Klaus Schulze: Ballett 1 (2000)

Klaus Schulze - Ballett 1

KS Canon 86

Track Listing:

1.	Getting Near	10:43
2.	Slightly Touched	29:32
3.	Agony	35:30

Notes: Wolfgang Tiepold plays cello.

Rating: 5 Stars

This is the 36th solo album recorded by Klaus Schulze. It was originally released as the sixth album of the "Contemporary Works 1" box set. There were four Ballett albums, the sixth to ninth albums of the box set, but Klaus considers them to be one piece of work. If CDs had been designed to hold 320 minutes of music instead of 80, they would have been a single album.

Before anyone complains about me misspelling ballet, Ballett is the German spelling.

The album is named in honour of Klaus Schulze's mother, who used to be a ballet dancer. This was the first solo album that he recorded after her death in 1998. He unites with Wolfgang Tiepold, who already appeared on his solo albums "X", "Trancefer" and "Audentity". This is exciting to me, because it's my opinion that of all the musicians he's worked with, Wolfgang Tiepold and Harald Grosskopf were his best partners. They're both outstanding musicians in their own right, but they can contribute to Klaus Schulze's music without stealing the limelight. Harald Grosskopf only played on four albums from 1976 to 1978, but the musical connection with Wolfgang Tiepold has continued over the years.

"Ballett 1" was released as a solo CD in 2006. It's now out of print, but in 2017 it was made available as half of the double album "Ballett 1 & 2". It's a must buy for any serious fans of Klaus Schulze's music. It may not be as exciting as some of his early albums from the 1970's, but the emotional depth is breathtaking. The cello on "Agony" brings tears to my eyes.