Browse by Artist: ROEDELIUS

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Jardin Au Fou
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 023CD

Composer/poet Hans-Joachim Roedelius (Kluster, Cluster, Harmonia) is one of the most prolific musicians of the German avant-garde and a key figure in the birth of Krautrock, synthesizer pop and ambient music. Jardin Au Fou is his second solo album, originally issued in 1979 on France's Egg label, and produced by former Tangerine Dream member Peter Baumann. This record was all the more noteworthy as it bore no resemblance whatsoever to what was expected of avant-garde electronica and displayed none of the typical Krautrock characteristics. A rhythm machine, sequencer and abstract sounds are conspicuously absent, and listeners at the time were stunned by one of the most beautiful, charming, ethereal and peaceful albums in the history of German rock music. None other than Asmus Tietchens, friend and artistic companion to Roedelius, has written the following in the liner notes for the reissue: "Jardin Au Fou (Fool's Garden) is a thoroughly romantic album, bursting with joie de vivre and unadulterated joy. With the greatest of pleasure, Roedelius cranks up a carousel of fairground organs, popping corks, waltzes and sweet melodies. Musical ideas come thick and fast. If you listen carefully and immerse yourself in Jardin Au Fou, you might hear traces of the baroque in this romantic music." Roedelius concentrates here on keyboards, and, in particular, the acoustic grand piano. He played most of the tracks by hand, exploiting his virtuosity to the full. The sweet disposition of the album as a whole borders on the naive, bearing none of the Krautrock hallmarks one might expect. Sweetness and light it may be, yet the music of Roedelius is more complex than it first appears. It carries a certain gentle gravitas borne of maturity, reflecting the ongoing quest of a musician for new paths and forms. Jardin Au Fou confronts the listener with an unfiltered, open perspective -- today, some 30 years after it was created, this music has lost none of its shine or charm. The CD version features 6 bonus tracks: 3 remixes of compositions from the LP and 3 new tracks which Roedelius recorded for the 1998 CD re-release on the Japanese Captain Trip label. The vinyl edition only includes the original album tracks.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Jardin Au Fou
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 023LP

LP version; includes all the original album tracks. Composer/poet Hans-Joachim Roedelius (Kluster, Cluster, Harmonia) is one of the most prolific musicians of the German avant-garde and a key figure in the birth of Krautrock, synthesizer pop and ambient music. Jardin Au Fou is his second solo album, originally issued in 1979 on France's Egg label, and produced by former Tangerine Dream member Peter Baumann. This record was all the more noteworthy as it bore no resemblance whatsoever to what was expected of avant-garde electronica and displayed none of the typical Krautrock characteristics. A rhythm machine, sequencer and abstract sounds are conspicuously absent, and listeners at the time were stunned by one of the most beautiful, charming, ethereal and peaceful albums in the history of German rock music. None other than Asmus Tietchens, friend and artistic companion to Roedelius, has written the following in the liner notes for the reissue: "Jardin Au Fou (Fool's Garden) is a thoroughly romantic album, bursting with joie de vivre and unadulterated joy. With the greatest of pleasure, Roedelius cranks up a carousel of fairground organs, popping corks, waltzes and sweet melodies. Musical ideas come thick and fast. If you listen carefully and immerse yourself in Jardin Au Fou, you might hear traces of the baroque in this romantic music." Roedelius concentrates here on keyboards, and, in particular, the acoustic grand piano. He played most of the tracks by hand, exploiting his virtuosity to the full. The sweet disposition of the album as a whole borders on the naive, bearing none of the Krautrock hallmarks one might expect. Sweetness and light it may be, yet the music of Roedelius is more complex than it first appears. It carries a certain gentle gravitas borne of maturity, reflecting the ongoing quest of a musician for new paths and forms. Jardin Au Fou confronts the listener with an unfiltered, open perspective -- today, some 30 years after it was created, this music has lost none of its shine or charm.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Wenn Der Südwind Weht
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 041CD

Wenn Der Südwind Weht ("When The South Wind Is Blowing") is the seventh solo album by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released on Sky Records in 1981 (also known under the title Selbstportrait IV). "Where on earth does Roedelius find such a beautiful array of notes?" wonders Asmus Tietchens in his sleeve notes for this reissue. Not an unreasonable question. Roedelius, a pioneer of ambient music, Krautrock and, arguably, synthesizer pop, member of such seminal bands as Cluster and Harmonia, revels in alien worlds on this record. This is "Music to be listened to quietly," as Roedelius advised on the LP cover. Indeed, listening at low volume enhances the sense of otherworldliness quite considerably. And yet, this album can hardly be termed "spacy" nor psychedelic in the slightest. Electronic excesses are absent, aural exotica off-limits, bizarre cacophonies non-existent. The individual tracks are compact, lined up in quick succession, like a string of pearls. Wherein lies their fascination? From what distant place do they reach out to the listener? First of all, there is the Roedelian "quietitude." Even when the music is turned up, it remains quiet in character, almost as if wrapped in cotton wool. The quiet nature of this music is inseparable from the serene and tranquil manner in which Roedelius goes about creating his typical harmonies and melodies on an electric organ of decidedly limited sonic variability. He leaves in the occasional blip and electric interference or tape hiss, but nothing can distract him from the inspiration of the moment as it feeds his music. The contrast with the perfect, yet impersonal precision of minimalism could not be greater. Improvisation is the driving force of Roedelius' music. Without a trace of exhibitionism, he externalizes himself through his music with an honesty that could move one to tears. As a member of Cluster and Harmonia, such radicalism was never open to him. Südwind is an undisputed highlight in the Roedelius canon. CD housed in a digipak with liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	The Diary Of The Unforgotten (Selbstportrait VI)
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 052CD

The Diary Of The Unforgotten is a collection of recordings from the years 1972 to 1978 and was first released in 1990 (with different artwork). Between the years of 1972 and 1978, Hans-Joachium Roedelius and Dieter Moebius, later joined by Michael Rother, lived out on a country estate in the idyllic, diminutive settlement of Forst in the Weser Uplands. It was here that the Harmonia albums, legendary recordings with Brian Eno and various splendid Cluster albums were created. Both the house itself and the surrounding landscape held a magical fascination for Roedelius. The time he spent here was intense in every sense of the word. He translated his feelings and impressions into music, giving rise to the "self-portrait" series. His sixth self-portrait bears the title The Diary Of The Unforgotten and offers a compelling aural record of the Roedelius psyche of the period. For Roedelius, Selbstportrait VI, in particular the 24 minutes of the "Hommage À Forst" centerpiece, were like messages in a bottle, cast into the water in 1990 and now ready to be discovered on the different shores of 2010. Every track on the album is a distant echo from the Forst era. "Even today," Roedelius writes in the original liner notes (1990), "these pieces retain the spirit and atmosphere of those days in Forst, where I learned so much about life." The windswept character of Selbstportrait VI is underlined by the sporadically lo-fi quality of the recordings: Roedelius just let the tape machine run, without overdubs. In the booklet, Roedelius casts his mind back again to the detailed creation of the tracks and their relevance to his later works: "At the end of the day's sessions, I would sit in our small, makeshift ground floor studio almost every night. With the window open in summer, I could hear the ducks quacking on the river, the horses snorting and the cows mooing on the meadows across the water, the wind rustling through the leaves of old elm and oak trees on the riverbank behind the house. This set the scene for my first self-portraits, as well as providing the basis for subsequent studio productions, and other compositions which, in a way, could also be seen as self-portraits." In the booklet, Roedelius looks back on his time in the Weser Uplands, where the recordings were made. Also included is an appraisal by Asmus Tietchens.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	The Diary Of The Unforgotten (Selbstportrait VI)
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 052LP

LP version. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl. The Diary Of The Unforgotten is a collection of recordings from the years 1972 to 1978 and was first released in 1990 (with different artwork). Between the years of 1972 and 1978, Hans-Joachium Roedelius and Dieter Moebius, later joined by Michael Rother, lived out on a country estate in the idyllic, diminutive settlement of Forst in the Weser Uplands. It was here that the Harmonia albums, legendary recordings with Brian Eno and various splendid Cluster albums were created. Both the house itself and the surrounding landscape held a magical fascination for Roedelius. The time he spent here was intense in every sense of the word. He translated his feelings and impressions into music, giving rise to the "self-portrait" series. His sixth self-portrait bears the title The Diary Of The Unforgotten and offers a compelling aural record of the Roedelius psyche of the period. For Roedelius, Selbstportrait VI, in particular the 24 minutes of the "Hommage À Forst" centerpiece, were like messages in a bottle, cast into the water in 1990 and now ready to be discovered on the different shores of 2010. Every track on the album is a distant echo from the Forst era. "Even today," Roedelius writes in the original liner notes (1990), "these pieces retain the spirit and atmosphere of those days in Forst, where I learned so much about life." The windswept character of Selbstportrait VI is underlined by the sporadically lo-fi quality of the recordings: Roedelius just let the tape machine run, without overdubs. In the booklet, Roedelius casts his mind back again to the detailed creation of the tracks and their relevance to his later works: "At the end of the day's sessions, I would sit in our small, makeshift ground floor studio almost every night. With the window open in summer, I could hear the ducks quacking on the river, the horses snorting and the cows mooing on the meadows across the water, the wind rustling through the leaves of old elm and oak trees on the riverbank behind the house. This set the scene for my first self-portraits, as well as providing the basis for subsequent studio productions, and other compositions which, in a way, could also be seen as self-portraits." Printed inner sleeve with an appraisal by Asmus Tietchens.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Lustwandel
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 055CD

The third studio album by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released by Sky Records in 1981, fulfilled a dream he had long cherished. A series of chamber music pieces, with grand piano solos taking center stage in some places, archaised percussion patterns in others. Lustwandel represents a logical progression, following on from Jardin Au Fou (re-released on Bureau B in 2009). Both albums were recorded at Paragon Studios in 1979 and produced by Peter Baumann (Tangerine Dream). Electronica in the sense of synthetic sound sources or rhythm are absent from Lustwandel, in keeping with so many Roedelius solo works. This led to lively action amongst Cluster fans 30 years ago, as they divided into different camps. Roedelius' unique musical style and irrepressible enthusiasm take his listeners down more of a sidetrack to the aural landscape of European harmonic and rhythmic tradition. There are obvious parallels to so-called serious chamber music, if not all the way along the route. His music has never been bound by contemporary aesthetic debate nor susceptible to emerging theory. As an autodidact, his techniques of composition and piano-playing are so well developed, that Roedelius has never wanted, nor needed to bother himself with any of that. It is a carefree Roedelius who saunters through both the 19th and late-20th centuries. Boundaries dissolve in his music. Here the glow of a magic lantern, there the glare of a neon light. Herein lay the originality of Lustwandel: he availed himself of traditional forms yet expressed them in contemporaneous fashion. Roedelius and Lustwandel could easily have been assimilated into the postmodern era which arrived in the 1970s. But, as usual, he was many miles away from the hub of cultural activity, without the slightest inclination to pay any attention to new phenomena. This child of the sun walks some very different paths indeed.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Lustwandel
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 055LP

180 gram LP version. The third studio album by Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released by Sky Records in 1981, fulfilled a dream he had long cherished. A series of chamber music pieces, with grand piano solos taking center stage in some places, archaised percussion patterns in others. Lustwandel represents a logical progression, following on from Jardin Au Fou (re-released on Bureau B in 2009). Both albums were recorded at Paragon Studios in 1979 and produced by Peter Baumann (Tangerine Dream). Electronica in the sense of synthetic sound sources or rhythm are absent from Lustwandel, in keeping with so many Roedelius solo works. This led to lively action amongst Cluster fans 30 years ago, as they divided into different camps. Roedelius' unique musical style and irrepressible enthusiasm take his listeners down more of a sidetrack to the aural landscape of European harmonic and rhythmic tradition. There are obvious parallels to so-called serious chamber music, if not all the way along the route. His music has never been bound by contemporary aesthetic debate nor susceptible to emerging theory. As an autodidact, his techniques of composition and piano-playing are so well developed, that Roedelius has never wanted, nor needed to bother himself with any of that. It is a carefree Roedelius who saunters through both the 19th and late-20th centuries. Boundaries dissolve in his music. Here the glow of a magic lantern, there the glare of a neon light. Herein lay the originality of Lustwandel: he availed himself of traditional forms yet expressed them in contemporaneous fashion. Roedelius and Lustwandel could easily have been assimilated into the postmodern era which arrived in the 1970s. But, as usual, he was many miles away from the hub of cultural activity, without the slightest inclination to pay any attention to new phenomena. This child of the sun walks some very different paths indeed. Printed inner sleeve with photos and an essay by Asmus Tietchens.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Selbstportrait
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 063CD

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.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Selbstportrait
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 063LP

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.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Selbstportrait - Vol. II
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 064CD

This is the fourth solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1980 on Sky Records. With Selbstportrait, Roedelius gave unequivocal confirmation that he no longer was treading the hitherto common paths of electronic music. Selbstportrait - Vol. II corroborated the findings: for Roedelius, electronics would no longer be a means of creating abstract, noise-like music in the future, nor of generating utopian, mechanical rhythmic structures. His own utopia was quite a different place, more in keeping with his own personality and view of the world. Hence both self-portraits, in particular Selbstportrait - Vol. II, are programmatic. Uniquely among musicians of the German electronic scene at the time, Roedelius succeeded in blending European and extra-European musical styles quite intuitively, developing his own language of music, neither epigonic nor weighed down by stereotype, as often occurred in the emerging world music genre of the period. There is a fascinating simplicity to the music of Roedelius: his vision does not reside in cloud-cuckoo-land. His utopia is founded in reason, his vision sustained by a simple base: not only did he ignore musical traditions, he also sought to create something new out of them. He succeeded where many of his contemporaries failed, going to ground as they attempted to bridge the postmodern gap. Not Roedelius. Roedelius' music is littered with stumbling blocks. The listener may not necessarily lose his footing, but will not exactly find himself sitting comfortably as he listens. With this album, Roedelius has drawn a clearly delineated picture of himself. Few musicians can say the same, few even harbor such aspirations. Transcending styles, hypes and modernisms, Selbstportrait - Vol. II is electronically-sourced music, yet sounds anything but technical, dismantling the misconception that electronic music has to sound cold and distant. Selbstportrait - Vol. II has never been released completely before. Includes 5 tracks never released on CD! Liner notes by Asmus Tietchens.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Selbstportrait - Vol. II
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 064LP

180 gram LP version. This is the fourth solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, originally released in 1980 on Sky Records. With Selbstportrait, Roedelius gave unequivocal confirmation that he no longer was treading the hitherto common paths of electronic music. Selbstportrait - Vol. II corroborated the findings: for Roedelius, electronics would no longer be a means of creating abstract, noise-like music in the future, nor of generating utopian, mechanical rhythmic structures. His own utopia was quite a different place, more in keeping with his own personality and view of the world. Hence both self-portraits, in particular Selbstportrait - Vol. II, are programmatic. Uniquely among musicians of the German electronic scene at the time, Roedelius succeeded in blending European and extra-European musical styles quite intuitively, developing his own language of music, neither epigonic nor weighed down by stereotype, as often occurred in the emerging world music genre of the period. There is a fascinating simplicity to the music of Roedelius: his vision does not reside in cloud-cuckoo-land. His utopia is founded in reason, his vision sustained by a simple base: not only did he ignore musical traditions, he also sought to create something new out of them. He succeeded where many of his contemporaries failed, going to ground as they attempted to bridge the postmodern gap. Not Roedelius. Roedelius' music is littered with stumbling blocks. The listener may not necessarily lose his footing, but will not exactly find himself sitting comfortably as he listens. With this album, Roedelius has drawn a clearly delineated picture of himself. Few musicians can say the same, few even harbor such aspirations. Transcending styles, hypes and modernisms, Selbstportrait - Vol. II is electronically-sourced music, yet sounds anything but technical, dismantling the misconception that electronic music has to sound cold and distant. Selbstportrait - Vol. II has never been released completely before. Printed innersleeve with original liner notes and new notes by Asmus Tietchens.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Wie Das Wispern Des Windes...Like The Whispering Of The Wind
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 066CD

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.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Wie Das Wispern Des Windes...Like The Whispering Of The Wind
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 066LP

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.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Piano Piano
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 067CD

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.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Wasser Im Wind
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 069CD

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!

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Wasser Im Wind
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 069LP

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.

Artist:	ROEDELIUS
Title:	Plays Piano (Live In London 1985)
Label:	BUREAU B (GERMANY)
Format:	LP
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	BB 078LP

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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