COMPLETES A REMARKABLE TRILOGY OF SOLO PIANO WORKS THAT BEGAN WITH PIANO PORTRAITS (2017) AND CONTINUED WITH PIANO ODYSSEY (2018)
“one of the most meaningful suites of piano music I have ever done”
– Rick Wakeman
Madfish are proud to announce the new album from legendary Yes keyboardist and composer Rick Wakeman. The new album Melancholia is set for release on 17th October and takes its place as the crowning jewel in a remarkable piano trilogy that began with 2017’s Piano Portraits and continued in 2018 with Piano Odyssey – both landmark albums that found Rick reaching new heights of popularity and critical esteem as a solo artist.
But while those records looked outward, reinterpreting beloved melodies and exploring sweeping themes, Melancholia turns inward, inviting us into the most personal, introspective, and perhaps profound music of Wakeman’s storied career.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR MELANCHOLIA
1. Sitting at the Window [03:24]
2. Reflection [03:41]
3. Pathos [04:13]
4. Dance of the Ghosts [03:57]
5. Alone [04:46]
6. The Morning Light [03:28]
7. Garo [03:50]
8. All in the Mind [05:01]
9. Sea of Tranquility [02:59]
10. Missing [03:39]
11. Watching Life [03:50]
12. Melancholia [03:39]
PRE-ORDER MELANCHOLIA (17th October)
Melancholia will be released on the following formats:
• CD
• Special Edition 2- disc CD+DVD set - inc. hi-res stereo + ‘Inside Melancholia’ short film
• Silver vinyl LP
• Black vinyl LP
• Digital
The album began, as so much of Wakeman’s finest work has, with a quiet moment at the piano. One afternoon, his wife Rachel overheard him playing a contemplative piece - what would later become “Garo” - and was struck by its quiet emotional power. And because she knew well that he often turned to the piano in times of sadness or inner turbulence, using music as a kind of emotional compass, she encouraged him to share it.
What followed was not a conceptual record in the traditional sense, but a deeply cohesive suite, written intuitively at first and later shaped in collaboration with long-time producer and engineer Erik Jordan at The Granary Studio in Norfolk and recorded on a beautiful Steinway Model D.
"Long live the King of the Keyboards" - Sunday Express
Wakeman, of course, needs little introduction. A virtuoso keyboardist, composer, and arranger, he rose to fame with Yes, helping to define the sound of progressive rock and earning his place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. His solo output spans over a hundred albums, from grand concept works to soundtracks and acoustic meditations. In 2021, he was awarded a CBE for services to music and broadcasting. Rick continues to be prolific on the live scene with a UK tour scheduled in Autumn 2025.
Melancholia will be released on 17th October 2025 on Madfish. Pre-order here.
For more high-res images please see: https://www.madfishmusic.com/media/rickwakeman/
For more information:
https://www.rickwakemansmusicemporium.com/
www.rwcc.com
www.instagram.com/rickwakemanmusic
https://www.facebook.com/RickWakemanMusic
https://twitter.com/GrumpyOldRick
Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com
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