Hoelderlin

Infobox musical artist | Name = Hoelderlin
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Germany
Genre = Progressive rock
Years_active = 1972–present
URL = http://www.hoelderlin.com/
Current_members = Ann-Yi Eötvös
Dirk Schilling
Andreas Hirschmann
Hans Bäär
Michael Bruchmann

Hoelderlin is a German progressive rock band that was formed in 1970 as Hölderlin by Joachim and Christian Grumbkow. They are influenced by rock, jazz, and folk music. They changed their name to Hoelderlin in 1973.1st Phase

1970Hoelderlin is founded in November by the brothers Joachim and Christian von Grumbkow together with Nanny de Ruig. Nanny sings and dances, Joachim von Grumbkow plays cello, flute, guitar & keyboards, and Christian von Grumbkow plays guitar.

1971In May three more members join the band: Christian Noppeney (viola, guitar), Peter Käseberg (bass) and Michael Bruchmann (drums). Christian and Peter write the majority of the group's lyrics, which are influenced by the works of the poet Friedrich Hoelderlin. In August Hoelderlin signs a contract with the label OHR Musik.

1972In January the band works on its first album HOELDERLIN’S TRAUM in Dieter Dierk’s studio. The album receives exceptional reviews from the music press both within Germany and abroad, including the US magazine EUROCK. In the fall the band goes on a radio tour throughout Germany, giving interviews and performances for all major radio stations. Joachim von Grumbkow plays the cello on the TANGERINE DREAM album “Zeit”.

1973Germany Tour with over 80 concerts, including performances together with the lyricist Niklas Stiller from Düsseldorf. TV Performances: DIREKT (ZDF) and PROBLEME (SWR). At the end of the year Nanny de Ruig leaves the band.

2ND Phase

1974Performances at rock festivals in Dortmund, Kassel, and Hanover. Subsequent tours throughout Germany with over 50 tour dates, including 6 performances in detention centres. TV appearance: Kulturmagazin ASPEKTE (ZDF). The band ends its contract with the label OHR in the fall of 1974. Hoelderlin begins to work with texts from Bertolt Brecht, Erich Fried, and H.C. Artmann. At the end of the year, Hoelderlin gets a new deal with INTERCORD / SPIEGELEI.

1975Production of the album HOELDERLIN in Conny’s Studio. First collaborative work with Conny Plank; wind musician Büdi Siebert (PUPPENHAUS) plays as guest musician on the album. The band now also works with English lyrics. Album release in the spring. Peter Käseberg leaves the band, Hans Bäär joins as the new bassist. Extended touring with 76 concerts in Germany, Benelux, Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland as well as TV and radio performances: Krautrock – Doku (ZDF), Szene 75 (ARD). SOUNDS readers vote Hoelderlin “most underrated band of the year”.

1976Production of the album CLOWNS & CLOUDS in Conny’s Studio with producer Karlheinz Borchert. Release of CLOWNS & CLOUDS in the spring. The music press praises the album as the work of progressive rock gods. Many consider the album one of the best within its genre. The band plays 88 gigs both within Germany and abroad, including a 60 minute concert for Swiss Television in KALEIDOS-POP as well as live appearances for SWR and BR. At their concerts in Heide, Mannheim, Ingolstadt, and Munich alone the band performs for over 50,000 people.

1977The band plays on the debut album from Ina Deter as studio musicians. Concert tour throughout Northern Germany and Scandinavia, joined by Büdi Siebert (sax & flute). In Göteborg (Sweden), the band plays a 70 minute radio concert as well as an unforgettable show in the lecture hall at the University. Christian von Grumbkow stops touring with the band and is replaced by the guitarist Pablo Weeber from Madrid. Christian continues to work as the band’s manager. Production of the album RARE BIRDS in Delta – Acoustic – Studio with co-producer Cedric Beatty (famous for his work with Lou Reed). RARE BIRDS is released in the fall. As was the case with CLOWNS & CLOUDS, the album RARE BIRDS receives enthusiastic reviews. The title song RARE BIRD is dedicated to Friedrich Hoelderlin. Even though it is never played live, the masterwork by Joachim von Grumbkov reaches cult status. The band becomes even stronger in their live performances with the use of visual effects, projections, and costumes. Hoelderlin goes on tour in the fall, playing 58 concerts in 12 weeks. Live recording of two shows in the Opera House in Wuppertal on the 24th and 25th of October. Guitarist Pablo Weeber is replaced by Thomas Lohr at the end of the year.

1978Beginning of the year: Release of the live double album TRAUMSTADT. In the first six months of sales, the album sells over 30,000 copies. Readers of SOUNDS magazine vote Holederlin the most underrated band of the year and vote the album #3 in the category for album of the year. The band tours in the spring and the fall. Hoelderlin is invited to play at the Folk Rock Festival in Schwenningen and on the TV Show POP 78 (SWR). Christoph Noppeney and Michael Bruchmann leave Hoelderlin at the end of 1978.

3rd Phase

1979Production of the album NEW FACES in Conny’s Studio with co-producer Dave Hutchins (famous for his work on the GENESIS-Album “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway”). Drummer Ede Schicke (SCHICKE, FUEHRS & FROELING), guitarist Rüdiger Elze (THE RAMBLERS) and singer Bernd König join the band. NEW FACES is released in September. INTERCORD launches the biggest PR campaign to date and promotes the album with 403 billboards in 30 cities. Following this, the band goes on a fall tour through 40 cities. The music magazine FACHBLATT dedicates an entire 16 page special to the band.

1980Spring: Tour throughout Southern Germany. The band plays 33 shows in 35 days for over 110,000 people. In the summer/fall: Concert tour for which the last 30 shows are sold out. The band is invited to play the “Bochumer Rocknacht”. The RAI (Italy’s national broadcasting station) presents the NEW FACES album in Italy. The band does a 75 minute radio recording on the Bavarian Radio broadcast ROCKFORUM. The members of HOELDERIN decide to go their separate ways in the future.

1981Hoelderlin records their last album for their contract with INTERCORD. The album FATA MORGANA, with Dave Hutchins as co-producer, is never officially completed. The record company releases the album without the consent of the entire band. Joachim von Grumbkow and Bernd König start the band LUXUS; Hans Bäär and Rüdiger Elze go on to form KOWALSKI.

4th Phase

2005

Re-release of the live album TRAUMSTADT (EMI/CAPITOL) 2/05. The album was digitally re-mastered and released with 2 bonus tracks. After 25 years HOELDERLIN makes its return to the stage with original members Michael Bruchmann (drums) and Hans Bäär (bass) as well as Ann-Yi Eötvös (voc.,violin), Andreas Hirschmann (piano, strings) and Dirk Schilling (guitar). Ann-Yi is a member of MIR, Andreas is from TAIGA8, and Dirk is from FILMPALAST. For live performances, the band is joined by Marcus Wienstroer (violin and ac. guitar).

On December 18th, 2005 HOELDERLIN performs its live premiere at the Rex Theater in Wuppertal. The venue was sold out and the band received enthusiastic applause from the audience, who responded to the two hour long concert with repeated standing ovations. Two days later the band performed for a Rockpalast TV Recording at the Harmonie in Bonn in cooperation with the Krautrock Festival. Here it became clear that although the band stylistically picks up at the point where it left off at its peak in the late 70s, it nevertheless sounds as current and fresh as a new act. Remarkably, Hoelderlin accomplishes this with material which for the most part was written over 30 years ago. Bassist Hans Bäär comments on the synthesis of famous Hoelderlin songs with new material: “It’s not just a nostalgic gig; we want to bridge the gap between yesterday and today. We were already playing dance-grooves in the 70s, really “philharmonic” with string and horn sounds and visual effects. We still stick to our folk roots and play our “best of” songs and ballads from the old albums as well as material that was never played live before.”

18.12.05 Premiere show in the Rex-Theater in Wuppertal. Guests: Nanny de Ruig & Christopher Noppeney

20.12.05 TV concert for ROCKPALAST in the Harmonie in Bonn

200614.01.06 Performance at the WUPPERTAL HILFT at the University hall in Wuppertal.

On July 21/06, the band plays at the Burg Herzberg Festival. Other acts include: Soft Machine, Kraan, Adrian Belew, Hatfield & the North, The Gathering.

September – November 2006 The band works on its new album “EIGHT” with co-producer Dieter Krauthausen.

2007HOELDERLIN “EIGHT” Release 09.03.2007 Odeon / EMI

At the beginning of February, 6 further HOELDERLIN albums come out as Re-Releases, all digitally re-mastered with previously unreleased bonus tracks from the early stages of the band.

Discography

* "Hölderlins Traum" (1972)
* "Hoelderlin" (1975)
* "Clown & Clouds" (1976)
* "Rare Birds" (1977)
* "New Faces" (1979)
* "Fata Morgana" (1981)
* "8" (2007)

Personnel

* Ann-Yi Eötvös - vocals, violin
* Andreas Hirschmann - keyboards, vocals
* Hans Bäär - bass, guitars, vocals
* Michael Bruchmann - drums

External links

* [http://www.hoelderlin.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=150 Hoelderlin] at progarchives.com
* [http://www.myspace.com/hoelderlinband Hoelderlin] at myspace.com