The Essential Andreas Vollenweider [Enhanced, Original recording remastered]

Andreas Vollenweider (Composer), Andreas / Ladysmith Black Mambazo Vollenweider (Composer), Andreas / Nascimento, Milton Vollenweider (Composer), Andreas Vollenweider (Performer), Milton Nascimento (Performer), Patti Austin (Performer), Vaneese Thomas (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Andreas Vollenweider, Milton Nascimento, Patti Austin, Vaneese Thomas
• Composer: Andreas Vollenweider, Andreas / Ladysmith Black Mambazo Vollenweider, Andreas / Nascimento, Milton Vollenweider
• Audio CD (February 13, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000058T7P
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,531 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Behind The Gardens, Behind The Wall, Under The Tree...

2. Flight Feet & Root Hands

3. Belladonna

4. Angoh!

5. The Play Of The Five Balls

6. Pyramid

7. Pearls & Tears

8. See, My Love...

9. Moon Dance

10. Passage To Promise

11. Dancing With The Lion

12. Wanja The Wanderer

13. Night Fire Dance

14. Cor Do Amor

15. Stella

16. Pace Verde

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Stunning Collection, February 15, 2001

By 

Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Essential Andreas Vollenweider (Audio CD)

This anthology spans the twenty-year recording history of Swiss harpist Andreas Wollenweider from 1981's Behind the Gardens... to 1999's Cosmopoly. [There is nothing from his 1979 debut Eine Art Suite, which is now available on The Trilogy.] His mostly instrumental music is in turns majestic, intimate, personal, tranquil and it all centers around Wollenwieder's signature sound of his electracoustic harp. I was first introduced to his music by a co-worker who played Down to the Moon for me back in 1986. I've been hooked ever since. I now own all of his albums--most on vinyl or cassette. So this anthology--whose selections were handpicked and mixed and remastered by the artist himself--was a wonderful way to get these songs on CD. If you're new to the music of Wollenweider, it makes a wonderful introduction. If like me you're looking for an inexpensive way to upgrade your collection, you also get the added bonus of "Pace Verde," which was a single-only release in 1983 and one of the standout tracks on this collection. [This track is only otherwise available on The Trilogy, which also includes his first four albums on two CDs.] This is music to feed the soul. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars from Solo Piano Publications, April 9, 2001

By 

Kathy Parsons (Florence, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Essential Andreas Vollenweider (Audio CD)

I have to confess that in all the years I've been listening to new instrumental music, I've avoided Andreas Vollenweider because I really don't like harp music. When I received a copy of "The Essential Andreas Vollenweider" for review, I kind of thought, "Oh great - another harp CD." Vollenweider's is such a huge and well-respected name that I decided that this would be an opportunity to educate myself. Many "best-of" and "greatest hits" albums are compiled by labels without any input from the artists, but this collection was chosen by Vollenweider himself from albums dating from 1981-1999. Several of the older tracks were remastered by Vollenweider, so this was a great chance to get to know a bit about this artist. It really didn't surprise me that quite a few of the songs were familiar from radio play, but I was surprised that many of them I never would have guessed as being played on harp. Vollenweider developed his electracoustic harp, which has quite a different sound from the standard acoustic harp. In addition to the harp, Vollenweider sings and plays wind instruments, guitars, accordion, keyboards, percussion, and "special fx". I was also surprised at how much I found myself enjoying this album! Musical influences can be heard from all over the world, and most of the music is lively, rhythmic, and infectious. I especially like "Moon Dance", "Dancing With the Lion", and Pace Verde", but the album as a whole is a wonderful sampler for those of us who are relatively new to Vollenweider's music, and is an excellent "best of" collection for his longtime fans. I will definitely be adding more of his music to my collection! The CD is multimedia-enhanced and contains the music video to "Pearls and Tears". Highly recommended!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Musical Experience, March 28, 2002

By 

Randy W. "randyw41a" (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Andreas Vollenweider (Audio CD)

This composer has never let me down from the very first time I heard his CD entitled, Down To The Moon. I was in a restaurant having lunch, and even though I was having a conversation with three other people, I was constantly drawn to the music playing in the backround. I asked the waiter for the name of the composer. After lunch, I ran out and purchased the CD. That was several years ago. I now have all of his works, and find that each one is as moving as the first time I listened to him. With this album, you'll get a sampling of his work, that will keep you coming back for more.