What does hope sound like? There are, of course, a myriad of answers to that question – but Ronald van Deurzen’s new single “Hopeful Bliss” seems to capture the very essence of hope. This recent winner of the OWMR Oneness Award is nothing short of a New Age music masterpiece! The single is unpretentious, honest, and heartfelt. “Hopeful Bliss” is hands down one of the finest New Age music pieces released in 2020, underlining that Ronald van Deurzen is an artist to follow in the years to come.
With an introduction like the one above, the only right thing to do is to present the “Hopeful Bliss” single right away – so that you can see that I’m not making this up:
Ronald Van Deurzen is a pianist, composer, and music teacher from The Netherlands. He grew up playing piano and organ, and he composed his first piece of music at age 11. His ability on the piano developed rapidly. When he was 15 he was offered to play professionally as a live-pianist for a Dutch-Belgian folk/country band and its dance company. Through his live experiences, Van Deurzen grew in improvising and finding his own sound. It eventually led him to a spot as keyboardist on several CD albums produced in the USA, both independently and through labels. When he moved to Sweden, he found the time to focus on his own music, releasing “Imaginations“ (2012) and “Tale of Dreams” (2013). He worked in Asia, teaching music and had his arrangements for orchestra performed live in concert with several vocalists from ‘The Voice – Thailand’, featuring guest-musicians of Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. Van Deurzen is now back in Sweden, where he is working on his next New Age music album.
Hopeful Bliss
Above I asked the rhetorical question: What does hope sound like? From Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Wachet auf, ruf uns die Stimme”, (Sleepers, awake) to Scorpions’ “Wind of Change”, many artists have tried capturing the atmosphere of hope in music. But even when mentioning esteemed artists like this, I believe Van Deurzen brings something new and essential to the table.
“Hopeful Bliss” starts gently. The soft and heavenly synth pad sounds lush and thick before bell-like keys cut in, laying the foundation for the flutes. It is like Mother Earth herself communicates through the flutes’ sounds, singing a song of harmony and balance. Notice the layers of textures, too; We hear some interesting clicking sounds. Then the flute is back, brilliantly backed by the violin. I like the buildup and how van Deurzen uses the bass to indicate that the tension is rising. The percussion is also masterful, not too much and not too little either. Then we are rewarded with the sublime orchestral theme and female opera singer, making this single into a true tour-de-force. One word: bravo!
In conclusion: I think it says something vital about the world we live in when it is easy to discredit artists who deal with “peace and love” in their art. We somehow cannot believe that they are sincere. But Ronald van Deurzen’s “Hopeful Bliss” is the real deal. If you want to feel both hope and bliss, check it out. You will not be disappointed, guaranteed.
For more information and music samples, visit ronaldvandeurzen.com