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Search Result for Artist ROEDELIUS
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BB 078CD
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Breathtakingly beautiful piano fantasies from the year 1985 -- released for the very first time! In 1985, Hans-Joachim Roedelius was still perceived by the music community as an electronic artist. Yet ever since acquiring his Bösendorfer grand piano in 1983, his interest had grown in the most royal of instruments: the piano. While staying with Brian Eno in 1985 (they had collaborated earlier in the '70s), Roedelius composed a wealth of new material on his friend's two grand pianos (or, as Roedelius would say: the music flew to him). He organized a series of concerts to introduce his new musical direction, with the Bloomsbury Theatre in London amongst the venues. Guests included Brian Eno and The Edge, with Roedelius taking the belated opportunity to use the artwork to thank them accordingly for their support. For Roedelius, this London concert remains one of the highlights of his career: "At the Bloomsbury Theatre I encountered a Steinway grand piano of exceptional quality. I was thus given the perfect opportunity to put my ideas of simple piano rendition into practice. For me, the aural explorer, it was a gift from heaven," he describes of the instrument. The audience responded enthusiastically. "People were kneeling down before me in gratitude and happiness," Roedelius recalls. And anyone who listens to the recordings will understand why. Roedelius plays his way through 21 delicate, drifting piano fantasies, sometimes meandering dreamfully, often progressing towards gorgeous, deeply moving melodies. Asmus Tietchens musings on Roedelius' 1991 opus Piano Piano are just as valid here: "His music is quiet and focused, but to call it contemplative or even meditative would also be wide of the mark: not all music which draws us out of ourselves is accompanied by spiritual pomp." (Fortunately, there is no audible trace of the audience at any point of the recording.) Which leaves us with the question: why did we have to wait 25 years for this treasure to see the light of day? Roedelius explains: "I always knew that this concert would have to be made available some day, I was just waiting for the right moment, for the right partners who would do it justice."
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BB 078LP
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LP version. Breathtakingly beautiful piano fantasies from the year 1985 -- released for the very first time! In 1985, Hans-Joachim Roedelius was still perceived by the music community as an electronic artist. Yet ever since acquiring his Bösendorfer grand piano in 1983, his interest had grown in the most royal of instruments: the piano. While staying with Brian Eno in 1985 (they had collaborated earlier in the '70s), Roedelius composed a wealth of new material on his friend's two grand pianos (or, as Roedelius would say: the music flew to him). He organized a series of concerts to introduce his new musical direction, with the Bloomsbury Theatre in London amongst the venues. Guests included Brian Eno and The Edge, with Roedelius taking the belated opportunity to use the artwork to thank them accordingly for their support. For Roedelius, this London concert remains one of the highlights of his career: "At the Bloomsbury Theatre I encountered a Steinway grand piano of exceptional quality. I was thus given the perfect opportunity to put my ideas of simple piano rendition into practice. For me, the aural explorer, it was a gift from heaven," he describes of the instrument. The audience responded enthusiastically. "People were kneeling down before me in gratitude and happiness," Roedelius recalls. And anyone who listens to the recordings will understand why. Roedelius plays his way through 21 delicate, drifting piano fantasies, sometimes meandering dreamfully, often progressing towards gorgeous, deeply moving melodies. Asmus Tietchens musings on Roedelius' 1991 opus Piano Piano are just as valid here: "His music is quiet and focused, but to call it contemplative or even meditative would also be wide of the mark: not all music which draws us out of ourselves is accompanied by spiritual pomp." (Fortunately, there is no audible trace of the audience at any point of the recording.) Which leaves us with the question: why did we have to wait 25 years for this treasure to see the light of day? Roedelius explains: "I always knew that this concert would have to be made available some day, I was just waiting for the right moment, for the right partners who would do it justice." On 180 gram vinyl with free download code.
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BB 069CD
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Of all the Hans-Joachim Roedelius solo releases, this is the one which most closely resembles the work of Cluster. Wasser Im Wind sees Roedelius use a wide variety of musical and sonic ingredients hitherto associated with Cluster, almost as if he sought to erect a monument to the group. Right from the word "go," the familiar sound of the Drummer One rhythm machine can be discerned on the opening track, like a wood gnome crashing his way through the shire; then we hear those hand-played, swirling keyboard patterns so typical of Roedelius; his drifting melodies, with no beginning or end, gone before one has barely recognized them; synthetic sounds recalling the heroic era of the mid-'70s; and occasional glimpses of the shadow of Dieter Moebius as sounds and forms emerge from his cosmos. Might one suggest that Roedelius recorded a Cluster album all by himself? No, absolutely not! The astute listener will note how effortlessly Roedelius performs his balancing act on Wasser Im Wind. The album captures Roedelius on the threshold of something quite new to him. On the one hand, the electronic elements he utilizes recall the Cluster virtues he knew so well, on the other hand, he is already experimenting with a wealth of baroque forms which will come to influence his playing in the future, particularly with regard to the piano. So Wasser Im Wind is no longer the past, nor is it quite the future. Piano features prominently on this LP, but has not yet taken center stage. By inviting the saxophonist Czjzek to join him on three album tracks, Roedelius manages to confuse matters splendidly, as two seemingly incompatible musical notions meet head on. Nevertheless, Roedelius' spirit floats above these waters as well, transforming the listener's initial irritation into baffled amazement. Another successfully conducted experiment!
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BB 069LP
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LP version on 180 gram vinyl. Of all the Hans-Joachim Roedelius solo releases, this is the one which most closely resembles the work of Cluster. Wasser Im Wind sees Roedelius use a wide variety of musical and sonic ingredients hitherto associated with Cluster, almost as if he sought to erect a monument to the group. Right from the word "go," the familiar sound of the Drummer One rhythm machine can be discerned on the opening track, like a wood gnome crashing his way through the shire; then we hear those hand-played, swirling keyboard patterns so typical of Roedelius; his drifting melodies, with no beginning or end, gone before one has barely recognized them; synthetic sounds recalling the heroic era of the mid-'70s; and occasional glimpses of the shadow of Dieter Moebius as sounds and forms emerge from his cosmos. Might one suggest that Roedelius recorded a Cluster album all by himself? No, absolutely not! The astute listener will note how effortlessly Roedelius performs his balancing act on Wasser Im Wind. The album captures Roedelius on the threshold of something quite new to him. On the one hand, the electronic elements he utilizes recall the Cluster virtues he knew so well, on the other hand, he is already experimenting with a wealth of baroque forms which will come to influence his playing in the future, particularly with regard to the piano. So Wasser Im Wind is no longer the past, nor is it quite the future. Piano features prominently on this LP, but has not yet taken center stage. By inviting the saxophonist Czjzek to join him on three album tracks, Roedelius manages to confuse matters splendidly, as two seemingly incompatible musical notions meet head on. Nevertheless, Roedelius' spirit floats above these waters as well, transforming the listener's initial irritation into baffled amazement.
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BB 066CD
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Bureau B reissues the eleventh solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1986 on the small Norwegian label Cicada. If we can agree on 1969 as the year of Cluster's inception, then Roedelius needed a good 17 years to discover the aural qualities and musical beauty of the grand piano for his own compositions. More precisely, he must have become aware of the grand piano during the recording sessions for Jardin Au Fou (1979) and Lustwandel (1981) in Peter Baumann's Paragon studio. Another five years would pass before he built an album entirely around the piano, with electronic elements altogether absent. There is no sign of the Farfisa organ or indeed any of the synthesizers which had previously been such a common feature of Roedelius' solo works. The piano sounds were left untreated. Indeed, he was clearly so fascinated by the sonority and potential of the Bösendorfer grand piano that, a few overdubs notwithstanding, he dispensed with virtually all distinguishing features of his musical approach. On Wie Das Wispern Des Windes, Roedelius played his way into virgin territory, as new to his listeners as it was to him. It's no wonder that Wispern was released not on a specialist electronic label in Germany, but on a small Norwegian label called Cicada. Rarely has the title of a Roedelius album (trans. "Like the whispering of the wind") so poetically and yet so accurately described its content. Roedelius expands his études towards amorphousness; then suddenly, a disarmingly familiar melody appears, from a completely different source, perhaps (Harmonia? Cluster?). To continue the poetic theme of the LP's title, Roedelius is not only listening to the wind, he surrenders to it, allowing himself to be carried hither and thither; effortlessly, weightlessly transported to where the sun shines brightest. In this context, the image of a butterfly may be pushing the metaphor a little too far, but an apposite one nevertheless. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
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LP
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BB 066LP
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180 gram LP version. Bureau B reissues the eleventh solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1986 on the small Norwegian label Cicada. If we can agree on 1969 as the year of Cluster's inception, then Roedelius needed a good 17 years to discover the aural qualities and musical beauty of the grand piano for his own compositions. More precisely, he must have become aware of the grand piano during the recording sessions for Jardin Au Fou (1979) and Lustwandel (1981) in Peter Baumann's Paragon studio. Another five years would pass before he built an album entirely around the piano, with electronic elements altogether absent. There is no sign of the Farfisa organ or indeed any of the synthesizers which had previously been such a common feature of Roedelius' solo works. The piano sounds were left untreated. Indeed, he was clearly so fascinated by the sonority and potential of the Bösendorfer grand piano that, a few overdubs notwithstanding, he dispensed with virtually all distinguishing features of his musical approach. On Wie Das Wispern Des Windes, Roedelius played his way into virgin territory, as new to his listeners as it was to him. It's no wonder that Wispern was released not on a specialist electronic label in Germany, but on a small Norwegian label called Cicada. Rarely has the title of a Roedelius album (trans. "Like the whispering of the wind") so poetically and yet so accurately described its content. Roedelius expands his études towards amorphousness; then suddenly, a disarmingly familiar melody appears, from a completely different source, perhaps (Harmonia? Cluster?). To continue the poetic theme of the LP's title, Roedelius is not only listening to the wind, he surrenders to it, allowing himself to be carried hither and thither; effortlessly, weightlessly transported to where the sun shines brightest. In this context, the image of a butterfly may be pushing the metaphor a little too far, but an apposite one nevertheless. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
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BB 067CD
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Bureau B reissues Piano Piano by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1991 on the Italian label Materiali Sonori. In classical music, "pp" (piano piano = pianissimo) is a dynamic indication of particularly soft music. And Piano Piano is a very soft, quiet album. Roedelius assumes the role of a fairytale character with his piano music, transported to a strange, fantastical landscape where, filled with awe and amazement, he tries to get his bearings. What he sees, feels and senses here is not always of this world. Many impressions come from the dark within, others from who knows where. Roedelius strikes a hesitant figure in these realms, cautiously, delicately exploring his immediate and distant environs, much like a child transfixed by astonishment. And yet Piano Piano is anything but child-like. Initial comparisons were drawn between the piano music of Roedelius and that of Eric Satie. This was no more accurate than the erroneous "ambient" label pinned to his material. Satie's compositions were based on rigid formalism -- Roedelius strives to free himself from the restrictive corset of form, while "ambient" belies the careful listening which is required to appreciate his to the full. Nor does Piano Piano sit halfway between Satie and ambient, instead tracing Roedelius' own stylistic path into musical territory which he alone can reveal to us, the listeners. All we have to do is follow him. His music is quiet and focused, but to call it contemplative or even meditative would also be wide of the mark: not all music which draws us out of ourselves is accompanied by spiritual pomp, as the fewest fairytales whisper of eternity or the afterlife. Beauty and profoundness belong to this world, like Roedelius himself. What he has to tell us is indeed whimsical and, at times, wonderful. His ability to awaken images and dreams in us is nothing short of miraculous. Roedelius offers us a little book of fairytales with Piano Piano and, as the old chestnut would have it, every fairytale contains a generous portion of reality. Includes three bonus tracks (CD-only) and liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
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BB 067LP
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LP version on 180 gram vinyl.
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BB 063CD
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This is the third solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1979 on Sky Records. Alongside his ongoing work with Cluster and Harmonia, Roedelius amassed an almost incalculable number of musical notations during his time in the idyllic Weser Uplands. Fleeting sketches, spontaneous improvisations, implied miniatures, rough compositions -- Roedelius recorded virtually every idea he came up with outside the studio sessions on his Revox A77 reel to reel; with the basic intention of capturing his moments of inspiration, he simply let the tape run as he played around on the Farfisa organ. Sound quality was not his prime concern, as he was not as yet entertaining any notion of releasing the results. As Roedelius recalls, costly tape spools were at a premium, so he recorded over older tapes in mono, at a less than ideal speed. Substandard, technically speaking (or listening), but as a self portrait, nothing short of a masterpiece. It would be inappropriate to measure this album by the hi-fidelity yardstick; see it as something closer to an intimate confession, an unguarded communiqué from one person to another. Bordering on naivety and free of conceit, Roedelius introduces us to his world through these chiffonesque études. There may be little variation in the Farfisa sound, but this is soon forgotten when Roedelius invites us to listen, to enter the experience. No expensive technology, no producer, no collaborators. This is unfiltered personality, the real Roedelius. Musically, Selbstportrait is characterized by a combination of ländler, minimalism and harmonic simplicity. The Weser Uplands, where Roedelius recorded his music, are certainly no Arcadia and the village of Forst is anything but Atlantis, but perhaps it could become the Graceland of German electronic music. Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.
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LP
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BB 063LP
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LP version on 180 gram vinyl. This is the third solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1979 on Sky Records. Alongside his ongoing work with Cluster and Harmonia, Roedelius amassed an almost incalculable number of musical notations during his time in the idyllic Weser Uplands. Fleeting sketches, spontaneous improvisations, implied miniatures, rough compositions -- Roedelius recorded virtually every idea he came up with outside the studio sessions on his Revox A77 reel to reel; with the basic intention of capturing his moments of inspiration, he simply let the tape run as he played around on the Farfisa organ. Sound quality was not his prime concern, as he was not as yet entertaining any notion of releasing the results. As Roedelius recalls, costly tape spools were at a premium, so he recorded over older tapes in mono, at a less than ideal speed. Substandard, technically speaking (or listening), but as a self portrait, nothing short of a masterpiece. It would be inappropriate to measure this album by the hi-fidelity yardstick; see it as something closer to an intimate confession, an unguarded communiqué from one person to another. Bordering on naivety and free of conceit, Roedelius introduces us to his world through these chiffonesque études. There may be little variation in the Farfisa sound, but this is soon forgotten when Roedelius invites us to listen, to enter the experience. No expensive technology, no producer, no collaborators. This is unfiltered personality, the real Roedelius. Musically, Selbstportrait is characterized by a combination of ländler, minimalism and harmonic simplicity. The Weser Uplands, where Roedelius recorded his music, are certainly no Arcadia and the village of Forst is anything but Atlantis, but perhaps it could become the Graceland of German electronic music. Printed innersleeve with original liner notes and new notes by Asmus Tietchens.
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