Songs I rest to. Bluebird
Alexis Ffrench - Bluebird
I've always loved a waltz. My nan was a huge fan of Johann Strauss II - the Waltz King, as he was known - and that love for the waltz found its way to me through her and through her piano lessons. There's something about both modern classical and traditional classical waltzes that, depending on the instrumentation, I find deeply calming - and if it's typically solo piano, even more so.
So when Bluebird came into my life, it made complete sense that it would mean something to me.
I was in the middle of building up my professional performing career - weddings, events, corporate sets, all of it. I absolutely loved the work, but the rehearsal load at the time was heavy. Learning new repertoire, expanding my set lists, keeping everything performance-ready. It was a lot, and I found practising genuinely hard during that period.
Even though my practice schedule was full on, whenever I saw Bluebird next to my name on a set list or on my practice list, I'd almost catch myself smiling. It never felt like work. It felt like calm. It was the first piece I'd ever heard from Alexis Ffrench - and I think that might be the case for a lot of people, because the song is just so well known and so immediately beautiful. It's one of those pieces that finds you rather than the other way around.
And then there's the music video - Alexis playing on a grand piano, his daughter dancing around him. I think it's just absolutely beautiful. The whole thing captures exactly what the song feels like. Graceful, warm, full of love.
I still play it to this day. At morning sets, pre-ceremony at weddings, certain events where it just feels right. And without fail, someone will come and ask me what that piece was. Every single time. There's just something about it that stops people.
It was such a lovely introduction to Alexis Ffrench's music, and it sent me down a rabbit hole of everything else he's made. But Bluebird was the beginning - and it's definitely a song I'll rest to for the rest of my life.
Lewis x
rest. by Lewis Bolland is a series of calming felt piano music releases written for sleep, relaxation, studying, and the quiet moments in between. If you enjoy modern classical and ambient piano music from artists like Ludovico Einaudi, Gibran Alcocer, Max Ricter, and Alexis Ffrench, rest. was made with you in mind.
Whether you are looking for piano music to help with insomnia, anxiety, focus, or just a calmer day, all volumes are available to stream now on Spotify and Apple Music. Shop restalso has a growing collection of digital art prints and wellbeing worksheets designed to help you slow down and rest a little more.
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