Description:
Heinz STOBL (aka GANDALF) can be called a "PAINTER OF MUSICAL LANDSCAPES", he is a composer, musician and producer of meanwhile numerous album releases. Taking his name from the good-hearted wizard in J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy "Lord of the Rings", GANDALF's work often reflects his love of nature, as well as his commitment to preserving the environment. He plays a great variety of instruments (various guitars, sax, piano, keyboards such as lead and string-synths, and percussion) and blends acoustic, electronic and spherical sounds and weaves folk elements into a symphonic structure to create his unmistakable an
Heinz STOBL (aka GANDALF) can be called a "PAINTER OF MUSICAL LANDSCAPES", he is a composer, musician and producer of meanwhile numerous album releases. Taking his name from the good-hearted wizard in J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy "Lord of the Rings", GANDALF's work often reflects his love of nature, as well as his commitment to preserving the environment. He plays a great variety of instruments (various guitars, sax, piano, keyboards such as lead and string-synths, and percussion) and blends acoustic, electronic and spherical sounds and weaves folk elements into a symphonic structure to create his unmistakable and unique musical style. The sound is full, rich, and colourful. In his travels, GANDALF has been touched by the realization that far more things unite than separate the various people and cultures of the world, and his goal in composing and recording is to create music that dissolves boundaries.
The goal of this multi-sided musician is, to dissolve the boundaries between musical categories and styles and to create a cross-cultural global music. On his journeys through Europe, North and South America and Asia he came in touch with most different cultures and found out, that there are more things that unite than seperate the folks on this planet.
His first few albums - 1980's "Journey to an Imaginary Land", 1981's "Visions", 1982's "To Another Horizon" (conceptual), 1983's "Magic Theatre" (conceptual), and 1984's "Tale From a Long Forgotten Kingdom" (concept work) contained a definite prog rock edge, before adding such instruments as flutes and saxophones to the equation and heading in a more new age-ish direction. "Reflection" is a collection of essential pieces from 1986 to 1990. It is a fine introduction to one of the foremost Austrian synthesists. "From Source to Sea" (1988) is still one of top selling imports, but overall is probably more NewAgey than most folks here would like. You could try "Gallery of Dreams" (1992), with Steve HACKETT on guitars. The result is quite majestic with an energy that favours relaxation. "Fountain of Secrets" (2002) is surely destined to become another top seller. It is a stunning flowing, mix of melodic variety and sound layering where the music travels but never loses sight of its functions.
"Between Earth and Sky" (2003) is a harmonious and meditative compilation of the artist´s most beautiful tracks recorded between 1994 and 2001, collected from various albums that had been formerly released in European territories, a peaceful and enchanting journey through GANDALF´s colourful musical landscapes. For those new to the man; If you can just imagine a cross between Mike OLDFIELD, and classic HACKETT era GENESIS that might give you some idea of what this.
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