Parzival - Legend (1971/2004 Won-Sin)
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Artist: Parzival
Album: Legend
Released: 1971
2004 Won-Sin WS 885-669-2
Genre: Progressive folk/symphonic rock
Review:
PARZIVAL biography
German folky prog band from the early 70's emphasizing guitar, violin, and flute. The music they created between them was an unusual combination of German folk, classical and medieval music with a rich instrumentation and rock aestethics. Violin, viola, cello and flute are used as well as typical rock instrumetation (organ, guitars, etc.).
Only "Legend" is folk related, with nice use of cello and flute with rock band. The later "BaRock" combined both the baroque and rock on the more commercial level, and thus being more song based it was far less exciting. The CD contains a very good long improvisation track.
Album Reviews :
(philippe @progarchives)
This album combines the use of plenty traditional, acoustic instruments (violin,viola, flute) in a deeply middle age atmosphere. It isn't acid /psych folk music as the compositions offered by other germans as Emtidi, Carol Of Harvest but it is very closed to Ougenweide and their Pagan, traditional folk. The result can (mentaly) lead you to have the feeling that you go back to the past. Each track of the album has its very special mood, sometimes written in a plaintive tone (the delicious Wall Bungalow accompagned fo the piano, the pastoral song Empty land), epic (Marshy legend), dark & melodic. Despite that the instrumentation is essentialy acoustic and the "roots" are in traditionnal folk music, a few rock ingredients are mixed with the ensemble, creating original musical sequences and progressive harmonies. This album is not at all basic folk music and really defines what prog folk is. Moreover it is made in a very emotional mood, the musical qualities are always present in favor of fixing the attention of the listener. A deep musical journey in the past! It can easily be conceived as the legendary adentures of Parzival put into music!
(Sean Trane @progarchives)
One of the keenest Folk Prog group to come from Germany, Parzival should appeal to most progheads especially those looking into medieval music as a main influence. In this regard, they are to be compared to countrymen Ougenweide (but Parzival sings in English), Malicorne for one side and The Pentangle, Spirogyra or The Trees for the second. Organized around a guitar-bass-drums trio (the bassist being multi- instrumentalist from KB to violin) with an added instruments ranging from the cello, flute to the oboe. Sounds tasty does it not? Ya Betcha!-)
Oddly enough the Cd starts with a bonus track, a non-album single, but a masterstroke that puts you right away in superb joyous mood and the album is in the same mould. Cellos and flute gives a rather medieval feeling to the music, but never really completely indulging in it like Gryphon would, they sound more like ELO’s first superb album also. The 8 Years Later almost instrumental is an incredibly beautiful track where they are soaring away like eagles from us poor mortals. Senseless and a few other tracks have slightly acidic-sounding vocals reminding Sopirogyra’s Martyn Cockerham or Comus’s Wooton, but without having that eerie feel to it. Empty Land is based on Bach’s Matthew’s Passion, but the previous track always had another classical influence I could never place.
Their largely acoustic sound is incredibly contagious and highly joyous (I know I already said this at the start of the review but this must be stressed again here. Their lenghty Groove Inside (you guessed it, based on an improvisation) is never less than interesting but reaches the enthralling stages too especially when they get to a raga section much like the Third Ear Band (and even reminding me of Jan Dukes De Grey’s Sun Symphonia), until it ends on a rather pointless and not-so-nice wink to The Beatles’s When I’m 64. But only on this lenghty track does the mood become …… moody ;-)
Two more short bonus tracks (on top of the opening one) are ending the album in a rougher manner than necessary, both being demos dating from 69 and largely forgettable, this album is one of the real pearls from Germany’s folk scene and the fact that it was produced by Conny Plank, certainly is no coincidence.
Track List:
1. One Day (3:37) (bonus track from 72 single)
2. Marshy Legend (2:20)
3. Resignation (2:53)
4. 8 Years Later (4:40)
5. Senseless No. 6 (4:54)
6. Wall Bungalow (2:40)
7. Empty Land (5:12)
8. Groove Inside (16:00)
9. Change Your Mind (2:04) (bonus track rough demo 69)
10. Sarah Girl (1:58) ) (bonus track rough demo 69)
Total Time: 46:18
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