Review of Rhapsodies submitted on 14th December 2005

The "Rhapsodies" Album is the one with the Swiss "Matterhorn" (the one with the triangular shape) in the background of the cover. Inside of the double album there’s another nice panorama picture of the Swiss Alps in a great perspective. This is quite a lot of air... But when we listen to the music, we will find some nice adaptions of classic music as e.g. "Swan Lager". Rick interprets this theme real beautiful, in a way the synth neither exaggerates nor sounds stupid. The other, well known theme on side one is Gershwin’s "Rhapsody in Blue". Here the lead melody, in the original a wooden clarinet, is synthesised with a Mini Moog, it seems as if the blues continues. This adaptation to me is a good example of what a synth can be used for, Wakeman has put a lot of energy in it; a masterpiece in technique. What else can be heard ? Well of course "Summertime" (again Gershwin) is a good opposite to all the cold electronic (and snowy mountains), - it’s getting warmer. This virtuoso Wakeman album has nothing from that massive "Yes" Sound, just a pure, electronic product of the category "rare & vintage"!