KONZERTE

Novalis

Symphonic Prog

4.01 | 60 ratings

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friso
Prog Reviewer

Novalis - Konzerte (1977)

After I got enthousiastic listening to the second album of this German sympho band, I bought this live record. On side one Novalis plays about 70% of the Novalis album, on side two Novalis plays 70% of the Sommerabend follow-up album. The tracks selected for the liverecord are very nice, maybe some material from their debut could have been included for a complete look into their discography.

The recording is reasonable. The vocals are worse then in the studio, but the keys are almost as good, though some keysounds are a bit different. The problem with the recording is the many low volume parts of the record that aren't represented very well here. Sometimes I've got the feeling things go wrong during the concert, but overall it's acceptable. A thing that is apparent here is that the band has found nice ways to use the material from the Novalis album, not always playing the song the same as on the album.

The compostional style of Novalis is between symphonic prog and symphonic rock. It never get's very intelligent, but it stay's atmospheric throug the whole record. On side one the tempo goes up a few times, but on side two we get a slow pulse for almost half an hour. Nothing of this material can be seen as very progressive, it's more of a way to recycle ideas and making something new with it. This accompanied by the lack of uptempo or sophisticated songwriting makes this album not very essential. It's just sympho, nothing more.

Conclusion. Symphoproggers might want to try this, others might skip on this one. I myself like to put it on during dinner or other peacefull moments of the day and it's perfectly suitable for that. So, it's good, but not essential. Three stars.

friso | 3/5 | 2009-11-5

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