HOSTSONATEN

Will we survive through this harsh winter ? Do we have enough food and hot ale to live through these cold, icy times and keep our good health ? Or is our fate sealed and we are doomed to be prisoners of this snowy terrain, this artificial landscape of this temperature deep bellow zero degrees. But wait a minute, the snow is already thawing, the heat is here and sun is shining. Where is this coming from ? Oh, it's not cool winter, no rough and wild winter, it's a winter in RPI performance, so we can except these warm feeling, passion (of play) and mostly also good mood work, you really feel like you were there (to which, acoustic guitars helps).

4(-), they made it, again. Not as interesting as their latest, but you know. Good enough.

Symphonic, almost classical music here combined (only sometimes) with rock. And it's not everything, you can except bagpipes, RPI keyboards and (of course, I almost forgot), no vocals. Music that depends on you enjoying silent moments in it. It should be RPI, but it's not at all. Remember this fantasy-like group "Ainur" ? So As The Night Gives Birth To The Morning quite a reminds me it in the middle part, except then it turns into jamming groovy solo with dominant trumpet. Weird, but not bad. So far, all these things quite persuaded me that it's very good album, but does it belongs to masterpiece position ? Where's the "must-be-here" reason for this ? Nice flute and similar instruments in next track, Trees In November.

4(+), nope, even very good, there are too many silent parts for my taste. Very relaxating album, if you want to chill out in prog style. Equivalent to Lightbulb Sun a little bit.

And I believe it could be masterpiece for some. For example me.

I get the first kick at this one! On Halloween night, I must be blessed!

Höstsonaten is an established offshoot project from the energetic, prolific and polyvalent Fabio Zuffanti , Italy's version of Steve Wilson or Roine Stolt, who has cemented such fabled RPI acts as Finisterre and La Maschera di Cera. His musical resumé is too long to list but he can be heard delving into prog versions of folk, jazz, ambient and symphonic. A masterful bassist but most of all, a creative mind, he has nurtured this project for more than a decade now and "Autumnsymphony" is the latest chapter in the seasonal cycle that began with the pastoral masterpiece "Springsong" and the ridiculously fabulous previous jewel "Winterthrough", two albums that I regard as symphonic monuments in reflective /introspective prog. Suffice to say I was awaiting this one with unbridled trepidation being a massive fan of the fall season to boot but after a few anguished spins, I cannot really raise this one beyond the other 2 ?yet. The artwork is as breathtaking as the preceding one, winter blues replaced by fall ochre and golden hues, setting the melancholic mood that autumn generally evokes. Significantly, the initial forlorn soundscapes on "Open windows to autumn" recall the sorrow of rustling trees shedding their crisp leaves, a binary double bass echoing between the fluttering cymbals and polyrhythmic drum patters, a brilliant trumpet blaring the sudden flight from the warm summer breeze. This is highly robust ambient prog with jazzy pretense, gently howling mellotron entering hand in hand with its usual ideal partner, the flute. It is certainly a haunting musical signature that sets the proper mood and segues nicely into "Leaves in the well" introducing guitarist Matteo Nahum's glowing electric guitar leads as well as some welcome classical work, with an only too rare added feature, the Japanese koto. The evolving keyboard-laced symphonics are pointedly accurate, choir mellotron injecting some grandeur and majesty while Marco Moro's flute sprinkles its sweet passion. On "Out of water", things get very orchestral with the impromptu appearance of cello, viola, violin, oboe and piccolo, blending the swirl of fluttering strains into the mix. "Nightswan I" is a special effects cocktail, heavily electronic and with the rumbling double bass, highly contemplative, while "II" raises the level another notch with another majestic series of electric guitar runs, a rampant flute , simple drum beat and whirling synths, the 'tron coughing , this is pure proggy bliss. The very jazzy "As the night?" has an amazing bagpipe setting, somberly pensive in league with that amazing Michele Bernabei trumpet (an instrument criminally underused in prog!), some churning Stick work, and a little Genoese whispering to add some spice. Stringsynth and mellotron are served up as bonus candy coating. The jazz vibe gets rather upbeat on "Trees in November", a playful romp that has shuffling drums, fun-loving flute and a guitar solo at first closer to George Benson than Steve Hackett (which happens later), a welcome surprise. "Elegy" has the sublime voice of Simone Angioloni who "lead microphoned" Zuffanti's brilliant Aries project, a soaringly crisp voice that wails passionately , almost near opera , a definite winner. The final nearly 6 minute track is the absolute winner here, incorporating all the glorious musicianship displayed previously = the double bass, the various strings, the elegant piano and mellotron, the flute, trumpets and oboe and that crystal clear voice. As stated earlier, this is an excellent release that cannot surpass the imperial majesty of "Winterthrough" but shores up the RPI mantle very nicely and it is Halloween after all. 4.5 aromatic chestnut trees

This is another of modern Italian progressive rock's hero,bassist/composer Fabio Zuffanti.Actually HOSTSONATEN have to be started as a side-project of his first band FINISTERRE,as in the insert notes of the album you will find the title ''Finisterre Project'',although the cover of the work doesn't carry such an expression.HOSTSONATEN's eponymous debut from 1997 is another tribute of Zuffanti in the classic 70's Italian prog rock sound,though the few lyrics presented are sung in English.This time the musicianship is more mellow and folk-oriented bringing to mind bands like CELESTE and PREMIATA FORNERIA MARCONI.

The album starts with the nice flute-based mourning intro ''Sinfonia della luna'',taken from the self-titled work of japanese symph progsters ''Mugen'',followed by the 41-min. grand epic ''Hostsonaten'',which is exactly what a prog folk fan is searching for.This composition is filled with massive flute attacks and acoustic guitars,which often turn from soft passages to dark medieval tunes.Additionally the use of the mellotron will thrill you,if you're a lover of the 70's sound,while the are also some excellent guitar soloing as well as awesome classical piano parts in the symphonic style.''Remember you'' is the next track in the line and this is also a cover of the japanese progsters CINDERELLA SEARCH and their eponymous song,released in 1993 through their self-titled album.A very good ballad-like track carried by smooth vocals and delicate flutes until its grandiose symphonic guitar-driven ending.The closer ''The rime of the ancient mariner'' is a another mini-epic,clocking at over 12 minutes,where the music is more demanding,epic and intense than the previous tracks.Superb flutes and good guitar solos are present again,but this time the performance on the vocals are more expressive,the heavy use of piano,organ and mellotron makes the sound richer and the complicated guitar work lifts up the level of the composition's complexity...

Zuffanti made his miracle again.''Hostsonaten'' is a different angle of his pure talent,mixing ethereal folk tunes with the sound of grandiose symphonicism to result another beautifully-arranged gem of progressive rock.A strongly recommended release for the whole progressive rock audience.

Hostsonaten's third effort diverges strikingly from the first two. It is all instrumental and more celtic folk influenced. "Springsong" makes for clean and refreshing entertainment as befits the season. The shimmering acoustic guitars form an earthy bed for the whistles, recorders, bagpipes, flutes and violins. Many of the melodies are lush and gorgeous, and sound much more like the product of a sophisticated Gallic group than one from the boot shaped country.

While speaking well for Fabio Zuffante's stylistic versatility, in the end "Springsong" reaffirms that pretty in itself doesn't make perfect. Something is lost in translation, perhaps that intangible "feeling". It shares as much in common with some of the more thoughtful new age acts in a pastoral style, such as MARSHALL/ANGER and NIGHTNOISE, or even SHADOWFAX, as it does with more traditionally based celtic music or progressive rock. By track 2 thematic repetition has already set in, and the final suite again reprises something nice but so familiar and rote.

I just can't too excited about this even though I feel I should. An album that provides much the same sentiment, or lack thereof, is that of NARROW PASS, "A Room of Fairy Queen's". Much to laud on paper and worth an occasional listen when one doesn't want to be distracted, but far from excellent and certainly a step down from "MirrorGames".

Attention Willowglass fans!

Willowglass is certainly getting lots of buzz around the Archives of late for their lush and beautiful symphonic sound. Here's an album sure to please those fans. Hostsonaten is one of the many projects of Fabio Zuffanti, one of Italy's current progressive crop and one of their most prolific. "Mirrorgames" is a classically influenced progressive rock that touches on symphonic and I would argue neo-prog as well. It is certain to be a huge hit with any fan of pastoral, lush, mellotron-laden fantasies that sound just like the gorgeous cover painting implies. It also breaks from the mellow vibe with occasional bursts of electric leads and louder drumming like Willowglass does.

The pros and cons of "Mirrorgames" are well documented and both have validity. Let's look at the criticisms first. As Hugues says and I agree, Zuffanti would be well served to slow down and take more time between releases of his various projects as they often seem to lack focus. They are full of great ideas and beautiful melodies but drift endlessly it seems. This is a conundrum in itself because "drift" and lack of focus can be very pleasurable at times, but unlike the nearly perfect "In Limine" (Finisterre), Mirrorgames clearly could use some editing. Other problems include less than perfect sound quality and to be frank, some pretty weak male vocals (the female backup vocalists are quite a bit better.) There are also some cheesy sounding keyboard choices in certain places and some erratic transitions that remind me of Mindflower, perhaps the closest Italian reference in style. Gorgeous sections will sometimes be crashed by rather ridiculous sounding electric guitar power chords or cheese-synth that sound poorly out of place. On the upside here is the sheer beauty of many sections of the various tracks, where you will hear the cascading keyboards adorned with classical guitars, piano, saxophone, recorders, tin whistle, flute, and choired vocals. The recorder and tin whistle really add that complete "fantasy world" vibe to the proceedings and there are moments when this album transcends many other pastoral album attempts. But consistency is a problem here. Most impressive is the 25 minute epic "the dream" which on its own is more ambitious than some bands manage in their whole 75 minute CD. The soft, female-sung interlude in the 6-8 minute range is simply exquisite backed by lovely acoustic guitar and whistle, sounding almost Oldfield-like. Last I would note the packaging which is a multi-fold digipak with gorgeous artwork and a lyric sheet, all very effective in conveying the moods and music. Overall a good album but with some flaws, recommended to fans of "pretty prog" who don't mind a painting that never seems to be finished.

Hostsonaten is a project headed by Fabio Zuffanti, the bass player for one of the best newer Italian symphonic bands at the moment, Finisterre. Winterthrough is Zuffanti's fourth album with the name Hostsonaten and it seems he keeps improving. This time, he paints an idyllic and also a not so perfect picture of winter.

It's been a long time since Finisterre have done anything (they haven't released an album since 2004), so we can clearly assume that Hostsonaten might now be Zuffanti's main project. Zuffanti was already impressive with the 2002 romantic epic Springsong and now he returns with his ode to winter, which is just as gentle as spring, but can also be harsher in some moments.

Hostsonaten, who got the name from an Ingmar Bergman movie (starring Ingrid Bergman), are a pretty typical Italian band, but I mean this in a positive sense, in the sense of Italian symphonic rock from the 70s. The music is extremely melancholic, romantic, fluid and melodic. They have that great Italian feeling for music which sends shivers down your spine. It's true that the sound is pretty much cemented in the 70s and that many tricks are taken from bands like Genesis, Celeste and perhaps even PFM, but I have nothing but positive words for Zuffanti in terms of compositional quality. He created a work which takes you on a magical journey through all the beauty and hardships of winter. I only have a problem with one part which is too much of a carbon copy of Hackett's guitar riff during Banks's solo on Cinema Show. But enough about that, the general impression is good.

Hostsonaten use fairly obvious tricks. We've heard it all before in all the big symphonic bands. There are plenty of vintage keyboards. The gentle segments with the piano and mellotron are particularly noticeable here. They often remind the listener of Celeste. There's also a great deal of organ and synthesizer here, which sometimes breaks up the romantic mood of the album, but it mostly serves to spice up the music. Unlike some previous efforts, there are a few heavier parts here as well, where the guitar has a chance to breathe a bit more freely. There are still plenty of obvious tricks on the twelve-string and acoustic guitar taken from Hackett (even the electric sometimes reminds of Hackett), but I can say with certainty that the album is much more versatile in its guitar segments than ever before. There are also many classic bass and bass pedal parts. I feel that the addition of the woodwinds is a good touch, which gives the album a unique character.

I can say that Hostsonaten continue the beautiful Italian tradition of Mediterranean symphonic music with a melancholic flavour. There's a clear influence of bands like PFM and Celeste, and naturally also of Genesis. The music is arranged in a fairly complex way, but the emphasis is still on the melodic and aesthetic value. Zuffanti created the right winter atmosphere, he managed to put together complex arrangements with music that's highly stylistically perfected. Winterthrough is an album that people who like new symphonic music must hear because it beats anything bands like The Flower Kings and Spock's Beard have done in terms of musicality.

This is the final chapter in the "SeasonCycle Suite".HOSTSONATEN have been celebrating musically each of the four seasons.Nice art work as well although considering i'm in Canada and it's winter right now all i have to do is to look out the window to see barren trees and snow.This is by far my least favourite season,and where i live it's the longest.Perhaps the one advantage of living in snow and ice for up to 5 months is how much we appreciate spring,summer and fall.I cherish those seasons. This is really one long 46 minute suite broken into 10 movements. "Entering The Halls Of Winter" opens with gently played piano as drums,bass and acoustic guitar join in.Mellotron after 1 1/2 minutes.This sounds great.A change after 4 minutes as pounding drums and mellotron take over.Electric guitar comes in as well.It settles before 6 minutes as piano then sax and mellotron join in.Piano only 7 1/2 minutes in.Drums and mellotron before 9 minutes as the sound becomes fuller. "Red Sky" features some different sounds including bagpipes.Spoken words as well on this one around 2 minutes with acoustic guitar.Clarinet and piano join in too. "White Earth" features intricate sounds.I like listening to this one. "Snowstorm" opens with drums and horns as guitar and bass come in and it all sounds fantastic! The tempo slows after 4 1/2 minutes then we get a mellotron flood followed by a guitar solo. "Over The Plain" is a cool song with the horns,mellotron and light drums. "The Crystal Light" opens with drums and mellotron.Nice. Acoustic guitar takes over for the mellotron.Sounds like sax joining in.Spoken words 5 minutes in as organ and drums carry on.A great soundscape follows. "Outside" is excellent with the drums,guitar and synths leading the way. "Ruins" is interesting.I like the atmosphere they create here.Some different sounds on this one. "Through Winter's Air" features mellotron,accordion and acoustic guitar. "Rainsuite" is the longest section at around 13 minutes.It changes tempo and mood throughout.I like the electric guitar with organ and drums early.More nice guitar leads 3 minutes in and later. My favourite from this band is still their self-titled debut.They're all good though,although "Springsong" is the only one i didn't give 4 stars to.

This is yet another good album by ''Höstsonaten''. The band is one of my fave, not only from the brilliant Italian genre but overall.

They played such a beautiful music, fully reminiscent of the seventies that it is almost normal that I am so thrilled with them. In the genre, they are only surpassed by ''La Maschera Di Cera'' IMO.

The centre part of this work and masterpiece as well is the great opener '' Entering The Halls Of Winter''. The second longest song of this album which leads you to the best moments of the seventies I love it so much. Mellotron, flute, melody, fantasy, passion: such a cocktail!

It is also true to say that some shorter tracks aren't that superb, like ''White Earth'', the jazzy '' Over The Plain'', or the useless ''Ruins''; but the magic still operates during ''Snowroom'' for instance. Nice mellotron and gorgeous guitar. I just feel that the track would have deserved more than three minutes to be developed.

This is too much of a habit though in this recording: lots of short tracks are quite a change for the ones who were deeply in love with their long epics. I am not deeply impressed with all those sliced musical moments.

This album is somewhat of a disillusion. Too many sax parts are invading this work which is their weakest so far IMHHO. My hopes were rather high with this ''Höstsonaten'' album, but if you would except the excellent opening track, there are not so many great moments available unfortunately. Some parts of the ''Rainsuite'' closing number are also great but I was used to more than this really.

I was really expecting much better from the band (the man?). Three stars.

The subject matter here is Spring,and if you live in a nortern country like i do,then Spring will be one of your favourite seasons i'm sure.It's so good to see the snow disappear and the longer days arriving.The brown fields start to turn green as everything in nature seems to be reborn.Great time of year.This third album from HOSTSONATEN is surprisingly short compared to the first two at 45 minutes.They also have changed directions somewhat,going into a more acoustic,folky brand of music.More of a celtic vibe here as well with the tin whistles,bagpipes and low whistles.Violin is added for the first time too. As beautiful as this album is at times,i do prefer the first two recordings to this one.This is all-instrumental as well. "In The Open Fields" features some wonderful 12-string guitar that reminds me of Anthony Phillips.Flute and bass join in before violin arrives 3 minutes in. "Kemper/Springtheme" is led by the flute and drums early.Mellotron joins in.Tin whistle before 2 1/2 minutes as it becomes very celtic sounding.Drums and guitar take over a minute later with violin joining in.The electric guitar 4 1/2 minutes in is amazing. "Living Stone And 1st Reprise" opens with acoustic guitar as SINKADUS-like flute comes in with drums then violin.It's the sax that really is prominant though the rest of the way. "She Sat Writing Letters On The Riverbank" is simply piano and violin throughout.Melancholic.Some sampled spoken words 3 minutes in. "The Underwater And Second Reprise" is a change of pace as we get a jazzy tune.I like this one,especially the drumming and the guitar solo that lights things up to end it.Nice. "Lowtide" doesn't have much of a melody as drums,piano and violin make some sounds.The low whistle comes in giving us that celtic vibe. "The Wood Is Alive With The Smell Of The Rain" is such a great title.Piano,flute and recorder early.A change 1 1/2 minutes in as drums arrive and the tempo picks up.I like this section. "Evocation Of Spring In A Fastdance" features acoustic instruments along with percussion.Violin comes in then piano. "Toward The Sea" is the 13 1/2 minute closer.It begins with a flute/drum led melody that is fairly uptempo.Sax and piano help out.Soaring guitar after 5 1/2 minutes is a treat with mellotron.Tin whistle after 7 minutes.The guitar rips it up before 10 minutes.Tin whistle a minute later with some nice drumming. 3.5 stars.A very pleasant album for sure,but for my tastes i can't give this 4 stars.