Mondo To Release 7” LP of “The Unplayable Piece” From GRAND PIANO

Grand Piano Director Eugenio Mira proudly displays copies of Mondo's 7" vinyl release of "La Cinquette."

On November 21st, 2014, Mondo will be quietly releasing another covetous collectible on vinyl. What makes this particular title so unique is that it features only one “unplayable” piece of music.

One of my favorite movies of 2013 was Eugenio Mira’s Grand Piano starring Elijah Wood as Tom Selznick — a piano virtuoso forced to perfection by a lone sniper hidden among the rafters of a magnificent concert hall. From a musical perspective, it is a technical marvel that has no equal. The first two times through the movie I simply could not get the pounding thoughts of “how in the hell did they do this!???” out of my head. It is remarkable on every level.

Read my review of the score for Grand Piano here.

At the heart of this exquisite film, is “La Cinquette,” a single short piano work nicknamed the “The Unplayable Piece.” It’s a beautiful work composed specifically for the film and performed by Selznick during the rousing climax of the film. While most record companies might conclude that a single three-minute piano work isn’t quite worth the time and effort to release on vinyl, for Mondo, it’s right up their alley.

This limited edition (to 500 units) 7” single features the piano piece “La Cinquette” on the A-side and nothing on the B-side. It is housed in a beautifully designed slip-jacket shaped like a piano with Tom Selznick’s monogram emblazoned in gold on the front. When you open the cover, you see that it’s an invitation to Selznick’s recital (notice the black keys have now turned into bullets!). It all slips inside a black envelope marked with crosshairs.

Even though it’s easily the shortest release (in terms of minutes of music), Mondo has painstakingly ironed out every nuance to create a release I would consider one of their best to date. The art direction is exquisite and “The Unplayable Piece” sounds miraculous — as if the piano is poised just feet away from your ears.

The single will go on sale on Friday, November 21st, and sell for $15. Follow @MondoNews on Twitter to receive notice when it goes on sale.