JOHANNES SCHMOELLING

Johannes Schmoelling, who was a member of Tangerine Dream during 1980-85, has a classical piano training. So if you love Tangerine Dream because of the rhythms, the moog-sound, the guitars... look for Froese, Franke or Baumann solo. But if you love beautiful and clever melodies and a wonderful atmosphere I urge you to listen to Schmoelling. If you like one of his albums, or even one of his songs, you will probably like all of them (recently he also made TD-like music with sequencers etc.)

Aug 1986 LP (+ CD 1987) WUIVEND RIET

  1. Matjora Is Still Alive 4.56
  2. Zeit (for Stephan) 6.34
  3. Kneeplay No. 9 (3.58)
  4. Walking on Wooden Legs 3.52
  5. Wuivend Riet Part I 6.18
  6. Wuivend Riet Part II 12.48 (CD: Erdenklang 971.160)
The title is Dutch for "Windblown Reeds". 5-6 originally composed as theatre music for the play "Opus ESP" by Hans Bosch, premiered 1985 in Amsterdam. This album is his most Tangerine Dream-like, but it has its very own amazing qualities.

25 April 1987 live performance (+ MP3) "Million Bits in Concert"

"Johannes Schmoelling's only ever two live tracks, performed in Cologne on April 25, 1987 together with Kristian Schultze, Hubert Bognermayr, Harald Zuschrader and Matthias Thurow, are now available, remastered from the original live tapes. They can be downloaded from March 18, 2008 on his website: www.johannesschmoelling.de"

May 1988 LP/CD THE ZOO OF TRANQUILLITY

  1. The Anteater 2.54
  2. The Woodpecker 5.11
  3. The Wedding Cake 7.01
  4. The Rise of the Smooth Automaton 4.32
  5. The Zoo of Tranquillity 9.08 (Dedicated To Antje)
  6. The Lawnmower 5.46
  7. The Zoo and Jonas 7.02 (CD: Theta 834 109-2)
"This record was inspired by Paul Spooner's Illustrated Book of Automata 'Spooner's Moving Animals' or 'The Zoo of Tranquillity', produced by Bellew Publishing Co. Ltd. 1986, published by Virgin Books. Everyone who buys a copy of the book should go and see the Cabaret mechanical Theatre, Covent Garden, London.". The CD is nearly impossible to find, but from 21 Feb 2008 it is available as download from www.johannesschmoelling.de. It was also re-recorded and re-released in 1998 (see later entry).

1990 CD/LP WHITE OUT

  1. White Out 12.01
  2. Navigator's Chatter 5.45
  3. Native Eye, Native Ear 6.50
  4. Ice Walk 6.09
  5. The Big Nail 4.38
  6. A Great Continent 8.17
  7. Anian path 5.14 (deleted CD: Polydor 843 395-2)
"WHITE OUT - An optical illusion: the merging of heaven and earth, the absence of shadows, space without depth, without horizon.". "This film (Axel Engstfeld's documentary film 'Antarctica Project') and Martin Burckhardt's radio play 'Bis ans Ende der Welt' [Until the End of the World] have given me inspiration and musical ideas." (Quotes by Johanes Schmoelling.) These quotes give you a good idea of what this excellent album sounds like. Unfortunately it's deleted.

1994 CD MARTIN BURCKARDT/JOHANNES SCHMÖLLING: DER ZAUBERGEIGER SETTEMBRINI

    (Detusche Grammophon 445367-2)
German fairytale read by Max Goldt, with background music by Schmoelling recorded in 1989. It is not recommended by anyone I know.

8 Oct 1994 various artists CD KLEM: ELECTRONISCHE MUZIEK 1994

This is the second limited CD-release of KLEM, the Dutch fan club for electronic music. Only 1,000 copies were made.

early 1995 CD LIEDER OHNE WORTE - SONGS NO WORDS

  1. Nursery Rhyme 5.01
  2. Gondola Song 4.31
  3. Spinning Wheel 5.51
  4. Jester's Nightwatch 5.45
  5. Autumn Song 6.39
  6. Huntsman's Song 3.36
  7. Hymnus 8.29
  8. Maypole Song 6.51
  9. Funeral March 6.08 (Erdenklang 50802)
"The title (...), and the individual tracks, are based on the style from the piano album 'Lieder ohne Worte' by felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, published in 1834." This album has a 'lighter' feel and is more 'piano' based than his previous, but it's still excellent.

28 April 1998 various artists 2-CD INFINITE HORIZONS

  1. Christopher Franke: Metaphonic Chronicles 7.42
  2. Star Sounds Orchestra [Steve Schroyder + Jens Zygar]: Anakant 10.16
  3. Hans-Joachim Roedelius: Excerpt from Sinfonia Contempora Nr. III 8.21
  4. Lightwave: The Lowell's Vision (live) 4.55
  5. Klaus Krüger: Gumbo 94 (5.22)
  6. Klaus Krüger: Syndrum 2E 1.43
  7. Detlef Keller/Mario Schönwälder: Teutonisches Wüten (live) 10.25
  8. Conrad Schnitzler: 00/109-12 (3.42)
  9. Propeller Island: One Idea Gives a Thousands Thoughts 11.02
  1. Michael Hoenig: The Vertical Rotating Horizon (live) 7.13
  2. Conrad Schnitzler: 00/110-6 (4.05)
  3. Jörg Thomasius: Sitarius Afi III 7.36
  4. Lightwave: Martian Cycles (live) 7.27
  5. Johannes Schmoelling: Lamentation of an Ancient Tree 8.08
  6. Pete Namlook/Rob Gordon: She Ship 11.21
  7. Conrad Schnitzler: 00/110-8 (3.44)
  8. Klaus Krüger: 11 x 17 (3.12)
  9. Jolliffe & Jolliffe [Steve Jolliffe and his brother John]: Live at the Bell 11.09
    (Horizon Music, HM-LE-001)
Released by the US EM-fan magazine 'Beyond the Horizon'. Available from Horizon Music Network. Johannes Schmoelling's contribution was composed/recorded in Sep 1997 at his Rietstudio in Berlin. It's a sad but also very beautiful tune, one of his best! In the booklet it says "Its piano melody line in the beginning is a reminder of an ancient Romanian folk song".

Aug/Sep 1998 re-recorded CD THE ZOO OF TRANQUILLITY

  1. The Lawnmower 6.46
  2. The Woodpecker 5.08
  3. The Rise of the Smooth Automaton 5.14
  4. Contemplating Mortality 6.04
  5. The Anteater 3.20
  6. The Zoo and Jonas 5.46
  7. The Wedding Cake 4.51
  8. The Zoo of Tranquillity 10.07
  9. Fluid memories (For Flo) 5.04 (CD: Erdenklang, 81042)
"The original LP was produced in 1987. This actual version had been re-recorded and remixed in 1996 [sic!] with two additional new pieces at Riet Studio Berlin by Johannes Schmoelling."

Dec 2000 re-recorded CD WHITE OUT

  1. White Out 10.26
  2. Navigator's Chatter 5.48
  3. Icewalk 6.11
  4. The Big Nail 4.08
  5. Rain Echoes 6.39
  6. Native Eye, Native Ear 4.58
  7. A Great Continent 8.14
  8. A Long Way Home 5.44
  9. Anian Path 5.48
  10. Icewalk (Mix 2000) 6.25 [remixed by Robert Wässer & Ulrich Schnauss]
    (Viktoriapark VP 00-1)
Re-recorded and re-mixed in 2000 by Johannes Schmoelling (with two additional new tracks) at the Riet Studio in Berlin. Even if the two new tracks don't really fit amongst the rest of the album, they are fine songs: 'Rain Echoes' is dark and moody, while 'A Long Way Home' is a true piano masterpiece and shows Schmoelling at his very best - but of course it will remain a criminally underrated gem :-(

Oct 2001 limited various artists CD MUSIC FOR THE 3rd MILLENNIUM VOL. 3

A slow and slightly oriental-sounding song in the beginning, then his usual sympathetic piano comes in after a while. Not Schmoelling's absolutely best material, but nice nevertheless. Only 1000 CDs were made, available from www.ampmusic.demon.co.uk.

7 Jan 2003 mail order CD JOSCZOK/SCHMÖLLING: LAUFEN

  1. Wohnung Lukas 3.47
  2. Kindheitserinnerungen 5.36
  3. Der Marathonlauf 5.52
  4. Der Lehrer 3.14
  5. Im Krankenhaus 7.12
  6. Das Nashorn 9.29
  7. Lukas lernt neu Laufen 5.22
  8. Beim Arzt 4.32
  9. Auf dem Kirchturm 3.00
  10. Wohnung Lukas 4.23 (Viktoriapark VP 02-2)
A radio play (in German) by Dirk Josczok with additional background music & sounds by Schmoelling. In fact the small amount of music you can hear is taken from his earlier albums, so there is no new music to be heard on this CD. Available from www.johannesschmoelling.de.

9 Nov 2003 mail order CD RECYCLE OR DIE

  1. L'Atelier 2.20 (Schmoelling)
  2. Explosive Game 3.22 (Schmoelling)
  3. Recycle Or Die 5.41 (Schmoelling)
  4. Stratosphere 6.14 (Baumann/Franke/Froese; arranged by Schmoelling)
  5. Broken Heart of a Broken Hero 8.19 (Schmoelling)
  6. Midnight in Tula 3.40 (Franke/Froese/Schmoelling)
  7. Buda•Pest 6.47 (Schmoelling)
  8. Dominion 5.06 (Franke/Froese/Schmoelling)
  9. Italian Scratches: 1st Scratch 4.40 (Schmoelling)
  10. Italian Scratches: 2nd Scratch 1.24 (Schmoelling)
  11. Italian Scratches: 3rd Scratch 3.06 (Schmoelling)
  12. The Electrified J. S. 5.21 (Schmoelling) (Viktoriapark VP 03-3)
"RECYCLE OR DIE is a compilation of music composed for theatre and film during the last ten years. RECYCLE OR DIE is also a hommage to people, who influenced my way through this universe (e.g. Christoph and Edgar from TANGERINE DREAM and Johann Sebastian Bach)." I like it and recommend it to all fans. Available from www.johannesschmoelling.de.

6 Dec 2004 mail order 2-CD WELTMAERCHEN - WELTMUSIK

  1. Der Diener des Kalifen 22.52
  2. Interlude Arab 2.05
  3. Die Weissagung des Goldvogels 13.56
  4. Interlude Afrika 1.37
  5. Neue Abenteuer im Lügenland 17.49
  6. Interlude India 1.38
  1. Kaiser und Dieb 9.50
  2. Interlude China 1.53
  3. Das Mädchen vom Mond 22.14
  4. Interlude Brasil 1.39
  5. Der Wolfsclan 19.28
  6. Interlude Arkt. 4.05 (Viktoriapark VP 04-4)
"The CD's include 6 fairy tales (in German language) retold and written by Hubertus von Puttkamer, a friend of Johannes. The stories are read by the famous German actor Andre Eisermann (movies: 'Kaspar Hauser', 'Schlafes Bruder'). Inbetween the stories there are 6 separate music tracks from Johannes especially composed and recorded for this project. They will never appear on any other record."

Feb 2005 various artists CD + magazine E-DITION # 6

Friends is warm and soothing. CD came free with a magazine. See http://www.e-ditionmag.com/

19 June 2006 various artists CD + magazine E-DITION # 13

This track is a "left over from the INSTANT CITY-recordings, which did not fit to the lenght of the album". After about 3 minutes the melody starts, which for the most part is quite pleasant and sympathetic, and after about 6 minutes a slow but heavy rhythm starts - in the whole a slightly uneven but yet pleasant song and more or less in the same style as the other tracks on INSTANT CITY. CD came free with a magazine. See http://www.e-ditionmag.com/

1 Aug 2006 CD INSTANT CITY

  1. Passing By 9.24
  2. Giants out of the Fog 7.03
  3. Instant City 4.51
  4. Contemplative Clouds 7.25
  5. Joyful Solitude 8.50
  6. Rikscha Square 4.07
  7. Viktoriapark 4.26
  8. A Long Time Ago 8.33
  9. Big Cityscapes 6.28
  10. It's Your Birthday 6.38
  11. The Time Seller 6.52 (Viktoriapark VP 18 053)
Definitely one of his best and also one of his most easily accessible albums! Light, beautiful, warm, with many similarities to old Tangerine Dream albums like Logos. Buy it!

31 May 2007 coll-2CD IMAGES AND MEMORY - 1986-2006: AN ANTHOLOGY

  1. Zeit 6.36 [from WUIVEND RIET 1986]
  2. Matjora Is Still Alive 4.51 [from WUIVEND RIET 1986]
  3. Wuivend Riet Part II 12.32 [from WUIVEND RIET 1986]
  4. The Anteater 2.55 [from THE ZOO OF TRANQUILLITY 1988]
  5. The Woodpecker 5.09 [from THE ZOO OF TRANQUILLITY 1988]
  6. Icewalk 6.07 [from WHITE OUT 1990]
  7. A Great Continent 8.19 [from WHITE OUT 1990]
  8. Galago 6.35 [from Various Artists CD ELECTRONISCHE MUZIEK 1994]
  9. Skandalon 5.04 [previously unreleased, recorded in the early 90s]
  10. Lamentation of an Ancient Tree 8.06 [from Various Artists CD INFINITE HORIZONS 1998]
  11. Spinning Wheel 5.50 [from LIEDER OHNE WORTE - SONGS NO WORDS 1995]
  12. Funeral March 6.07 [from LIEDER OHNE WORTE - SONGS NO WORDS 1995]
  1. The Rise of the Smooth Automaton 5.08 [from THE ZOO OF TRANQUILLITY 1998]
  2. The Wedding Cake 4.45 [from THE ZOO OF TRANQUILLITY 1998]
  3. Rain Echoes 6.36 [from WHITE OUT 2000]
  4. A Long Way Home 5.42 [from WHITE OUT 2000]
  5. Spacenight Runner 7.46 [from various Artists CD MUSIC FOR THE 3rd MILLENNIUM VOL. 3, 2001]
  6. Italian Scratches 7.41 [from RECYCLE OR DIE 2003]
  7. Recycle Or Die 5.37 [from RECYCLE OR DIE 2003]
  8. Passing By 9.23 [from INSTANT CITY 2006]
  9. Joyful Solitude 8.49 [from INSTANT CITY 2006]
  10. You and Me 7.21 [from various Artists CD E-DITION # 13, 2006]
  11. Friends 5.13 [from various Artists CD E-DITION # 6, 2005] (2-CD: Viktoriapark VP 18 063)
The good thing about this compilation is that it is chronological and also contains all of his "rare" tracks. The previously unreleased track "Skandalon" is an early version of 'Giants out of the Fog' (from INSTANT CITY) recorded in the early 90s - it actually sounds very much like Tangerine Dream at its best and I actually like it even better than the magnificent re-recording on INSTANT CITY. The only thing I can complain about regarding this double CD is the booklet, which is only four pages and has no information about the tracks except which album it is from - it would have been nice to read about Johannes' memories and inspirations for each of the tracks.

June 2008 forthcoming CD [TITLE NOT DECIDED]

    2008 forthcoming coll-3-CD MARTIN BURCKARDT/JOHANNES SCHMÖLLING: AUDIO ART [1986-1990]
      (Semele/Viktoriapark, 3-938869-06-2)
    Three previously unpublished old radio plays on three CDs: Metamorphose der Stille (1986/87), Bis ans Ende der Welt (1988) and Frenkel (1990).

    Copyright (c) 1996-09-15 Jonas Wårstad.

    Last update 2008-03-19.

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