White Winds

Andreas Vollenweider (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000263Q
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,124 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. White Winds/The White Boat (First View)

2. Hall of the Stars/Hall of the Mosaics (Meeting You)

3. The Glass Hall (Choose the Crystal)/The Play of the Five Balls/The ...

4. The Woman and the Stone

5. The Stone (Close-Up)

6. Phases of the Three Moons

7. Flight Feet & Root Hands

8. Brothership

9. Sisterseed

10. Trilogy (At the White Magic Gardens)/The White Winds

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seminal, singular and breathtakingly magical!, November 29, 2002

By 

Brianna Neal (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: White Winds (Audio CD)

For me, this release and the other early work of Andreas Vollenweider defined New Age music. Artful, complex, imaginative and ever-changing, "White Winds" is the third (and my personal favorite) in a trio of complimentary recordings that bring to life the magic and mystery of our world through the eyes of an artist of rare depth and clarity. The first and third parts of the Trilogy are "...Behind the Gardens--Behind the Wall--Under the Tree..." and "White Winds". All feature Vollenweider's signature sound of dreamy, jazzy electroacoustic pedal harp and cheng accompanied by voice, synthesizer, a wide range of gentle percussion, and occasional contributions from other instruments. This is true music at its finest--playful, intricate compositions that are soulfully performed and ingeniously constructed, flowing one into another through an ever evolving succession of moods. Vollenweider has this to say about his art: "The making of music, dancing, painting--creativity--all of this has so much to do with the ongoing process of `finding oneself', or better, of searching for the things that give us such an individual, complex, and miraculous depth of emotions...ideas...dreams..." He calls his endeavors "wonderful adventures" and "seeker's journeys", and relishes "making this music and bringing it to its listening friends." And indeed, Vollenweider and his fellow musicians have found riches within and many friends without. In an era where the dumbing down of the New Age genre has resulted in a plethora of mindless dronings of ambient whitenoise, this album stands as a reminder of what meditative electroacoustic music can truly be. If you like this release, try its two companion works as well, either separately, or as packaged together in the two CD set "The Trilogy". To follow Vollenweider's continuing evolution as an artist, try the next albums he recorded: "Down from the Moon" and "Dancing with the Lion".

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the best of "New Age" style?, October 25, 2002

By 

William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: White Winds (Audio CD)

I bought this when it first came out in 1985. I liked it. A lot. Somehow six or seven years later, I let my copy go. Last week I acquired another at a bargain price. I never forgot that I enjoyed this, but I had forgotten just how good it really is. Vollenweider is really something else. Lots of uptempo stuff here with a jazzy feel, abeit without the musical instruments one associates with jazz. There is a little chant, a classical sensibility, a smidgen of exotica/lounge attitude...the whole effort just works well, and gives much pleasure. I did not go on to become a huge Andreas fan...in fact, I don't think I ever purchased another release. That shouldn't be held against him...I have always had limited music budgets, and buy much more in the remainder and sale bins and at garage sales than from the full-price shelves. I also like jazz and folk better than "New Age" and spend more dough in those categories. But this one is a keeper. If you are new to the style, and haven't heard Andreas, start with "White Winds." You won't be disappointed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you only buy one Andreas album, this is it., June 21, 2001

By 

Gavin Wilson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: White Winds (Audio CD)

I remember reading a review of another Vollenweider record ('Book of Roses', probably) which said that every household should have one of his albums, but there was little point in having any more. I now have six of Mr Vollenweider's albums, and I can attest to their brilliance and variety. Herr Vollenweider seems to have a low boredom threshold -- unusual in a New Age artist! -- and with each CD launches himself into new but related territory, whether it be song, world music, orchestral accompaniment or live performance.

'White Winds' is where it all started for me. I heard this ethereal music playing in a record shop, asked what it was, made a mental note, and bought it two years later when I had the money. That's as close to buying on a whim as I get.

I believe this is Vollenweider at his purest, totally in control and obviously the centrepiece of the music. It is also his best, along, in my view, with 'Eolian Minstrel'.

If you believe you've never heard Vollenweider, play track #6, 'Phases of the Three Moons', which is routinely used on British TV travel programmes to accompany unspoilt beach scenes. It's hard to describe this electric harp music without using the much-derided 'New Age' term. Of all the other music I know, it is closest in spirit to Mike Oldfield's 'Hergest Ridge' and 'Ommadawn', although the tracks are shorter.

If you want hard, offensive rock, this is definitely not the venue for you. But if you want beautiful, unchallenging music which is hugely enjoyable, this would be my strong recommendation.