|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CD
|
|
BB 489CD
|
$16.50
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 10/3/2025
Schnitzler's collaborations with Wolf Sequenza aka Wolfgang Seidel occupy a special place in his vast musical output. They brought him closer to pop music than ever before or since, with the possible exception of Berlin Express and Auf dem schwarzen Kanal. Following Consequenz and Con 3, Consequenz III is now the third album to be released from this phase of his work.
"Consequenz III follows on directly from the two previous albums. Once again, the pieces sound almost like pop music, once again they are rhythmically and harmoniously structured, once again they are between three and four minutes long. And once again, they are not 100% pop music, but rather a balancing act between strict, abstract seriality and contemporary electronics: no melodies, no vocals, and it's up to each listener to decide whether the pieces are danceable. Rather, the eleven pieces are rhythmic études or finger exercises, especially for Seidel, who once again plays with incredible precision, as if he were a sequencer himself. It is not for nothing that Schnitzler gave him the pseudonym Wolf Sequenza for their joint productions. Musicians such as Wolfgang Seidel continue to lend Schnitzler's sonic universe additional radiance. The fact that the pieces on Consequenz III have already been released in 2006 by the Japanese label Captain Trip under the title Consequenz 2 + was probably only noticed by very few Schnitzler fans outside Japan. Only a small number of the limited edition ever reached Europe, and sold out in no time. Consequenz III therefore reissues material that was previously known only to a few. And there's no end to it: Schnitzler left behind music that was either only released in very small editions (e.g. on cassettes or CDRs) or has never been released at all. There is still plenty to discover in the various archives. Will we ever get to know the 'whole Schnitzler'? I don't think so." --Asmus Tietchens, 2025
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
BB 489LP
|
$26.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 10/3/2025
LP version. Schnitzler's collaborations with Wolf Sequenza aka Wolfgang Seidel occupy a special place in his vast musical output. They brought him closer to pop music than ever before or since, with the possible exception of Berlin Express and Auf dem schwarzen Kanal. Following Consequenz and Con 3, Consequenz III is now the third album to be released from this phase of his work.
"Consequenz III follows on directly from the two previous albums. Once again, the pieces sound almost like pop music, once again they are rhythmically and harmoniously structured, once again they are between three and four minutes long. And once again, they are not 100% pop music, but rather a balancing act between strict, abstract seriality and contemporary electronics: no melodies, no vocals, and it's up to each listener to decide whether the pieces are danceable. Rather, the eleven pieces are rhythmic études or finger exercises, especially for Seidel, who once again plays with incredible precision, as if he were a sequencer himself. It is not for nothing that Schnitzler gave him the pseudonym Wolf Sequenza for their joint productions. Musicians such as Wolfgang Seidel continue to lend Schnitzler's sonic universe additional radiance. The fact that the pieces on Consequenz III have already been released in 2006 by the Japanese label Captain Trip under the title Consequenz 2 + was probably only noticed by very few Schnitzler fans outside Japan. Only a small number of the limited edition ever reached Europe, and sold out in no time. Consequenz III therefore reissues material that was previously known only to a few. And there's no end to it: Schnitzler left behind music that was either only released in very small editions (e.g. on cassettes or CDRs) or has never been released at all. There is still plenty to discover in the various archives. Will we ever get to know the 'whole Schnitzler'? I don't think so." --Asmus Tietchens, 2025
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
BB 403CD
|
Composer and conceptual artist Conrad Schnitzler (1937-2011) was one of the most influential figures of the electronic avant-garde in Germany. In 1967/68, the Joseph Beuys student founded the Zodiak Free Arts Lab, which became a playground for Berlin subculture. In addition to numerous solo releases Schnitzler was also involved in various band formations not least Tangerine Dream and Kluster. Representing another of his musical landmarks are the Consequenz releases. Consequenz II emerged from a collaboration with Wolfgang Seidel alias Wolf Sequenza, and is the follow-up project to Consequenz (BB 121CD/LP) which was a low-budget production that had an overriding aim of liberating music from its elitist circles in a "Beuys-ian" sense. Consequenz II returned to the theme with electronic apparatus that professionalized the sound but by no means reduced the fun he found in experimentation.
"... Schnitzler had studied sculpture under Joseph Beuys and the statement echoed his teacher's philosophy: 'Everyone is an artist.' The flyer continued in similar vein: 'ERUPTION are freeing the prisoners from their ivory towers.' Schnitzler viewed art as social practice, not the realm of specialists. Anyone could get involved. You didn't even need to be able to play an instrument. The flyer also announced: 'Members of the audience who bring transistor radios will get reduced admission if they play music on their radios inside the venue.' That was back in 1971, ten years before we produced and recorded the Consequenz LP. We included instructions inside the sleeve for setting up just such a project with the minimum of technical fuss, inviting submissions which used the record as a playback tool . . . We had almost resigned ourselves to life in the ivory tower when a letter from a Spanish label (Esplendor Geometrico) reached us, asking for a sequel -- Consequenz II. It didn't take long for us to decide to accept the offer, encouraged by the fact that we would not have to finance the release out of our own pockets -- as had been the case with the first Consquenz. Certain 'secret devices' had materialized in our ivory tower in the meantime. Conrad Schnitzler had purchased an 8-track recorder with money he had earned from 'proper' art. I borrowed various bits of equipment from my band -- Populäre Mechanik -- including a drum computer, so we could really let rip. The little songs we made sounded much more 'professional' than the cheerfully low budget music of the first Consequenz . . . All we needed now was music for the B-side, but our enthusiasm for the borrowed drum computer had waned somewhat. It was always the first track we recorded, which meant that everything else had to follow its lead. The beat itself was singularly unimpressed by what came next. This was an unsatisfactory state of affairs for two players (musicians?) who had begun with free improvisation, with either of the participants able to change the direction of the whole thing..." --Wolfgang Seidel, November 2021
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
BB 403LP
|
LP version. Composer and conceptual artist Conrad Schnitzler (1937-2011) was one of the most influential figures of the electronic avant-garde in Germany. In 1967/68, the Joseph Beuys student founded the Zodiak Free Arts Lab, which became a playground for Berlin subculture. In addition to numerous solo releases Schnitzler was also involved in various band formations not least Tangerine Dream and Kluster. Representing another of his musical landmarks are the Consequenz releases. Consequenz II emerged from a collaboration with Wolfgang Seidel alias Wolf Sequenza, and is the follow-up project to Consequenz (BB 121CD/LP) which was a low-budget production that had an overriding aim of liberating music from its elitist circles in a "Beuys-ian" sense. Consequenz II returned to the theme with electronic apparatus that professionalized the sound but by no means reduced the fun he found in experimentation.
"... Schnitzler had studied sculpture under Joseph Beuys and the statement echoed his teacher's philosophy: 'Everyone is an artist.' The flyer continued in similar vein: 'ERUPTION are freeing the prisoners from their ivory towers.' Schnitzler viewed art as social practice, not the realm of specialists. Anyone could get involved. You didn't even need to be able to play an instrument. The flyer also announced: 'Members of the audience who bring transistor radios will get reduced admission if they play music on their radios inside the venue.' That was back in 1971, ten years before we produced and recorded the Consequenz LP. We included instructions inside the sleeve for setting up just such a project with the minimum of technical fuss, inviting submissions which used the record as a playback tool . . . We had almost resigned ourselves to life in the ivory tower when a letter from a Spanish label (Esplendor Geometrico) reached us, asking for a sequel -- Consequenz II. It didn't take long for us to decide to accept the offer, encouraged by the fact that we would not have to finance the release out of our own pockets -- as had been the case with the first Consquenz. Certain 'secret devices' had materialized in our ivory tower in the meantime. Conrad Schnitzler had purchased an 8-track recorder with money he had earned from 'proper' art. I borrowed various bits of equipment from my band -- Populäre Mechanik -- including a drum computer, so we could really let rip. The little songs we made sounded much more 'professional' than the cheerfully low budget music of the first Consequenz . . . All we needed now was music for the B-side, but our enthusiasm for the borrowed drum computer had waned somewhat. It was always the first track we recorded, which meant that everything else had to follow its lead. The beat itself was singularly unimpressed by what came next. This was an unsatisfactory state of affairs for two players (musicians?) who had begun with free improvisation, with either of the participants able to change the direction of the whole thing..." --Wolfgang Seidel, November 2021
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
CT 642CD
|
"The second release of the collaboration with Wolf Sequenza (ex. Kluster-Eruption) in 1986. The original LP was released on Discos Esplendor Geometrico, a great Spanish industrial label. Including 6 unreleased tracks as bonus. 2009 digital remaster version with paper sleeve, same artwork as the original. Ltd. 1,000 copies."
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
CT 614CD
|
"Early Self-Product Series. Collaboration with Wolf Sequenza (ex. Kluster-Eruption) in 1980. The original LP was pressed as 500 copies. Including previously-unreleased bonus tracks. 2008 digital remaster version with stickered paper sleeve, same as the original. First release on CD. Limited to 1,000 copies."
|