GOES CLASSIC

The title says it all of course.

In 1994, Klaus released two classical albums: "Le Moulin De Daudet" and this one. If the former held still some parts that were digestible, this one is of different texture, I'm afraid.

Of course, I have never been into classical music. The reason to listen to this album was just curiosity; and I should have better never listened to it. Klaus might have fun in releasing this (long) work, but I had a very hard time to listen to this full capacity CD (almost eighty minutes).

The only piece I could cope with (because it sounds somewhat familiar to me) is the Brahms one "Hungarian Dance No 2".

What's left is a travel into the repertoire of some masters (Schubert and Ludwig von B.). Even Klaus wrote a piece: "Quintet For A Lute". But it is just on par with the whole of this album as far as a prog fan is concerned.

this album is meant for classical music fans only. But definitely not for electronic prog lovers (as I am). Depending your addiction, you might love or dislike this album. I belong to the latter category and I only rate this work with two stars thanks to the Hungarian Dance which I quite liked.

The liner notes of this unimaginatively titled CD says that Klaus Schutze and "expert computer programmer" Werner Eggert were trying to reinterpret classical music for a younger audience. The notes also try to set this collection apart from the similar attempts by Walter/Wendy Carlos and Tomita.

While it's pleasant enough, and the selection of music is not terrible, I don't see the album as accomplishing it's established goals.

The arrangements of the pieces don't sound updated or original. Except for a very few novel sounds, the synthesizer patches sound like basic programs and samples found on many mid- level synthesizers of the early nineties. The recordings sound too much like a synthesizer trying to replicate an orchestra, rather than reinterpret. The innovative sounds that made the seventies Schulze albums enjoyable are nowhere to be found. It makes me wonder what the "expert computer programmer" was doing.

Nonetheless, the album makes good background music. While the synthesis does not capture the excitement of a live orchestra, Schulze manages to keep the recording from sounding robotic.