Fragile Balance [Import]

Rudiger Oppermann | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 9, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Ethos Brasil
• ASIN: B00000I0XO
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #220,291 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fragile Balance

2. Riding a Horse With Five Legs

3. Wide Horses

4. Fast Finger Dance

5. Wintertime/Summertime

6. Roses for Rumi

7. Pretty Cool Harmonics!

8. In a Mirror

9. Great Eagle Dance

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

You're not supposed to play the Celtic harp like this. And in fact, Rüdiger Oppermann's custom-made electro-acoustic harp can barely be called a traditional instrument. He uses the effects of an electric guitarist and can bend the strings like a blues guitarist. On Fragile Balance, he weds this instrument to cross-cultural music that recalls the Paul Winter Consort with a distinctly older European cast. Pieces like the title track are gorgeous, almost quaint refrains shadowed by accordion, while "Riding a Horse with Five Legs" is a vigorous workout with a tabla groove charging the call-and-response interplay between Oppermann and a Mongolian violinist. Oppermann can be overwhelmed by his own chops. A piece like "Pretty Cool Harmonics" serves no purpose other than to showcase Oppermann's astounding technique, and that superficial quality pops up elsewhere as well. But just come back to the plaintive "Wide Horizon," or the prismatic abstractions of "In a Mirror," for some magic and innovative harp music. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars optimum balance, April 25, 2005

By 

Robert J. Revai "eclectic musical conaseur" (truckee, ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fragile Balance (Audio CD)

wow where to start...Id never heard of rudiger oppermann. the cover got my attention so I bought it. This disc is absolutely amazing. you have never heard a harp played like this...the fact that mr oppermann designed and actually built the two harps used on this disc is awesome in itself...but its what he does with them that is amazing. I kept looking for the guitar player in the credits until I realized that there was no guitar at all just this amazing string bending harpist...9 songs at just about 65 minutes is great...there is not a bad song on this disc...I like kicking a horse with five legs and fast finger dance and pretty harmonica...but seriously not a bad song to be found...I know its an import and probably cost lots...but its worth hunting down...if you dont have this cd in your collection...its your loss...bob revai, truckee ca