Farm of Dreams is a collection of nine pieces, six of which are original compositions. Most are acoustic piano solos, and a couple are digital piano and accompaniment. In addition to being a composer/pianist, Comune is an educator and a Steinway Artist. She started playing the piano at the age of three, started composing at eight, was awarded scholarships, and studied with a very impressive list of internationally-known teachers. Farm of Dreams is one of her earlier albums (1993) and gives a vivid demonstration of how versatile Ms. Comune is as both a pianist and a composer. The three cover pieces include a Joplin rag, a Chopin nocturne and a Jimmy van Heusen standard. Her original pieces freely cross over into several genres of music, giving her a distinctive voice.

Farm of Dreams begins with Scott Joplin’s “Solace - A Mexican Serenade,” his only rag with a Latin rhythm. Comune plays it gently and as originally written - a delightful opener! “Homecoming” is a lovely piece that reflects on the warmth and beauty of finding where you truly belong. Melodic and often dreamy, Comune clearly shows why she named her publishing company “Elegant Entertainment & Co.” “Mr. Cardinale” is a tribute to Comune’s father as well as to a lovely red bird who befriended her when she moved to Florida. The sound of birds adds a touch of nature to the piece, but stops short of being a duet for piano and cardinals. “Romance” savors the passion of love and celebrates the beauty of the moment. The rapidly flowing passages bring to mind what it feels like when your heart is beating so fast that you aren’t sure you can breathe. “Moonsong” is a tender love song that could easily support lyrics, but doesn’t need to. “Arribadas” (Spanish for “arrivals”) is a fascinating piece about the nesting sea turtles off the coast of Florida. Tropical rhythms and additional instrumentation give the piece a sense of fun as well as telling the story of the turtles. Chopin’s best-known Nocturne (“Nocturne in Eb Major, Op. 9 #2) is performed elegantly and from the heart. The album ends with the title track, a piece about that special place everyone has where they “farm their dreams.” Moderately slow and very graceful, this is my favorite track on the album. Sheet music is available for this piece from www.CarolComune.com. Composed in the key of B major (5 sharps), it isn’t as easy as it sounds, but is a wonderful piano solo with plenty of room for expression (and daydreams).

Farm of Dreams would be a welcome addition to your piano recordings! I look forward to discovering more of Carol Comune’s music! Farm of Dreams is available from Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby. Recommended!