»In Concert« is a brilliant example of state-of-the-art live concert recording at its best. Documenting a critically acclaimed European tour undertaken by Friedemann and his all-star group in 1990, the dozen tracks give new life to songs from his previous releases »Indian Summer« and »Aquamarine«. Instrumentation includes Friedemann’s searing-yet-tasteful guitar, blended seamlessly with oboe, soprano sax, flute, clarinet, bass, keyboards, drums and percussion, all performed by some of Europe's finest musicians.
This is a compilation of songs and instrumentals from the previous LPs "Voyager" and "The Beginning of Hope". It was the first Friedemann CD. Through a review in a hi-fi magazine, I became aware of this record in the late '80s. It was, as far as I could remember, "the perfect," i. as a CD, which was to satisfy both highest recording and musically highest claims. As a "high-ender" I found this CD very convincing in terms of musicality, audibility and spatiality.
In the beginning there was the shattered sky. A window – slammed shut. The glass – broken. The view outside – obscured. Inside: destruction. The end. While scenes like these evoke some terrible drama, they are part of our lives. They occur in our individual biographies as well as in the world as a whole. Everywhere. All the time. Guitarist / composer Friedemann Witecka found an impressive account of sky-shattering on a national scale while reading »Stasiland« by the Australian writer Anna Funder. In this book, published 2003, he discovered the phrase: »pieces of a shattered sky«. The collaps of his own sky occurred in 2010. It was the end which marked the beginning of a new album entitled »Echoes Of A Shattered Sky«.
SACD review: When Friedemann was in the studio with his long term »sound master« Johannes Wohlleben mixing the audio for the DVD of the same title, the video was always running along with the sound track. This is standard practise to make sure that sound and picture are in sync and compatible. But there were certain moments when Friedemann shut his eyes. He wanted to »see the music« rather than the musicians.
Back in the 1970‘s Friedemann Witecka, who was born in Freiburg in south-western Germany, slung his guitar over his shoulder and set off for London, England in search of creative inspiration. The 1980‘s took him to Stuttgart where he made a name for himself as head of the Biber label and as a talent scout and producer, and above all with his own music: harmony-intensive and multicoloured instrumental works between the poles of folk, chamber music and jazz. With his impeccably beautiful sound sketches Friedemann swam persistently against the (pop) main stream and in doing so created original and high-quality accents on the German scene.
According to an old legend, the blue Beryll (aquamarine) comes from the treasure of a mermaid. Blue creates an atmosphere of tranquility. It is the colour of inspiration and infinity. Colour and Music are phenomena of vibration. The music on this album has been inspired by the magic of the aquamarine. It is a combination of hardness and translucence, gentleness and strength, serenity and depth. (Friedemann). Best audiophile CD of all times (AUDIO, 1997). The perfect recording (STEREOPLAY, 1990).
Once upon a time there was a young folk singer who left his home in a small town in Alemannia and set out into the world to seek his fortune.« That more or less is the beginning of the story of Friedemann, who eventually, in the mid-nineties, three decades later, returned to his home at the foot of the Black Forest. A lot has happened in that time. The young lad has turned into a cosmopolitan man in touch with his home roots, a guitarist and composer, father of two daughters, music publisher, producer, businessman and… storyteller.
On this compilation of award-winning studio recordings and passionate live performances, guitarist and composer Friedemann takes the listener through that magnificent musical scenery which he has cultivated so expertly over the last three decades. But on the way from the 1980s to 2008 there are also some previously unreleased tracks to be discovered.
This is Friedemann's first »Best-of« Compilation and contains your (and our) favourite songs from the albums Indian Summer (1987), Aquamarin (1990), Legends of Light (1995) and Passion and Pride (1999). With about 70 minutes total playing time, this CD offers a comprehensive and impressive summary of 15 years in Friedemann's creative career.