Search - Bernward Koch :: Walking Through Clouds

Melodic Ambient/New Age Piano

medievalcrusadesbabe | Ohio USA | 09/11/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Bernward Koch's style is New Age. When we discuss New Age music, we speak of compositions that border on classical, are soft, relaxing, and can be almost unnoticeable when played except for the feeling of calm that fills the spaces between the events in our lives.



This CD presents Bernward Koch doing some of his most soothing New Age compositions. The title Walking through Clouds sets the tone of the album; soft, expressive, wordless songs that fill as background music providing peace and enjoyment.



The piano is his instrument, lilting its way through short, original compositions that delight and invoke a soft emotional response of ease and tranquility. The piano is accompanied by various instruments that provide backfill and enhance the experience. We hear various keyboard effects, bass, guitar, glockenspiel, flute and soft percussion. Christiane Boehm fills in with a very experience flute and Christoph Koch provides some percussion as well as some lovely guitar accompaniment on two tracks.



There are 16 tracks on this CD, providing a total time of 60:45. Each track is light, airy and soft. The melodies, while short, are not superficial. There is real melody development here, some of them bordering on the tip of familiar, but not really. The melodies can become familiar however and you will find yourself humming along if you take time to listen to it a few times. The pieces are not long, running from about two and a half minutes to a little over five minutes.



If you are working, they make the perfect fill at the office. Each piece has its own character, and never bores or drones, never becomes repetitive nor does it distract. It can be calm in a madhouse, set the pace for a day of continuous work, and provide for an enjoyable break from everyday work.



At home, this can provide atmosphere for dinner, quiet evenings on the back porch, while reading or relaxing in a tub. Again, it is not intrusive and is perfect for personal time.



My only disappointment with this CD is that Mr. Koch has the ability to compose some very memorable melodies, but they never develop beyond the simple yet elegant short pieces. These compositions leave you wishing they were built upon and developed further.



A few noteworthy tracks on this CD include "Touched by Love", the opening track, which almost comes across as an anthem or a prayer, and has a very memorable melody. A strong composition that does not overpower the listener but gently make its presence known.



The title track "Walking Through Clouds" gives us another memorable melody, almost ethereal in feeling, as suggested by the title. Again, soft but with strong composition and piano, having the added bonus of a lovely flute accompaniment that makes this a poignant piece.



"Following Stars" gives us a contemplation piece with subtle guitar accompaniment. A lovely arrangement, allowing for drift but providing the anchor with a strong melody.



The track "Evoking Wonder" is almost pensive, contemplative in its structure, but never broods. A lovely, lyrical piece of music that provides a good example of Mr. Koch's composition skills.



I especially liked the closing track "Travel Lightly" which almost dances away with itself. Again, good strong melody, lyrical, memorable and a delightful close to this CD.



This is background music for a gentler way of life or the calm point in the middle of a storm. It breaths stillness and serenity. If New Age music is your soundtrack, then this will quickly find a place in your life. A wonderful addition to your New Age collection and a lovely introduction to the works of this artist. maf"

An Excellent Long-Awaited CD

S. Cairns | Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, United Kingdom | 08/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must confess to not really being a fan of Bernward Koch's before purchasing this CD. If ever Amazon wonders whether it is worth having music samples on its pages, here's the answer: Yes it is. Without hearing some of these pieces, I would have stayed away from this CD based upon my past experiences of this musician whose compositions have previously done nothing for me. But I was captivated by "Gentle Touch", and this was enough for me to buy the CD.



I was not to be disappointed. "Gentle Touch" was joined by several other pieces which I am enjoying, such as the title track, "Walking Through Clouds", "Sunday Sky" and "Travel Lightly". As ever, Real Music's production values and presentation are top notch. I did notice that the track times for 12 and 16 are the wrong way round, and for some time, so were the music samples for these two pieces.



The music is generally melodic, quite minimalist and very relaxing. Piano is the main instrument, and the tracks benefit from synth washes. A few have guitar or flute as an accompaniment.



The CD is 60 minutes long and is a welcome addition to my collection. If you enjoy beautiful, soporific music, then this CD might just be for you."

Awesome!

Niko Henrich | Europe | 08/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally a new album of Bernward Koch, and what a beauty! His unique relaxing piano style with some flute, guitar, keyboards and percussion is really effective, such gorgeous music! I have listened to the album many times now,

and it becomes only more beautiful each time. Not surprising, Bernward Koch's compositions on WALKING THROUGH CLOUDS are assimilable with the quality of Beatles songs, such timeless melodies, but in a relaxation mode, outstanding!

"