Hamburger Concerto... - Progressive Rock Music Forum

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TheProgtologist View Drop Down

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Topic: Hamburger Concerto...
Posted: November 03 2005 at 15:32

I never really heard much of Focus' material and picked up Hamburger Concerto a few days ago because of the praise for it I read in this thread.An excellent album

Moogtron III View Drop Down

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Posted: November 03 2005 at 12:23

pero wrote:

Sean Trane wrote:

HC is easily their best album , but I find Focus 3 a good contender.

I find that Moving Waves is way over-rated!

I agree.

Focus III and Hamburger concerto are awesome

I don't think Moving Waves is overrated. It has a lot of great melodies, harmonies and riffs. It's just that the sound on Hamburger Concerto is much improved if you compare it to MW. Also they have mastered the art of building a major scale epic on HC.

pero

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Posted: November 03 2005 at 07:13

Sean Trane wrote:

HC is easily their best album , but I find Focus 3 a good contender.

I find that Moving Waves is way over-rated!

I agree.

Focus III and Hamburger concerto are awesome

Drachen Theaker View Drop Down

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Posted: October 31 2005 at 11:36

Moribund wrote:

yes, well put (certainly on the title track). A close listen to Ship of Memories shows how far this can go. He seems totally involved and a part of the band on Moving Waves. Maybe this is what irks me most.

Another example of an Akkerman "moodie" seems to be on the version of Tommy on the Masters from the Vaults DVD. He plays this in a far more subdued (and in my opinion boring) fashion than the Moving Waves version.

It's almost like he's saying "Don't expect any of my trademark guitar pyrotechnics cos I don't feel like it!"

Apart from this though, I agree with Ivan that it's a great DVD that every Focus fan has to own. It's probably the most played music DVD in my collection.

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Moribund

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Posted: October 31 2005 at 11:04

Drachen Theaker wrote:

Akkerman seems to be throwing one of his famous 'moodies' on this album and contributes his guitar parts in an almost casual fashion (it's a testament to his ability that they still sound so good).

.

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Paulieg

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Posted: October 31 2005 at 10:18

Great album. Ivan, I'm glad you mentioned the DVD "Masters from the Vaults." I've been trying to figure out a good DVD to buy and have been putting this one off for about two years. I'm going to pick it up.

Drachen Theaker View Drop Down

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Posted: October 31 2005 at 10:09

Hamburger is their best IMO with the tightest material and most symphonic sound they ever achieved, although it does have flaws.

Akkerman seems to be throwing one of his famous 'moodies' on this album and contributes his guitar parts in an almost casual fashion (it's a testament to his ability that they still sound so good).

And as Moribund says Colin Allen is a more basic drummer than the superb Pierre van der Linden. Still, the brilliance of the title track, Birth and La Cathedrale de Strasbourg more than compensate for any faults.

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Moribund

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Posted: October 31 2005 at 06:20

I'm a huge Focus fan - they were the first prog band I got into. IMHO although Hamburger Concerto is good, it is not my favorite. I loved Van der Linden's drumming and was sad the whole rhythmic side moved to a sraighter backbeat. Also I find the title track less colourful than Eruption - Akkerman's work on Moving Waves is more unrestrained and flamboyant. You can see the joins a little more: this is Van Leer on vocals, now organ, now flute. Oh yes, now it's Akkerman's turn. However the last section (following the Carol) is epic music at it's best.

Side one starts beautifully with the little renaissance tune. Harem Scarem is less rock, more funk/jazz (a direction Focus continued in with subsequent albums). La Cathedrale even more jazz, even dangerously MOR, but some jaw-dropping whistling! Birth is a great track - nice to hear some harpsichord. Overall though, I would rate the previous two albums as preferable, but I have sympathy with those who see this as the pinnacle of their work.

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memowakeman View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 21:16

Good... really really good album...

one of my fav albums ever

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Soulman

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 19:56

I agree, I love Hamburger Concerto; it's their best meld of classical and jazz elements. Though is it just me or does the Moving Waves title track sound like an essay being recited? (dumb song)

Tony Fisher View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 18:38

I actually prefer Moving Waves, though Hamburger is still a damn fine album.

It's La Cathedrale de Strasbourg that spoils it a bit for me. I also prefer Eruption as a long track to The Hamburger Concerto. And is Hocus Pocus any more retarded than Harem Scarem? I think not. Both damn silly and damn fine tracks!!!!

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 17:47

I had it on an 8-track for dozens of years...(Clicks, fades amd interurtions included) the melody always remained fresh in my mind for many years, last year I bought it on CD.....

Indeed a masterpiece!

jojim

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 16:48

I own Hamburger Concerto since 30 years and it is really one of my favorites in prog rock. It is sentimental, romantic, swinging and broad.

I can recommend it to everyone who wants to feel rock music. There is no comparison to that album.

YES - Close to the edge / UK - UK / GENESIS - The lamb lies down / KING CRIMSON - Discipline / MIKE OLDFIELD - Tubular bells / JETHRO TULL - Aqualung / GENTLE GIANT - Three friends / TMO - IMF

Olias

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 15:48

"La Cathédral De Strasbourg" is for sure one of those songs that could be pretty cool on my funeral...

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 15:30

HC is easily their best album , but I find Focus 3 a good contender.

I find that Moving Waves is way over-rated!

let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter
keep our sand-castle virtues
content to be a doer
as well as a thinker,
prefer lifting our pen
rather than un-sheath our sword

Ivan_Melgar_M View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 15:23

Yep Jan Akkerman

Jeremy Bender View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 14:21

ivan_2068 wrote:

Ian Akkerman.

Iván

Jan Akkerman

Ivan_Melgar_M View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 13:10

Those who like this album, get the DVD named Focus: Masters fron the Vault.

There you can watch and listen a full version of the Hamburger Concerto Suite, plus some other songs of this album played by the golden era Focus including of course Ian Akkerman.

Iván

Poxx

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 12:22

A true masterpiece. Not one weak track. One of my favourites and definitely their best.

Not oddly enough, Moving Waves is their best selling, of course this is due to the delightfully retarded opening AOR track, which every other fool outside musical understanding, just had to buy the album for. There's no real flaws on HB.

M. B. Zapelini View Drop Down

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Posted: October 30 2005 at 12:17

"Hamburger Concerto" is probably the best album Focus has made. The title track is one of the greatest epics of all prog-rock scene. Focus made a promising epic at the "Moving Waves" album - "Eruption" - but "Hamburger Concerto" is more interesting.

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