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Thread: Everything you ever wanted to know about Novalis....

  1. #26
    I like a lot of their albums about the same, and I don't mind the later albums. I do like symphonic prog, I think it's a genre that has not really exhausted itself as far as the innovative music that could one day be written. Novalis is a good example of a band that combined good music (yes, sometimes simple but in a fun anthemic way) with beautiful vocal melodies that were probably saying something quite profound, lol.
    Last edited by regenerativemusic; 04-08-2016 at 09:58 PM.

  2. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by regenerativemusic View Post
    I like a lot of their albums about the same, and I don't mind the later albums. I do like symphonic prog, I think it's a genre that next really exhausted itself as far as the innovative music that could one day be written. Novalis is a good example of a band that combined good music (yes, sometimes simple but in a fun anthemic way) with beautiful vocal melodies that were probably saying something quite profound, lol.
    I think they had beautifull lyrics. At least I can understand them.

  3. #28
    Member TheH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by helicase View Post
    I can't teach you German but let me try and make the English a bit more intelligible (apologies to our German friends if I've mangled any of it, but do feel free to improve on my effort):

    A new world breaks through
    And darkens the brightest sunshine
    Now from mossy ruins you see
    A wondrously strange future shimmer through
    And what was mundane before
    Now seems so strange and wonderful
    Your translation is very good, I have nothing to correct.

    The original lyrics use a somewhat old fashioned and poetic language that can't really be transported through a Translation though

    A line like "Frei soll die Fantasie erst schalten" would be hard to understand for many native speakers.

  4. #29
    RE: that translation to “Astralis.” In the refrain, I would say that “happens” or “occurs” would be more correct than “falls” in English.

    Incidentally, the lyrics to “Astralis” were heavily edited down from Von Hardenberg’s original text. It was originally something of an epic poem.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  5. #30
    Member TheH's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    RE: that translation to “Astralis.” In the refrain, I would say that “happens” or “occurs” would be more correct than “falls” in English.

    Incidentally, the lyrics to “Astralis” were heavily edited down from Von Hardenberg’s original text. It was originally something of an epic poem.
    Hard to say, the "fällt" part is an addition by the band. It's not part of the original poem. "Fällt" just means "falls", but in a form of poetic freedom
    “occurs” would make more sense.

  6. #31
    I tend to group Novalis with Stern Combo Meissen, a German symphonic band from the same era.... but from East Germany. If anything, Stern Combo Meissen is even more symphonic than Novalis and at times their sound reminds one of early Enid. But a great band anyway, specially in their first albums.

  7. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by yoyiceu View Post
    I tend to group Novalis with Stern Combo Meissen, a German symphonic band from the same era.... but from East Germany. If anything, Stern Combo Meissen is even more symphonic than Novalis and at times their sound reminds one of early Enid. But a great band anyway, specially in their first albums.
    I listened to this band about 15 minutes now and I don't see a resemblance.

    To me, in evidence of a song like Wundershatz, they have everything that was the best of Yes, Genesis and ELP, and
    to top it off often using the words of a unique poet/philosopher that has strongly endured for over 200 years.




  8. #33
    Member Joe F.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by spacefreak View Post
    In my order of preference:

    Sommerabend (a classic of the german sympho scene)
    Novalis
    Brandung
    Flossenengel
    Banished Bridge
    Glad to see Flossenengel getting mentions. I always thought this was an overlooked album. It's my favorite after the second, self-titled album.

  9. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe F. View Post
    Glad to see Flossenengel getting mentions. I always thought this was an overlooked album. It's my favorite after the second, self-titled album.
    It's excellent. Considering the state of prog at the time of release as well...
    Macht das ohr auf!

    COSMIC EYE RECORDS

  10. #35
    I do find some similarities with Stern Meissen

  11. #36
    ^ Stern Meissen were more elaborately "symphonic" in their approach, IMHO. Particularly on Weisses Gold and Mittelpunkt. I think they were one of the better bands doing the 'overly pomp but still successful at it' thing. Mittelpunkt should have a separate CD release; nowadays it's only available in that 8-CD (?) box Collection.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  12. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    ^ Stern Meissen were more elaborately "symphonic" in their approach, IMHO. Particularly on Weisses Gold and Mittelpunkt. I think they were one of the better bands doing the 'overly pomp but still successful at it' thing. Mittelpunkt should have a separate CD release; nowadays it's only available in that 8-CD (?) box Collection.
    7-CD. I have it.

  13. #38
    Quote Originally Posted by regenerativemusic View Post
    I like a lot of their albums about the same, and I don't mind the later albums. I do like symphonic prog, I think it's a genre that has not really exhausted itself as far as the innovative music that could one day be written. Novalis is a good example of a band that combined good music (yes, sometimes simple but in a fun anthemic way) with beautiful vocal melodies that were probably saying something quite profound, lol.
    I think that Bumerang (1984) was the first album they did I would say is out-and-out “bad.” Everything else they did up to that point had at least something to recommend it, however small (saying that, I wouldn’t call Sterntaucher “bad,” but I have a hard time recommending it as it’s so boring!).

    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    I think they had beautifull lyrics. At least I can understand them.
    Having songs based on actual poetry does help their cause. I thought they did well with tunes written “in the style of” as well, like “Wer Schmetterlinge lachen hört.”

    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    ^ Stern Meissen were more elaborately "symphonic" in their approach, IMHO. Particularly on Weisses Gold and Mittelpunkt. I think they were one of the better bands doing the 'overly pomp but still successful at it' thing. Mittelpunkt should have a separate CD release; nowadays it's only available in that 8-CD (?) box Collection.
    I have the older, dedicated CD release.
    Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...

  14. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by Progbear View Post
    I have the older, dedicated CD release.
    I've never seen it on offer at all. While Weisses Gold is quite reasonable to obtain. Original Stern Meissen albums on Amiga are generally much more difficult to find than stuff by Karat or Puhdys or Electra.
    "Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
    "[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM

  15. #40
    I used to have the original Brain cd of "Sommerabend" along with the more common Repertoire cd, but it got stolen before I ever had a chance to listen to it!

  16. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by yesstiles View Post
    I used to have the original Brain cd of "Sommerabend" along with the more common Repertoire cd, but it got stolen before I ever had a chance to listen to it!
    I think the Brain CD is still in print and easy to get for maybe ten bucks. It sounds just like the LP.

    FWIW, the Repertoire version is seriously jacked up with EQ.

  17. #42
    (not his real name) no.nine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scrotum Scissor View Post
    I've never seen it on offer at all. While Weisses Gold is quite reasonable to obtain. Original Stern Meissen albums on Amiga are generally much more difficult to find than stuff by Karat or Puhdys or Electra.
    My CD copy of Reise is a reissue done by the band themselves on their own self-named label. This was sometime after the first CD issue, which was actually on the Deutsche Schallplatten Berlin label (BTW, I've never seen one myself). They may have reissued other titles on their own label, but I don't know for sure.
    "I tah dah nur!" - Ike

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