Sacred River

Gandalf

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 21, 2006)
• Original Release Date: February 21, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Real Music
• ASIN: B000E40PZW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #95,429 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Austria

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A pleasant though modest recording, Sacred River is the third domestic release from Gandalf, an Austrian guitarist/multi-instrumentalist whose serene, sometimes atmospheric compositions can evoke comparisons to the music of 2002, David Arkenstone, and Secret Garden--even Mike Oldfield in a restful mood. Gandalf seems in an especially restful mood on Sacred River, a recording that mostly sidesteps the subtle drama and faint cosmic undercurrents that gave his two previous recordings just a hint of an edge. Even so, he manages to create some notable impressions here: the slow glide into sustained bliss heard on "Silent Joy," the welcoming stroll to undisturbed peace on "A Visionary Passage," and the float-away contentment of "Where the River Joins the Ocean." Meanwhile, most other selections revolve around quiet, guitar-focused pieces that, while calming, exude generic qualities that tend to leave listeners adrift in thematic flat water. Still, as a meditative/relaxing audio backdrop, it's an agreeable listen. Point of interest: The liner notes for the first time carry a photo of the artist, whose long white locks at first glance bring to mind Tolkien's Gandalf, as played in The Lord of the Rings trilogy by Ian McKellen. --Terry Wood

Product Description

Inspired by Siddhartha, who learns from the wise old ferryman to listen carefully to the voices of the river until he hears the eternal song of oneness and harmony, Gandalf invites you to imagine yourself in a boat on the Sacred River, letting the music be your ferryman, taking you gently across the water.

Gandalf intricately weaves the sounds of acoustic, classical, and electric guitars with keyboard, percussion, piano,and soundsamplers for his enchanting sonic tale.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A River of Mystic Peace, May 19, 2007

By	M. Wagemakers "Ella Wagemakers" (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

The peace I experience whenever I listen to this astounding collection goes beyond words. It's not that I forget all my cares and troubles when I listen to the music. Rather, the music enables me to put them all in their proper place, creating valuable mental and emotional space and thus giving me room for other, often more important, matters. Gandalf's use of various instruments creates a harmonius variation of tonal colour, and the imagery this produces quiets the mind and prepares it for either deeply focused work or pure relaxation. It is soothing, comforting, but also genuinely inspiring.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars relaxing music, January 19, 2008

By	Perlina Varon (Raanana, Israel) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Very calm and relaxing music - it is a joy to listen to such a peaceful work of art and appreciate the excellent use of the instruments that produced it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisitely Beautiful, May 8, 2007

By	David Deley (Santa Barbara, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Exquisitely beautiful relaxing music. A lot like Gandalf's "More Than Just A Seagull". If you like one you'll probably also like the other.