Baumann

Romance '76 (1976). Esoteric Recording’s Reactive label is pleased to announce a newly remastered CD release for the seminal German Electronic & Ambient musician Peter Baumann’s debut solo album, “Romance ‘76”. Peter Baumann came to prominence as a key member of Tangerine Dream, joining Edgar Froese and Chris Franke in the group in 1971 and making his debut on the album “Zeit”. His contribution was felt on the classic Tangerine Dream albums released by Virgin Records issued between 1974 & 1976, “Phaedra”, “Rubycon”, “Ricochet” and “Stratosfear”. In 1976 he embarked on a solo career with his classic work “Romance ’76”, recorded in July and August that year in Berlin and Munich. The result was a remarkable album that is now held in huge esteem by aficionados of German Electronic Music…

The Glière is the most ambitious work here, running for nearly 23 minutes, almost a record length for a horn concerto. It is very florid and romantic—its unlikely model is Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, to which it comes nearest in the finale which is a lively Russian dance. Although some of the material is ingenuous, notably the march rhythm of the first movement, it is quite a jolly piece and has much in common with the Richard Strauss concertos. Otherwise the best known work is the Dukas Villanelle which Dennis Brain liked to play, and which is attractively diverse in mood and style, although essentially a miniature.