DERWEIL
Hubert von Goisern - Derweil
Only when you have moved out of the alpine sphere of influence, do you really know to esteem what alpine music has. More than ever when you, like the music of Hubert von Goisern, do not stir to the conventional dung heap of so-called folk music, but rather exhibit a somewhat nonconformist, ambitious and affectionately native nature in the cosmopolitan sense. When the Alpinkatzen presented their first album in 1988, a new era dawned in all things homeland music. Hubert von Goisern turned things inside out, "Austropop" and "folk song" gained new signs and from a secret tip came a cult figure. He put himself through his paces touring, travelled the world from Africa to Tibet and this double CD is the summary of all this.
Actually HvG struggled against a "best of" collection, but the recognition that "time is unavoidable ... and for that reason we need memory" then led to Derweil – 1988 to 2006.
He has compiled 34 songs from the old and not so old times, from Hiatamadl to Mercedes Benz, from albums such as Alpine Lawine to Ausland. A world music concentrate, full of lifeblood. Hubert von Goisern is an Austrian of model character. It would be great if his spirit were to pass over to weaklings like Haider or Schwarzenegger. His music knows no bounds and blows away the cobwebs. Everybody should have Derweil, no matter whether they are in Flensburg or Garmisch.
Hubert von Goisern enraptures with "Derweil"
Barely anybody would have thought at the beginning of the nineties that money could be made with a squeezebox, yodels and dialect lyrics far from the genre of folk music. Then Hubert von Goisern stepped onto the stage and rocked every mountain hut into the ground in the shortest time. 1.5 million sold CDs and a good 1000 shows later, one of the most interesting artists in Austria provides a retrospect of his accomplishments so far.
"Best of" albums are for the most part excellently suited to following the career of a musician. However, one must often ascertain with frustration that many bands have not exactly changed themselves for the best over the years.
Not so with Hubert von Goisern. With the double album Derweil containing a total of 34 songs, the world musician with Austrian roots offers a retrospect of the years 1988 to 2006 and in the process impressively shows how versatile and multifaceted he is.
So next to the alpine rock pieces like Solide Alm or the mountain hut firecracker Koa Hiatamadl thought-provoking and sentimental pieces such as are also to be found on the album. Journeys to Africa and Asia ultimately fostered meditative songs like the wonderful Kham-Lu or the Afrika Ouvertüre.
But the musician's musical variety is by no means satisfied with this. From the aforementioned alpine rock, to jazz (Fön), his bluesy interpretation of Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz, Da Dasige with a breath of the Caribbean, or I bi an shaped by the spiritual and gospel: Hubert von Goisern sets himself no boundaries and it is good that way. The joy in experimentation does not always lead to success, but the songs are by no means ever boring or bad because of this.
Conclusion: Derweil is a small and very fine piece of Austrian music history, which could be no more diverse and interesting and with which Hubert von Goisern proves his status as an exceptional musician. It only remains to hope that there will still be a lot to hear from him in the future.
10 out of 10 juchitzers
CD of the week
derweil - Hubert Von Goisern
Bavaria likes to make jokes about their neighbours, the Austrians. It's exactly the same the other way around, after all, both protect their traditions, run around in dirndls and love their mountains. And they have something else in common that sets them apart from the rest of Germany: they understand each other when dialect is spoken. For everyone in Munich and the surrounding area knows what Hubert von Goisern means by the title of his current album derweil, beyond that comprehension is more difficult.
"Derweil" could be translated with "in der Zwischenzeit" or "während". In this way the man from Bad Goisern in the Salzkammergut refers to his twenty-year career as a musician and to the 13 records, which he has released since 1988. "Meanwhile" says Hubert von Goisern, he is thinking about a big project that he is planning in the next year with many other European artists. But he is taking his time with it. The accordionist, singer and guitarist has done that a great deal during the course of his life.
When the homeland became too close for the 20-year-old, he emigrated to South Africa, then returned a few years later, met a Canadian woman and left his country once more, this time in the direction of Toronto. Then the fidgety spirit went to the Philippines, where he played Austrian folk songs to the natives and in exchange was taught the traditions of the locals. If cultures that lie so far apart can communicate musically, then folk music and rock must be able to be reconciled, thought the Austrian oddball and made his way to his homeland.
At this point he is now long past 30, at an age when the midlife crisis is beginning for most and many pop stars have long passed the high point of their career. And suddenly he is there, Hubert von Goisern with his Alpinkatzen. He sings in dialect about girls, the mountain pasture, cocaine, the alpine avalanche and "raps the poacher".
He takes his ideas from folk music, leaving them only the accordion and hitting them over the head with electric guitar, drum and bass. It goes down so well that he is the absolute master of alpine rock music until 1994. But von Goisern would not be von Goisern if he did not reflect on the situation. Success and routine bore him, he packs it all in and doesn't go on stage again for six years.
Once more he does something completely different, fashion for example, or a visit to Africa with the famous chimpanzee research scientist Jane Goodall. He is also in evidence as a producer, going into the studio with Tibetan musicians and modernising their songs, for which he was treated with much hostility. But the musician asked, quite rightly: why shouldn't the Tibetan traditions also be allowed to change?
In 2000 the new CD Fön was finally released. Hubert von Goisern has become quieter, more thoughtful, but when he sings, he is still the man from Bad Goisern. Aside from that, he has meanwhile discovered that his music works just as well in Africa as at home. He makes appearances with musicians from Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Egypt. Meets Mohamed Mounir and goes on tour with the Egyptian star. After all, alpine music is just as exotic beyond Europe as non-European music is here.
And somehow the similarities seem to prevail. In any case, Hubert von Goisern's development from "alpine boy" to world citizen can well be heard on the 'best of' CD.
Hubert Von Goisern: Derweil (1988-2006)
Where other artists can't dedicate themselves fast enough to making some extra dough and at best as a precaution bash out one or two "best of" discs after just two albums, a man like Hubert von Goisern can let 18 years go by before he gets carried away by such a release. And he most likely doesn't do it because of the money, but perhaps so that Goisern-newcomers don't have to acquire a complete discography, in order to join in.
For with Derweil, one really is presented with the ultimate compendium of the musical history of the congenial artist, who has shown himself on his albums as everything from folk-rocky and jazz-groovy to multiculturally-unitive. Personally, I can't necessarily get fully enthusiastic about every phase of his creativity, but I must confess that I am unbelievably fascinated by the constant metamorphosis in his music. This fascination most likely probably lies in the fact that one hears in every last one of the songs that von Goisern celebrates the pieces with every fibre of his soul and absolute dedication.
Conclusion: Hubert von Goisern was, is and probably also always will be an artist who feels at home in a branch of music, which will never reach the masses. With Derweil (1988-2006), he invites all those interested to stop for a moment in his personal music room and to consider the musical treasures he has collected during his whole career.
The best meanwhile on CD
Hubert von Goisern is one of the oldest rocks of Austrian alpine music, much more a whole mountain! Although there is already a "best of", this is a more complete collection of his music. Two lots of seventeen numbers on two discs give a comprehensive general view. The album has been on the market since July: it is called derweil: 1988 – 2006 and puts the record straight on the one true Goiserer.
He actually wanted to be a conductor. But he left the band where he learned his first instrument - it was the long hair that was a thorn in the bandleader's side. He had to leave his trumpet with the ensemble. He taught himself acoustic guitar, which was too quiet for him, so he bought an electric one. But that was too loud for his neighbourhood! He didn't want anything to do with the accordion for the moment. The Austrian narrowness was too much for him anyway and he decided to move to South Africa with his girlfriend at the time. Racial segregation meant that he did not find any peace there, perhaps he would, with his new wife, be better off in Canada. There he finally decided to pursue the career of a professional musician. After various music studies came blow upon blow. His Philippines trip - during which he also spent time with headhunters - contributed to his musical maturation.
Things really got going with Alpine Lawine, although there could be no talk of a breakthrough. The next album, with the super hit Hiatamadl, brought resounding success and from there things only went up. Aside from albums on which the Goiserer-typical mixture of traditional and modern Austrian sounds are to be found (eg: Omunduntn, Iwasig), he also dedicated himself to film music (Schlafes Bruder), world music, which is strongly influenced by his journeys (Gombe, Inexil), as well as the traditional Austrian folk songs (Trad I + II).
On derweil are his greatest melodies, as well as an unreleased recording and 3 new mixes. This arguably makes this disc the ideal starter for people who want to become acquainted with the Goiserer, as well as for fans whose old CDs gave up the ghost long ago. And many Austrians might managed a juchitzer with the neo-rustic sounds of the Goiserer!
Hubert von Goisern: derweil (1988-2006)
... going down well (a balance) ...
He is a musical globetrotting Upper Austrian from the beautiful Salzkammergut, cosmopolitan, multi-instrumentalist and all-rounder: After 18 years, 1000 concerts and 14 albums, Hubert von Goisern (alias: Hubert Achleitner) has now presented a first "Best of", which he laconically calls derweil. So things should go on. The double album with 34 titles and a total of more than two and a half hours of music is a successful and technically flawlessly put together, even partially newly arranged cross-section of the life's work (until now) of the successful world traveller in all things music, which creatively bridges the breather after his big Africa tour and the wonderful double album CD/DVD Ausland.
The bard, who seamlessly integrates the Kaiser's anthem "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser" into his repertoire as a heavy metal number, without wanting to rival Jimi Hendrix, belongs to the Salzkammergut just like Theo Reisner and Helmut Peter, like the "Weisse Rössl", Kaiserschmarrn and a summer-fresh Trumer Pils. Achleitner's previously most highly praised mixture of rock with elements of traditional Upper Austrian folk music and international folklore made him one of the most important representatives of Austropop and rock in front of many epigones. He mastered blues and rock with a light hand, yodelling, which Sabine Kapfinger meritoriously taught him, he soaked up elements of Tibetan, Canadian, Filipino, South, Central and North African folklore, made cultural films and wrote the music for them. His original band the Alpinkatzen disbanded, a new formation found itself and thrilled Africa on a terrific tour.
Hubert von Goisern has been everywhere and gone down well everywhere. But he is at home in Bad Goisern, where he was finally given the freedom of the town. The most amazing thing of his commemorative album is perhaps the observation that almost each of these 34 pieces between alpine rock and alpine world music from 18 years is a pearl in sound and performance and each new idea in arrangement or instrumentation proves itself as a refreshing enrichment. The fact that this high quality could be maintained despite changing lineup and style over the course of time is, without a doubt, down to Hubert von Goisern himself, who, differently from Ringsgwandl for example, didn't mendelise to sharp parody, but, like Haindling, continuously won down-to-earthness in the work on his music and himself and had great success with it.
Hubert von Goisern - derweil
[...] For fans of the artist, a welcome retrospective of the creativity of the musician from Bad Goisern, for newcomers to Hubert's musical world, Derweil is probably the best opportunity to get to know this man better. It remains exciting to see where the wind will take him in future. But one thing is certain, Austria's musical world would be poorer without him.
Unparalleled career
This CD is probably here because he "is doing nothing in the meantime". Simple, but true comment from Hubert von Goisern on his double album "Derweil 1988-2006"
The musician, who never fulfilled an image, but rather constantly broke out in order to make new musical discoveries, has prescribed himself time out. "Meanwhile, there's a creative, restorative intermediary phase, in which I can look for ideas," said the 53 year old of the self-imposed break. But there should be something new in 2007. Those who know Hubert von Goisern know that it will be something truly new.
With the double album, which he has put together himself, the musician looks back on his astounding career. 34 songs from the rousing Hiatamadl to Schleiniger, Fön and Afrika and Kohler. All musical perspectives that Hubert von Goisern has searched for and found are immortalised here. It is a journey through the acoustic horizon of a person who always boosts his energy to look beyond narrow borders of genre, never letting the liberty of entering new ground be taken from him.
"The reality is considerably more flipped out than what I imagined 20 years ago, where I could perhaps end up. I didn't let myself dream that I could have such success and speak to so many people with my music." It was a kind of intoxication and, when he stopped in 1994, he was sure that he would carry on again at some point, but "would get to somewhere else entirely. But that has been only partly true. "The fantasy was more conservative than life. I see today that the bottom line is that there is a continuity in my musical life."
For example, volume was much more important to him before. "Now the breaks in the pieces are more and more important to me, the moments in which you can put a piece of paper between two sounds." It is exactly this attitude which shapes his works. Hubert von Goisern doesn't leave one cold. "Meanwhile" one listens to this - and waits for his new deeds.
CD of the week: Hubert von Goisern - Derweil 1988-2006
Filthy numbers: 18 years of Hubert von Goisern. 1000 concerts. 1.5 million albums sold. 34 songs on two CDs, which summarise the past.
There is of course more behind it. More than number and business, Hubert von Goisern could always communicate authenticity and realism. He is the simply the way he is. He would be like that if he had sold 80 million records, if he had sold just 100 records he would be the same. One has always accepted that from him.
And: where other cultural musicians wanted to thresh themselves and their cultural roots among people on all continents with the sledgehammer, Hubert von Goisern always seemed to belong there naturally.
He suited America as he did Africa. Integrating with natives and strangers as if he had never been anywhere else. That is the grand thing that Hubert von Goisern not just transports to us with music, but also shows and teaches. He shows us how to live it! Certainly sometimes somewhat terribly melancholically and often perhaps somewhat determinedly for us outsiders. But he always meant it well and was right.
Hubert von Goisern - Derweil
"There are conditions, under which wrong sounds simply don't exist." Hubert von Goisern said that and he should know. The Austrian has for years been an international commuter between the so spongily labelled genres of folk and world music, occupying himself with the sounds of Tibet, Africa and above all his homeland, the Salzkammergut.
Derweil is a 'best of' collection and an exciting journey through the fathoming of musical identity. Those who only ever perceived von Goisern on the fringes may be surprised at some because they will have missed some of those determinations of identity.
We know how it began at the end of the Eighties. In short, von Goisern was the bringer of salvation of a new folk music, which was consistently and commercially successful under labels like "schräg dahoam". The singer, who looked so wild, so archaic, had nothing to do with the schunkel colleagues of the folksy scary programmes, although he worked similarly for the masses at the beginning: Koa Hiatamadl was consequently the big hit, the gateway to success. The fact that he can also swing differently, in the direction of Austropop, blues and rock 'n' roll, is shown by songs like the still fantastic Heast as nit, Oben und unten or Spinni.
But von Goisern quickly left these ways and Derweil serves as a good chronometer here: Panchen Lama and Kham-Lu still confound just as they did then, but when African children's choirs in Akipenda show how close Austria and Africa lie, or when Da Diab really moves you to tears through a timeless and placeless musical substructure, you know how grateful you can be to von Goisern for this development.
The circles also naturally close here: at the end are the songs from Trad and Trad II - new interpretation of old tunes from the Salzkammergut, the best, at least in the eyes of the reviewer, that von Goisern ever released. He has newly mixed two pieces - Poika and Afrika, both from the Iwasig album - and there is also a new live recording of Neuer Tag. All these are bright lights upon an artistic workload that is difficult to conceive, on 18 years of music from someone who can do a lot of what others cannot. The knowledge gain is rather low for the fan - for the newcomer it is probably the best opportunity to get to know this man better.
Rating: excellent
Hubert von Goisern in the meantime
"I'm doing nothing in the meantime, that's probably why there is this CD," says Hubert von Goisern to his newly released double CD Derweil 1998-2006 (Sony BMG). The compilation, which he put together himself, contains 34 of his most popular songs, from the fantastic Hiatamadl, to Schleiniger, Afrika and Kohler. Goisern has prescribed himself a break from the stage this year. He plans to present a new project in 2007, but doesn't want to say much about it yet: "It is a huge project. And if we manage it, it will be something really special."
All musical developments of the exceptional Upper Austrian musician make an appearance on Derweil, from the start of the Alpinkatzen, to the world music projects and the most recent excursions into Austrian folk music. There are also new mixes of old songs: Weit, weit weg, Kuahmelcher, Fön, Poika, Afrika and Neuer Tag. Goisern on the selection: "They are my favourite songs, but it is also a pragmatic selection, because it's not meant to be a "best of" for me, but rather for the public."
"Meanwhile there is a creative, restorative intermediary phase, in which I can look for ideas," Goisern says of the time until the next new CD. What has changed generally for the 53 year old in the last twenty years? "The volume, for example, was much more important to me before. Now the breaks in the pieces are more and more important to me, the moments in which you can put a piece of paper between two sounds."