Tibetan Bells III: The Empty Mirror

Wolff & Hennings | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 16, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Celestial Harmonies
• ASIN: B0000007WH
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #250,210 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Tibetan Bells III completes the musical odyssey of Henry Wolff and Nancy Hennings, which began in 1969-1970 in India and Nepal. There, under the tutelage of the Gyalawa Karmapa, head of the Kagyu, or, Red Hat branch of Tibetan Buddhism, the artists began their approach to the cosmic vision embodied in Buddhist teachings. Wolff and Hennings' first album, Tibetan Bells, created a stir when it was released in 1971. It represented a pioneering style of music, unfamiliar to an audience experienced only in Western modes of composition and instrumentation. In 1978, they recorded Tibetan Bells II in San Francisco. The subsequent contribution by Wolff and Hennings to the Philip Glass soundtrack for Koyaanisquatsi, an avant-garde film, brought the bells before a new audience. In 1983, the artists released Yamantaka with the collaboration of Mickey Hart, a percussionist with The Grateful Dead. Less traditional in its use of the bells, it was an essential step in the realization of Tibetan Bells III. For Wolff and Hennings, this is the embodiment of their visionary quest to explore the limits of the space/time continuum.

Product Description

By the expression of subtle harmonic relationships, Tibetan Bells III, quickly transcends the temporal domain. The resonance of the Tibetan bell tones, far richer than any synthetically produced sound, builds an increasingly fine perception and subtle comprehension in the listener. The purity of tone and long haunting echoes of Tibetan Bells III create an audible curtain permitting the listener to perceive a universe which extends beyond conventional limits. The spectacular duration and purity of the bell tones can be attributed to more than their composition. Wolff and Hennings are the sounding boards through which we can approach a visionary realm.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual and Artistically Bold, February 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Tibetan Bells III: The Empty Mirror (Audio CD)

Henry Wolff and Nancy Hennings together with producer Brian Keane have made a CD that truly adventures into new territory. All the instruments are acoustic but the effect is other worldly. This CD moves at it's own unique pace. Instead of melodies and rhythms, the music is propelled by sound waves and textures. All cuts are interesting although it may take the listner an adjustment period to get used to listening to something so radically new. The title cut "Empty Mirror" is a particularly impressive work of art, creating a symphonic work of both musical and meditative significance.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for doing Eastern massage modalities., July 22, 2005

By 

tanksonfire "that one chick" (Bay Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tibetan Bells III: The Empty Mirror (Audio CD)

I have really enjoyed this whole series. The intensity and focus are just right for doing Eastern styles of massage like Shiatsu. I did like the second one a bit more than the third, though.

3 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars II, III..., April 5, 1999

By 

Robert Carlberg (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tibetan Bells III: The Empty Mirror (Audio CD)

Hey, how come TB2 and TB3 (and TB4 which is entitled "Yamanataka") have been re-released on CD, but never Tibetan Bells I? It's great too.