Collegium Musicum - (1981) - Divergencie

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pass: slafko1

Studio Album, released in 1981

Track Listings

I. REFRÉNY (M. Varga - K. Peteraj)
1. Refrén (6;57)
2. Interlúdiá (9:25)
3. Nemé výèitky (4:05)

II. P.F. (1982, 1983, ...) (M. Varga - K. Peteraj)
1. Prelúdium (1:39)
2. Vianočné vlaky (3:22)
3. Musa quetes I (0:54)
4. Srdce zo zrkadla I (2:00)
5. Pochod I (0:24)
6. Nebo-peklo-raj (2:44)
7. Pochod II (0:22)
8. Srdce zo zrkadla II (1:21)
9. Musa quetes II (1:15)
10. Kominár (2:11)
11. Záver (1:18 )

III. MUSICA CONCERTANTE (M. Varga, V. Magyar)
1. Intráda (2:28 )
2. Elégia (7:42)
3. Scherzo (4:56)
4. Dialóg (4:20)
5. Retiráda (2:25)

IV. SADZA DO OBÁLKY (M. Varga - K. Peteraj)
1. Refrén o prímerí (3:12)
2. Sadza do obálky (2:26)
3. Pomôž mi (3:09)
4. Prístavy (3:00)
5. Pieseň o blate (6:07)
6. P.S. (2:58 )

Total Time: 80:40

Line-up/Musicians
- Marián Varga / piano, Fender piano, synthesizer
- Peter Peteraj / guitars, guitar's synthesizer
- Anastasis Engonidis / bass guitar
- Cyril Zeleňák / drums

Guest musicians:
- Luboš Andršt / guitars (A, C)
- Fedor Frešo / bass guitar (A)
- Karol Morvay / drums (D5, 6)
- Pavol Kozma / drums (B, D1, 2, 4, 5)
- Vojtech Magyar / piano (C1, 5)
- Pavol Hammel / vocal (A3, B, D1, 4, 5)
- Katarína Karovičová-Rybková / vocal (B)
- Ján Lehotský / vocal (D2, 3, 6)
- Children's chorus of the Czechoslovak Radio (conducts M. Vach) (B)
- Bratislavský wind quintet (B)
- String quartet of V. Magyar (B, D2)
- Symphony orchestra of the Czechoslovak Radio at Bratislava (conducts T. Koutník) (C)

Releases information
2xLP Opus 9113 1254 / 9113 1255
2xCD Sony Music/Bonton 497636 (1999)
2xCD Opus 91 1221 2 (2003)
2xCD Opus 91 2777-2 (2007)

Marián Varga & Collegium Musicum - (1975)

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pass: slafko1

Live album, released in 1975

Track Listings
1. Mikrokozmos (7:23)
2. Nech zije clovek (16:29)
3. Preludium in C Dur (a cast z baletu Romeo a Julia) (8:40)
4. Hudba k vodometu c.1 (10:38)
5. Nesmierny smutok hotelovej izby (2:37)

Total Time: 45:47

Line-up/Musicians
- Ivan Belak / bass
- Jozef Farkas / guitar
- Dusan Hajek / drums
- Marian Varga / organ, piano

Releases information
LP Opus 9116 0446
CD Opus 9356 0446 (1995)
CD Opus 91 2774-2 (2007)

The band´s masterpiece, and their most guitar oriented album. I have to agree with what fellow reviewer said about this one.
The record, although it is not noted on the cover was recorded live.

Mikrokozmos Based on the same track by Bela Bartók with a lot of parts added by the band, the track starts with the main melody played by the Hammond organ and then by the guitar. later the two instruments engage in exchanging various motifs. Varga plays a rather weird Hammond solo (but it´s short). He switches to piano then and the guitarist Juraj Farkaš gets a great short lead passage, after which Varga plays a short passage on the piano as well. Then othe main returns with Varga on organ again. Overall a very tight and inspired track. 5 stars

Nech žije človek The song kicks off with a longer drumming intro. Then a lovely, classical sounding guitar motif starts. Marvelous. Focus would be without a doubt proud of it. Then the whole number gets faster and heavier, showcasing mostly the guitarist Jozef Farkaš, who plays a blazing wah wahed solo. The bassist gets his solo shortly afterwards. Frankly, it is too long, monotonous and not even that technically good. Thankfully Farkaš plays another great guitar solo. For most of the time, Varga stays in the background, in fact it seems he didn´t play at all on this one. Then the gorgeous reneissamnce like guitar motif returns and gets into a powerful climax. Varga then plays a great melodic motif (based on the suite Pf 1972 from Konvergencie and even plays a snippet of Mozart ´s Alla Turca with the band. His solo then turns into a weird passge sounding like Emerson at his most excessive, but itś short again and he concludes the track with a majestic classical sounding theme. 5 stars

Preludium C dur A variation on Prokofiev´s work. Starts of melodically and then turns into a faster part, with more "avantgard" playing from Varga (but it still has a melody and sounds interesting). The other passages (also by Varga on Hammond) are more melodic and have Slavonic feel to them (The main difference between Varga and Emerson is that Varga has many Slavonic overtones in his own compositions as well - no wonder, since he is Slovak - and he is also more keen on melody and less jazzy (except for the album Collegium Musicum Live). Still, the track would be better if shortened of a minute or two. 4.5 stars

Hudba k vodometu č. 1 A lovely classical sounding motif opens this uptempo track. Unlike the previous number, the guitar is present again. Farkaš is eccelent, especially in the slower part which comes after the opening one ,where he plays a soaring but relaxed bluesy guitar solo. Howevere, Varga´s lead is just a bunch of dissononant screeching tones. Thankfully, he leaves it after a few seconds and develops a much better and more melodic motif, upon which Farkaš builds another amazing guitar solo. The passage then fades out and the main melody comes in again, after which Varga develops another short solo, and the track concludes with a fullband part. 5 stars

Nesmierny smútok hotelovej izby A short, melancholic piano only piece with a jazzy edge, that´s highly reminiscent of Emerson in his early ELP days. Not the most original track, but theatmosphere is great and very evocative. 3.5 stars

Overal rating: 5 STARS
ESSENTIAL: A MASTERPIECE OF PROGRESSIVE MUSIC

Отредактировано slafko1 (2008-10-11 01:21:25)

Collegium Musicum - (1978) - Continuo

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pass: slafko1

Studio Album, released in 1978

Track Listings
1. Pavučiny (16:01)
2. Autoportrét slobodného umelca (5:52)
3. Conitnuo (16:55)

Total Time: 38:48

Line-up/Musicians
- Marián Varga / piano, organ, synthesizer
- Fedor Frešo / bass guitar
- Dušan Hájek / drums
- Ľudovít Nosko / guitars, vocal
- Karel Witz / electric guitar

Releases information
LP Opus 9116 0704
LP Sonopress
CD Opus 91 2617 2 (1998)
CD Opus 91 2775-2 (2007)

Отредактировано slafko1 (2008-11-06 01:21:12)