German composer Hans-Joachim Roedelius is a synthesizer pioneer and leading light of ambient music. Yet acoustic piano is his instrument of choice, and he has little use for the term “ambient.” Roedelius makes a rare North American appearance at The Mothlight on Saturday, March 18, before heading to Knoxville for the Big Ears Festival.
The 82-year-old musician doesn’t consider himself part of the coterie of minimalist composers that includes Philip Glass and Steve Reich. “I’m working from the belly, not the head,” he insists. And while the oft-stated goal of ambient music is to encourage a contemplative or even meditative state, Roedelius is more modest — and direct — as far as his goals. “I don’t want to evoke anything but listening,” he says.
Roedelius does share fellow minimalist Brian Eno‘s appreciation for spontaneity. “There’s no purpose in the game but love for what I’m doing,” Roedelius says. “I think real music catches its audiences’ attention by its inner strength.”
Roedelius has visited Asheville before. A high-profile performer at Moogfest in 2011, he performed solo and as LunzProject with Tim Story. For much of his solo set, he played grand piano and didn’t use keyboard synthesizers at all.
“I didn’t use synthesizers for a long time because of the lack of money,” Roedelius says. “Later, I made several records using only a Korg MS20.” But to avoid what he describes as “putting the same nails in the same holes,” he moved over to acoustic instruments.
Still, Roedelius values modern technology. One of his prized possessions is an iPad with the Animoog app installed — “a gift from the Moog people,” Roedelius says. “It helps me a lot to create my music out of the moment in the way I want it.”
WHO: Hans-Joachim Roedelius with Xambuca
WHERE: The Mothlight, 701 Haywood Road, themothlight.com
WHEN: Saturday, March 18, 9 p.m. $15
This is by far more of the vapid journalistic crap indicative of MountainX. It’s transparent Kopp doesn’t have a clue about the40 year musical career of this amazing musician. You couldn’t write your way out of a box if your life depended on it. This article is nothing short of belittling and insulting.
Thank you for your insightful and remarkably civil comment.
Smug much? You should admit that you did an injustice to a musician that has not only a huge body of work but has collaborated with more musicians than most. Also the fact that he was the originator of non-academic electronic music and paved the way for many other electronic duo’s with his partner Dieter Moebius. But instead you compare him to Riley and Reich which, again means you have absolutely no clue about what you’re writing about. I feel embarrassed for you. Also your title “Musoscribe” is laughably childish.
Also the use of the word “trailblazer” brings to mind some absurd visions of basketball or smoking weed.