X [Import]

Klaus Schulze | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 9, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Import [Generic]
• ASIN: B000008540
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,146 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Friedrich Nietzsche

2. George Trackl

3. Frank Herbert

4. Friedemann Bach

Disc: 2

1. Ludwig II Von Bayern

2. Heinrich Von Kleist

Editorial Reviews

Originally released in September of 1978, Klaus Schulze’s X (tenth album) cemented Schulze on the forefront of both avant-garde composers as well as one of the absolute masters of the synthesizer. X is a series of musical biographies to the contributions of Nietzsche, Trakl, Herbert, Bach, Kleist and Ludwig II and was originally spread out amongst the four sides of a double LP. This new release is a careful transfer from the original analogue master tapes and contains the full length versions of all recordings, some of which were previously edited to fit the LP format. A remarkable live version of Objet d'Louis is added as a bonus track, recorded in September ’78 with backing from a Belgian classical young people’s orchestra. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Reissue of a Klaus Schulze Classic!!, March 10, 2005

By 

Louie Bourland (Garden Grove CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: X (Audio CD)

"X" (or Ten) was the 10th solo release from the pioneering German synthesist Klaus Schulze. Originally released in 1978, "X" has since gone on to become a classic of electronic music. Its mix of orchestral elements, with hypnotic sequencers and progressive rhythms still sends shivers up the spine 27 years later.
"X" was an extremely long album for its time - a double album with each side containing close to 30 minutes of music each. It was also a conceptual effort with each piece of music being named after a specific author of whom Schulze admired. The original LP also included a booklet loaded with historic photos of Schulze's first 10 years as well as an essay (printed in German) by Schulze and his manager/publicist Klaus Mueller.
Since the introduction of the CD, the "X" album has exsisted in what is pretty much an inferior fashion being mastered from second generation tapes with rather tinny sound quality and several seconds of music edited off the ends of the original tracks. Now in 2005, that has all changed with the newly remastered reissue. All six of the original album tracks were remastered from the original master tapes with newly restored clarity and sound quality. Additionally, two of the tracks ("Frederich Nietzsche" and "Georg Trakl") are presented here in their full-length versions as opposed to the truncated versions which appeared on the original album (the full version of "Trakl" had only been previously released on the mammoth limited edition CD set "The Ultimate Edition" while "Nietzsche" is presented here in its full version for the first time ever). To top it off, the reissue concludes with an historic bonus track, "Objet D'Louis" which is a live version of the classic orchestral masterwork "Ludwig II Von Bayern" performed with a full string orchestra. While the sound quality of the bonus track is not up to standard, its musical quality definitely is. This was one of the very few times Klaus had performed live with a full orchestra and to have a recording of this in any form of quality is definitely a treasure.
The CD booklet includes new liner notes from Klaus Schulze himself as well as reproductions of some of the photos included in the original LP booklet. The original German essays are also reproduced (unfortunately without any English translation).
Hands down, this is some excellent synth music from one its leading pioneers. Having it finally reissued with amazing sound quality is simply like having a new album all over again. Also, the fact that the reissue is a double-CD for the price of one makes this a steal. Don't hesitate. This is Klaus Schulze in his prime with one of his very best albums.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Staring at my loudspeakers, IS THAT POSSIBLE ?, August 10, 2000

By 

Felix Matathias (Manhattan, NY, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: X (Audio CD)

I had been listening to Irrlicht and Timewind for the past few days, which I consider to be masterpieces, before I got "X". I put the cd on the stereo starting with the second cd (a tradition of mine).

I WAS SCHOCKED! I could not believe it. How much higher can this composer reach ? I was stunned. Classical music coming out of the loudspeakers, an exhilarating melody, music so powerfull so captivating, such strength. I kept listenning, it was only getting better and better. A full blown string orchestra with choir in the background and synthesizer. Is that for real ?

I have just described the first minutes of "Ludwig II. Von Bayern", a 29 minute musical odyssey of immense strength. The song gets slower after a while and almost 7 minutes before the end the percussion starts. Agonizing classical music with an uconventional finishing. Nobel prize material !

Then, "Heinrich von Kleist" follows. Crying violins start the scenery along with synthesizers in the background but it soon drifts to superb "Schulzian" cosmic music. Slowly evolving, with a lot of similarities to his earlier work but more mature and more clear. It is like Schulze was strugling all these years to solve the puzzle of the perfect cosmic music and now he seems to have found the solution. He is more confident and the music surrounds the listener, its not hiding any more. At the second half of the song an ethereal galactic choir starts its journey through the heavens. Music of the highest quality. Everything is perfect here, the amount of choir, the synth, the percussion at the end (sometimes Schulze hits it a little bit too hard for my taste). Everything seems to follow a predetermined path to a glorious epic end. Nobel prize material again.

"Friedrich Nietzsche" at 24 minutes is the first song of the first cd. Powerfull. Very poerfull. Again, Schulze has a plan, knows what he wants and achieves one of his greatest moments in this one. Synth oriented, percussion starts very early, again in right proportions with the rest of the music. Choir is always on the background following an epic circle, the song is a continuous triumph, rising musical scales every few minutes.

"Georg Trakl" is a shorter piece at 5:25. The most serene music I have ever heard. Purely cosmic with a nice sequencing. "Frank Herbert" is a 10 minute long sequencer-oriented space music piece with choir and beat that continuously escalates. Its like a chasing scene from a film. Very melodic and briliantly performed music. It is reminiscent to the music of the film Blade Runner by Vangelis.

You have to listen to this music. It will appeal to both Schulze enthusiasts and not.This is a mature Schulze at his best. "X" is a masterpiece.

Instruments played: Moog, PPG synthesizer and sequencer, Minimoog, ARP Odyssey, Korg polyphonic synthesizer, Polymoog, Synthi A, Mellotron, AKG BX 20 Hall, plus a small string orchestra.

Klaus Schulze dedicates this album: "..to my precious synthesizers" !

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!, April 30, 2005

By 

RKL (Asheville, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: X (Audio CD)

I picked up this deluxe edition for a very good price and I was blown away by the sheer brilliance of this man. A keyboard lover's wet dream to say the least. Washes of mellotron, synthesizers, drums and percussion, strings(real strings!) with the strings sounding like synthesizers at times. Sound quality is very good. A detailed booklet/history/notes from Klaus himself. A must have for fans. Disc 1: 4 tracks/79.45. Disc 2/3 tracks/79.43. The label side of the cds look like lps complete with grooves. Digipack. I prefer Disc 1 over Disc 2 due to the fact that Disc 1 is harder edged, lots of Tangerine Dream stylings and faster paced. Disc 2 is a bit slower but brilliant nonetheless. You may hear some slight distortion in spots on Disc 2 since it is the louder of the two particularly on track 3/the bonus track. Very minor quibble however.