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Bernward Koch’s style is New Age. When we discuss New Age music, we speak of
compositions that border on classical, are soft, relaxing, and can be almost
unnoticeable when played except for the feeling of calm that fills the spaces
between the events in our lives.
This CD presents Bernward Koch doing some of his most
soothing New Age compositions. The title
Walking through Clouds sets the tone of the album; soft, expressive, wordless
songs that fill as background music providing peace and enjoyment.
The piano is his instrument, lilting its way through short,
original compositions that delight and invoke a soft emotional response of ease
and tranquility. The piano is
accompanied by various instruments that provide backfill and enhance the
experience. We hear various keyboard
effects, bass, guitar, glockenspiel, flute and soft percussion. Christiane Boehm fills in with a very
experience flute and Christoph Koch provides some percussion as well as some
lovely guitar accompaniment on two tracks.
There are 16 tracks on this CD, providing a total time of
60:45. Each track is light, airy and
soft. The melodies, while short, are not superficial. There is real melody development here, some
of them bordering on the tip of familiar, but not really. The melodies can become familiar however and
you will find yourself humming along if you take time to listen to it a few
times. The pieces are not long, running
from about two and a half minutes to a little over five minutes.
If you are working, they make the perfect fill at the
office. Each piece has its own
character, and never bores or drones, never becomes repetitive nor does it
distract. It can be calm in a madhouse,
set the pace for a day of continuous work, and provide for an enjoyable break
from everyday work.
At home, this can provide atmosphere for dinner, quiet
evenings on the back porch, while reading or relaxing in a tub. Again, it is not intrusive and is perfect for
personal time.
My only disappointment with this CD is that Mr. Koch has the
ability to compose some very memorable melodies, but they never develop beyond
the simple yet elegant short pieces.
These compositions leave you wishing they were built upon and developed
further.
A few noteworthy tracks on this CD include Touched by Love,
the opening track, which almost comes across as an anthem or a prayer, and has
a very memorable melody. A strong
composition that does not overpower the listener but gently make its presence
known.
The title track Walking through Clouds gives us another
memorable melody, almost ethereal in feeling, as suggested by the title. Again, soft but with strong composition and
piano, having the added bonus of a lovely flute accompaniment that makes this a
poignant piece. Following Stars gives us a contemplation piece with subtle
guitar accompaniment. A lovely
arrangement, allowing for drift but providing the anchor with a strong
melody.
The track Evoking Wonder is almost pensive, contemplative in
its structure, but never broods. A
lovely, lyrical piece of music that provides a good example of Mr. Koch’s
composition skills. I especially liked the closing track Travel Lightly which
almost dances away with itself. Again,
good strong melody, lyrical, memorable and a delightful close to this CD.
This is background music for a gentler way of life or the
calm point in the middle of a storm. It
breaths stillness and serenity. If New
Age music is your soundtrack, then this will quickly find a place in your life. A wonderful addition to your New Age
collection and a lovely introduction to the works of this artist.
Reviewed
by MA Foster
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