Offene Türen Explained

Offene Türen
Type:Album
Artist:Hans-Joachim Roedelius
Cover:OffeneTuren.jpg
Released:1982
Genre:Kosmische musik, new-age, electronic, ambient
Length:39:41
Label:Sky Records
Producer:Hans-Joachim Roedelius
Prev Title:Wenn Der Südwind Weht
Prev Year:1981
Next Title:Flieg' Vogel Fliege
Next Year:1982

Offene Türen (German for "Opening Doors") is the eighth solo album by German keyboardist Hans-Joachim Roedelius, best known for his work with Cluster, Harmonia, and Aquarello. The music of Offene Türen is more avant-garde than other Roedelius solo albums of the 1970s and 1980s. It can best be compared to Cluster's Curiosum which was released by Sky Records the previous year.[1] [2]

Recording and release

Offene Türen was recorded at Roedelius' home studio and at Erpelstudio, Vienna, Austria.[3] The album was first released by Sky Records on vinyl LP in 1982.[4] Two tracks, "Besucher Im Traum" and "Auf der Höhe", were included on the Sky Records compilation Auf leisen Sohlen - Das Beste Von H. J. Roedelius (1978 - 1982) which was first released on LP in 1984 and reissued on CD in 1994.[5] [6] This represented the first time any tracks from Offene Türen appeared on CD. The complete album was released on CD by Nepenthe Music in December, 2009.[7] The reissue includes liner notes by Stephen Iliffe,[8] the author of Roedelius' biography, Painting with Sound: The Life and Music of Hans-Joachim Roedelius[2] and was remastered by Robert Rich.[8]

Reception

The review for the Babyblaue Prog website, written (in German) by Jochen Rindfrey, describes the album (in part):

"...Offene Türen shows a more avant-garde side. The pieces in their brevity are often sketchy, acting as sound miniatures [...] The instrumentation is minimal with origins in the Selbstportrait series, with sound effects backing the Farfisa organ. There are also songs like 'Allemande,' which sounds a bit like a burlesque folk dance, or 'Abenteuerliche Begegnung' and 'Besucher im Traum' which resemble in their romantic mood more typical Roedelius music."[1]

Track listing

  1. "Abenteuerliche Begegnung" - 3:35
  2. "Besucher Im Traum" - 3:58
  3. "Mit offenem Visier" -3:27
  4. "Vom Osten her" - 4:27
  5. "Der Sieger" - 2:08
  6. "Auf der Höhe" - 3:58
  7. "Allemande" - 2:10
  8. "Spiegelung" - 2:44
  9. "Husche" - 2:36
  10. "Stufe um Stufe" - 3:05
  11. "Zeremoniell" - 3:25
  12. "Wende" - 4:08

Personnel

Notes

  1. Web site: Rindfrey . Jochen . Reviews: Hans-Joachim Roedelius: Offene Türen . Babyblaue Prog . 2004-01-23 . 2008-02-19 .
  2. Web site: Painting With Sound... . Nepenthe Music . 2010-12-11 .
  3. Web site: Hans-Joachim Roedelius - Offene Türen (LP) . Discogs . 2004 . 2010-12-11 .
  4. Web site: Huber . Markus . The complete Sky discography . Elmulab . 2007 . 2010-12-11.
  5. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r108357|pure_url=yes}} Auf Leisen Sohlen ]. Allmusic . 2010-12-11 .
  6. Web site: Roedelius* - Auf Leisen Sohlen - Das Beste Von H. J. Roedelius (1978 - 1982) . 1994 . Discogs . 2010-12-19 .
  7. Web site: Offene Türen . Nepenthe Music . 2010-12-11.
  8. Web site: Hans-Joachim Roedelius - Offene Türen (CD) . Discogs . 2010-11-27 . 2010-12-11 .
  9. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=offene-turen-r108356/credits|pure_url=yes}} Offene Türen > Credits ]. Allmusic . 2004-01-23 . 2010-12-11 .

References