The ones I listen to... #10
When you think of it, there are not that many musical instruments out there that are completely self-sufficient. Although you can play almost anything in a solo fashion, most instruments shine when they are accompanied or while being a part of an ensemble or an orchestra. However, some of them can easily be concert instruments on their own. The most obvious examples are, of course, piano, classical guitar, synthesizers, and some other keyboards. However, there are others with similar capabilities. The instrument I have started discovering fairly recently is the harp. It is most commonly associated with orchestral and folk music, but it can also be applied to a wider range of genres. The best testament to this is perhaps the Swiss artist Andreas Vollenweider.
Vollenweider is one of the names I discovered thanks to Allmusic.com recommendations. I’m a huge new age music fan, and his name was high on the list, right beside the “usual suspects” in the field. Since piano, keyboards, and guitars are my instruments and go-to sound colors, it took me some time to delve into Vollenweider’s music, mostly centered around the harp. And I’m now delighted that I did.
Andreas Vollenweider was born in Zurich in 1953. Both of his parents were artists, so there is a lot of family legacy in his case. However, Vollenweider is mostly a self-taught artist. He discovered the harp sometime in 1975 and began composing his own music. Vollenweider actually pioneered the concept of electro-acoustic harp, which contributes to the unique and instantly recognizable sound of his music. The harp he uses is a traditional one, but equipped with several microphones and pickups. I assume he also uses sound processing, though some of his pieces were recorded in a more intimate and drier fashion.
Another interesting fact about Vollenweider’s style is that he always plays the bass part on the lower strings of his harp. On some of his albums, there is even a note: “There is no bass; what you hear are bass strings of a harp”. Playing intricate arpeggios and rhythmic passages on top requires a great deal of skill and dexterity. This is just one reason why it’s so inspiring and infectious to see Vollenweider performing live. Recently, I watched his concert from the early 1980s, where he was accompanied by only two, albeit highly proficient percussionists.
Andreas Vollenweider’s albums, however, are typically produced with rich and deep arrangements that include numerous instruments from around the world, as well as many electronic elements. My favorites are his early works from the 1980s: Behind the Gardens and Caverna Magica. Vollenweider’s album from 1984, Down to the Moon, received a Grammy Award in 1987. A pleasant surprise is also his 2020 album, Quiet Places. This was recorded during the COVID pandemic and features the cellist Isabel Gehweiler and also his long-time colleague, drummer Walter Kaiser.
Style-wise, the music of Andreas Vollenweider sits mostly in the new age and neoclassical category, but he also frequently coquets with jazz and world music. The harp is his primary instrument, but Vollenweider also plays a piano, classical guitar, kora (African harp), and several types of flutes.
Over the years, Andreas Vollenweider briefly collaborated with a lot of high-profile names, including Carly Simon, Hans Zimmer, Zucchero, and even Luciano Pavarotti. He performed with a larger orchestra and with various bands. Still, his music shines the most in a more intimate format. Lately, he performs with a smaller group of musicians under the name of “Andreas Vollenweider & Friends”.
Vollenweider is known as a left-oriented pacifist who is deeply concerned with global problems. He often performed for various charitable causes and was highly outspoken about social and environmental issues.