DIVERGENCIE

I am not so sure what the word Divergencie means in English, although I am sure I could find out by using one of these online translation tools. But the music on this album very much points in the direction of an English translation like "Various stuff". No, I have not cheated by using an online translation tool.

This eighty minutes long album is really four parts collected onto one single album. Or a double, even a triple LP back in 1981. Marian Varga is a classical musician - and composer - who also dabbled into ELP like symphonic prog and fusion. On Divergencie, most of the musician is orchestral classic music (with full 100 men orchestra) though with some jazz and pop/rock inbetween. To Marian Varga's credit, most of the classical music is proper dense, not easy accessible classical music. This is how classical music should be. The pop and jazz stuff is a bit of a downer compared to the classical music stuff.

Despite of this being a very varied album, the concept actually work to a large degree. The quality of the music is not that great though. The classical music too orchestral and we hear not enough of Marian Varga himself; one of the greatest musicians of our time. But that's said, this is a very good album which can be compared to ELP's Works 1 & 2, but which is far superior to those two albums.

3.5 stars

Divergencie has several music messages incorporated in its body: continuation of sheer ambition and talent from the 10- years old "Konvergencie" that stirred the surface of progressive rock in central Europe, updated sound, all-star vocals of Slovakian part of Czechoslovakia and conceptual topics. 80 minutes are definitely worth listening and the music should be acceptable to pop, rock and progressive rock fan with even a dose of joy for classical music and jazz music listener. The first suite "Refreny" offers a surprising jazz-rock ouverture in "Refren" with keyboard leads, guitar, bass taking solo and a plenty of good contemporary prog-rock moments.

"P.F" is a mini-suite of many sketches with beautiful angel children choir, orchestra and instrumental music not too unsimilar from P.F. 1972 on "Konvergencie". For symphonic oriented fans, this is the suite to go for.

"Musica concertante" is a classical music inspired suite.

"Sadza do obalky" is the only dinstinctively poppy part but convinces with good vocals and melodies that show emotions and will stay in your mind like worms.

I like this album better than 1977 and 1979's efforts as it is more ambitious, maybe less pompeous and testifies the development of Marian's Varga gifted craftmanship.