions in & out are structured…it’s seamlessly interwoven like the two songs were somehow meant to be one, and perhaps that’s the best compliment you could pay towards an innovative endeavor like this. With the delicate strings surrounding her adding even more depth into the emotion & instrumentation of “Moonlight Sonata In The Solitary Hour” – it’d be hard to argue that this combination of songs is anything less that completely mesmerizing, enchanting, haunting, and stunningly beautiful – it’s all of these things and more, that I can promise ya. Ever the professional, Pauline has put sincerity into every key her fingertips land on…she plays with exceptional technique and subtle passion, charming us every bit as much as capturing the sensational drama that this exquisite melody has to offer us all.
In short, it is always a pleasure and an outright privilege to listen to her play – and upon this very song, I can guarantee you’ll hear all the reasons as to why that’s the full truth & nothing but the truth. She’s bold when she needs to be, angelic & sweet when the song calls for it, she captures the essence of mystery & melody combined here between these two compositions, and harnesses their energy & spirit to create an all-new experience that won’t be able to help impressing classical music-lovers out there. “Moonlight Sonata In The Solitary Hour” makes remarkable use of her talent, but also on a compositional level, you’ve gotta admire the ambitions of approaching music like this, and even more so, you’ve gotta be impressed by the results you’ll hear in this fusion-based combination Pauline plays. She’s as magnificent as ever, graceful as can be, and a consistent supplier of music with real substance – she might have had the advantage of good ol’ Ludwig at her side throughout parts of this song, but make no mistake, what Pauline brings to this single is what makes it all as truly magical as it becomes.
Find out more about Pauline Frechette at her official website at: https://www.paulinefrechette.com
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