Manuel Gottsching Concert for Murnau

Another 2005 release from Mr. Gottsching and like 'Die Mulde' it's another piece of commission work. This time the music was composed and performed as the score to a newly restored, long since forgotten1921 silent movie,' Schloss Vogelod' – The haunted castle ( a film which Manuel himself was allowed to select as the film project he most wanted to work upon). A fair bit of interesting background information is given in the sleevenotes about the music's purpose, production and how the whole project came together for the film, the composers reasoning about instrumentation used etc,( though surprisingly Gottsching doesn't use guitar on the soundtrack at all!!! Sorry folks).

The music remains a comfortable mixture of both traditional and electronic instrumentation which work well together, the material presented having a melancholy edge as you might expect given the nature of the films subject matter. Non the less the album represents an interesting diversion for the talents of Mr Gottsching.

The CD is beautifully presented in a very well appointed double gate folded card clip case. The soundtrack being a selection of twelve pieces split approximately 50/50 between electronic sequencer based music,( sounding decidedly rather Schulzey in places) and traditional string ensemble,( sounding alittle like some of west coast America's minimalist composers at times), most themes played out on a solitary horn lead, again this being something explained in the sleevenotes.

The opening piece,'Ouverture' gives a clear indication of how the remainder of the album's ensemble pieces will be geared, sounding very appropriate given the vintage of the film for which the music was designed. As Gottsching himself puts it, he did not so much wish to create a soundtrack, but moreover a 'Concert for Murnau' – F.W Murnau being the maker of the original movie.

By complete contrast, at just under ten minutes, track two, 'The Party' springs to life in a very mid eighties Schulzian way with its sequenced drums, riffing piano and little electronic twists, themes still carried by the strings and horns, all very tight. The following, 'Auf Zur Jagd' dances and trumpets its own merry little tune for some five minutes. 'Der Abend',(4.28) comes out sounding like the Phillip Glass of 1970 had a hand in it's creation somewhere down the line, a melancholy Cello leading this simplistic but intricate piece. Two more short traditional pieces follow continuing down a rather subdued/down beat avenue.

Moving on, other electronic highlights from the album include the nine minute 'High noon' and another ten minuter,'Saint and Sinner' the emphasis here being that the longer tracks are the sequenced electronic ones which should please many. Unfortunately the guitar isn't used in any of the pieces on this album, which for a guy that's really carved out a career for himself playing guitar seems alittle strange. I'm sure that Manuel would argue quite correctly the case for the lack of guitar featuring in the music in that he was working to a specific criteria creating music to fit the on screen images and not necessarily making a Gottsching solo epic. The remaining pieces played by the ensemble are kept rather short, and this is no bad thing as they are generally dreary sad sounding affairs which doubtless suit the visuals to a tea but don't make for the most fulfilling of listening experiences in isolation.