Stephan Merath

When Stephan Moccio sits at the piano, he plays the truth. There are no filters and no boundaries, the music is pure emotion. To record this album he went to Miraval Studios in the south of France, where he recorded 'Legends, Myths and Lavender' in four weeks. “The place is absolutely beautiful. In many ways my music is just a way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

A one-man universe of sound who has learned to play hundreds of instruments from across the globe, which he utilizes in captivating and exotic ways. Collection includes: Implosions (1977); Til The End Of Time (1978); Wings Over Water (1982); Listen To The Rain (1983); East Of The Night (1985); Ocean (1986); The Music Of Stones (1989); Darkness And Light (1990); To The Evening Child (1992); Athos: A Journey To The Holy Mountain (1994); The Garden Of Mirrors (1997); Desert Poems (2001); Life (2004); On The Wing (2006); Bold As Light (2010).

Aside from his only opera Fidelio, Beethovens general link with the theater in Vienna came about largely with incidental music or songs to be inserted into the works of other composers- insertion arias. Konig Stephan was written to celebrate the politically significant opening of a new theatre in Pest, its triumphant mood honoring the ruling Austrian Emperor. Standard Bearer of female heroism Leonore Prohaska is commemorated with a Soldiers Chorus and a Romance with harp accompaniment. In Friedrich von Matthissons poem Opferlied (Sacrificial Song), a young man prays to Zeus to bestow upon him beauty and goodness in youth and old age. Two of Beethovens four settings are heard on this wide-ranging programme.

Aside from his only opera Fidelio, Beethovens general link with the theater in Vienna came about largely with incidental music or songs to be inserted into the works of other composers- insertion arias. Konig Stephan was written to celebrate the politically significant opening of a new theatre in Pest, its triumphant mood honoring the ruling Austrian Emperor. Standard Bearer of female heroism Leonore Prohaska is commemorated with a Soldiers Chorus and a Romance with harp accompaniment. In Friedrich von Matthissons poem Opferlied (Sacrificial Song), a young man prays to Zeus to bestow upon him beauty and goodness in youth and old age. Two of Beethovens four settings are heard on this wide-ranging programme.

There are still many mysteries surrounding Johann Sebastian Bach’s personality. Yet, as new and exciting biographies appear, telling us more and more about the composer, we keep wondering what kind of a man he was in everyday life. Maybe because the very idea of the existence of such a genius is almost disturbing, and never ceases to amaze. However, that Bach was frequently called upon by instrument makers, and not only by organ builders, to listen to, gauge, and probably help tune musical instruments is no secret. He is thus closely related to the oboe family’s history since both the oboe da caccia and the oboe d’amore first appeared in Leipzig while Bach was working there. Moreover, he is the only composer to have offered music (the Passions and numerous cantatas) to the former and its warm, tender tone.

There are still many mysteries surrounding Johann Sebastian Bach’s personality. Yet, as new and exciting biographies appear, telling us more and more about the composer, we keep wondering what kind of a man he was in everyday life. Maybe because the very idea of the existence of such a genius is almost disturbing, and never ceases to amaze.

During their 2018 USA tour, Richard Smith and Joscho Stephan came up with the idea to expand their duo by adding a new musical dimension. On Richard’s recommendation, the versatile multi-instrumentalist Rory Hoffman joined the project, marking the birth of the “Transatlantic Guitar Trio“. Since then, the three musicians have performed on numerous stages across the USA and Europe and released their self-titled debut album in 2019.

To the Rising Moon is Stephan Micus' 26th solo album for ECM. It features instruments from Colombia, India, Xinjiang (China), Bavaria, Cambodia, Egypt and Borneo, but taking centre stage is the Colombian tiple, slightly smaller than an acoustic guitar. The sunny plucked sound of the tiples alternates with darker bowed strings which bring a more meditative mood. It's only in the final track, "To the Rising Moon", that the two worlds of the plucked tiples and bowed strings finally come together. It's like a hymn to something that is eternally up there in the night sky, something consistent while there is so much turbulence in the world below. Once again, Stephan Micus takes us on a unique musical journey to places unknown that couldn't have been created or played by anyone else.

Stephan Moccio is a Grammy and Academy Award-nominated composer, producer, pianist, arranger, conductor and recording artist.

To the Rising Moon is Stephan Micus' 26th solo album for ECM. It features instruments from Colombia, India, Xinjiang (China), Bavaria, Cambodia, Egypt and Borneo, but taking centre stage is the Colombian tiple, slightly smaller than an acoustic guitar. The sunny plucked sound of the tiples alternates with darker bowed strings which bring a more meditative mood. It's only in the final track, "To the Rising Moon", that the two worlds of the plucked tiples and bowed strings finally come together. It's like a hymn to something that is eternally up there in the night sky, something consistent while there is so much turbulence in the world below. Once again, Stephan Micus takes us on a unique musical journey to places unknown that couldn't have been created or played by anyone else.