Reviews of 25 Pieces for Organ Harpsichord & Piano
¨Like a journey to paradise is listening to Pär Lindh´s new recording and especially his Beethoven renderings which just puts the listener into a blissful state. Pär Lindh again shows his sensitive silken touch; he dosen´t play the piano he caresses it. And through this comes the music of pure joy and the noble feeling of sorrow. I warmly recommend this album which is a goldmine for you who loves all great music but especially from the baroque.¨
New Times (sweden)
¨A galaconsert in soloformat by world famous Pär Lindh, performing on churchorgan, harpsichord and piano, playing Sweelinck, Couperin and Scarlatti, via Bach, Beethoven and Brahms right up to Lindhs own works. Pär Lindh has an astounding ability in variating the phrasing, a sense of style and emotional expression depending on his choise of repertoar, as well as throughout the whole album a strong and almost sensuell melodic flow – an ability to put the melodical material in sharp relief, an unique ability which might have somethinhg to do with Lindh´s experience of mastering so many different musical genres. Best track of the album: Bachs Fuga 1 a 4 voci”?
Uppsala Nya Tidning (Sweden) Ulf Gustavsson
Two reviews of the CD Three Christmas Concertos which includes Pär Lindhs Christmas Concerto
¨At no moment in this work by Mr Lindh does the music pale in comparision with old masters like Bach or Mozart. Mr. Pär Lindh has found the key of how to integrade the grand classical tradition of the past into modern classical music!¨
Music Wawes Media
¨The orchestra, the mood, the tone, the beauty of Christmas has lovingly been captured for all now to hear. Pär Lindh has been lauded as `the Mozart of our time,´ or `the Vivaldi of Sweden,´ but the one that is most likely to stick with you after listening to this incredible, highly-impressive new holliday recording, is that Pär Lindh´s concerto is ¨A Swedish masterpiece without equal.¨
Exclusive Magazine USA
Pär Lindh live in Los Angeles
¨Swedish keyboardist, Pär Lindh, stole the equipment show by sitting in on the house consert organ at UCLA Royce Hall, Los Angeles Progfest. His sounds added a new degree of bone-shaking meaning to the phrase ¨pedal tones¨.
KEYBOARD MAGAZINE USA
Pär Lindh live in Wilmington
¨Pär Lindh is an outstanding harpsichordist ! I haven´t heard anything like him since I heard Wanda Landowska perform live many years ago.¨
Mark Stanley Concertmanager
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PLP Live at legendary jazz/rock club SPIRIT of 66 in Belgium
Pär Lindh is a phenomenon. You just got to see this keyboardist change quick as lightning from piano to Hammond and then change around 180 degrees to the other Hammond without losing a split second in his playing! And what playing! His fingers dances on the keyboards…every note so natural and played with such a precision so you can´t help but beeing filled with admiration.
The big surprise of the evening however came from the bassplayer Bill Kopecky who was just staggering…lot´s of feeling, absolutely one with his instrument.
The two hours concert passed as quickly as a TGV train…
WHAT?
Allready Over?
Oh NO!
Pär Lindh Project is a band at the very top of Progressive Rock today
Excerpt from review by Jean-Marc Rousse
What critics say about Pär Lindh Project – Live in Poland – DVD
¨This band is the cream of the crop¨
¨And judged on his performance here Lindh could be just
about the best keyboardist currently active on the scene¨
¨Swedish Pär Lindh Project takes Prog Rock to new heights¨
¨I´am glad that Pär is back because I would place him in the same category as
Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Patrick Moraz, Eddie Jobson and Jürgen Fritz¨.
¨Pär is a head and a shoulder or two above most of
today´s keyboardplayers¨
¨I must say that as a pure instrumental performance the DVD will be hard to follow¨
What critis say about two live performances by Pär Lindh Project
PLP Live at The House of Blues in Chicago
Lindh is a top notch keyboard player, ranking right up there with the greats that he emulates. Opening with ”Baroque Impressions No 1” the band was like a freight train picking up speed on a downgrade. The entire Mundus Imcopertus album followed along with sections of ”Gothic Impressions”, ”Rondo” and a short medley from Par´s project with Björn Johansson ”Bilbo”. Outstanding work from all of the musicians ( Jocke Ramsell-guitar, Marcus Jäderholm-bass, and Nisse Bielfeld-drums) was the order of the day with jaw-dropping riffs from everybody on stage. Vocalist Magdalena Hagberg was a beautiful counterpoint to the pandemonium around her. Her vocals were high, soft and silky, yet when needed she could conjure up power to spare and soar above the din created by her bandmates. Hagberg also played some simple keys, and occasional violin, but had the good sense to get out of the way when Pär and friends cranked into their instrumental fireworks. Standing ovations followed the regular set, as the band came back on stage to encore with an almost grunge/prog version of King Crimson´s ”20th Century Schizoid Man”. Drummer Bielfeld came out from behind the skins like a prog version of Rob Zombie, as he spat out the lyrics to the Crimson classic.
review by Music News Network
Pär Lindh Project Classic Progressive Rock review of new album Time Mirror
¨What is it that makes PLP so special? For one thing their musicianship is second to none, playing with a verve and skill that many prog acts would envy. Secondly the arrangements are meticulously but tunefully structured, keeping the listener hooked from start to finish. Add to that a dazzling array of musically twists and turns, rhythm and tempo changes and there is enough here to keep even the most nit-picking prog sceptic in raptures.¨
Geoff Feakes DPRP reviews
The Swedish keyboardist Pär Lindh takes classical prog rock to new heights on his new album Time Mirror
Those who know the history of this genre realise quickly that Pär Lindh is a keyboard maestro in his own right and that he should be mentioned as an equal among players like for example Patrick Moraz and Keith Emerson.
The new CD is filled to the brim with wonderful melodies, structures, and original new sounds with an appealing mix of synthesizers, Hammond organ and church organ. Underneath all this there is a varied, solid and driving rythym section from Mr William Kopecky on bass and drummer/vocalist Al Lewis.
The music is often very grandiose which carries on the legacy from groups like ELP & YES, also using playful ragtime and boogie woogie parts but also with a delicate sense for the unexpected and an off-the-wall quality which makes you think of the more avant garde aspects of this genre.
The album is dedicated to the bands former singer Magdalena Berg who tragically passed away in 2007.
Ulf Gustavsson
Uppsala Nya Tidning
SWEDEN
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PAR LINDH PROJECT Time Mirror review
So. Is it possible to be Gothic without being a Goth? Of course it is and heres Par Lindh to prove it.
Par Lindh has been around the prog rock scene for quite a few years now without really setting the world on fire, but this album could be the key to unlocking a wider audience.
Featuring just four tracks, but clocking in at over forty minutes (now thats prog, man), Time Mirror is a wonderfully constructed, eclectic beast of an album that compels the listener to sit down and take notice. Dont go and make tea, dont play with your iPhone – just sit and listen godammit or youll miss something important.
Basically a keyboard-led trio, but with a nice bit of trumpet here, a smidgeon of violin there and even the occasional celestial choir, the band are heavily influenced by European classical music which particularly manifests itself with the massive sweeps of church organ throughout the album – apparently recorded in buildings such as Uppsala Cathedral and Litsiena Church. Its this that gives the work its over-arching Gothic feel and which sets it apart as a magnum opus that demands attention.
The album begins with the title track, a wonderfully over-the-top seventeen minutes worth of keyboard wizardry reminiscent of Emerson, Lake and Palmer in their pomp, complete with ridiculous lyrics that, strangely enough, are entirely appropriate to the accompaniment.
This is followed up by the almost throwaway Waltz Street a song about the f*cking bankers set to a twenties-like tune – presumably to emphasize the similarities with the Wall Street crash. We then roll into perhaps the definitive track on the album With Death Unreconciled a Gothic tour-de-force that Im sure Bach or Handel would look down on with approval. Sky Door concludes proceedings – a ten minute keyboard extravaganza which, had he chosen keyboards instead of guitar, Joe Satriani would have been proud to put his name to.
Have to say Ive never been a massive fan of any rock music that doesnt feature guitars – the guitars the star has always been a mantra, but I have to say this blew me away – not just with its technical wizardry but with its sheer musicality, a rare but refreshing combination these days.
Review by Alan Jones
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Very positive review. Please go to:
http://blog.billkopp.com/?p=468
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Sea of Tranquility review:
If you are like me and dig keyboard driven progressive rock strongly influenced by ELP this disc should be right up your alley. It is excellent and if I would have listened to it sooner it surely would have crept up near the top of my best of the year list.
This is symphonic music with a heavy classical influence with Lindhs keyboards taking center stage. His playing is exceptional and his instrument list is impressive. In particular, his Hammond and church organ often make the highlight reel. Of course this is not a one man band as Lindh has some pretty good help. First and foremost are the lead vocals of Al Lewis who sounds remarkably similar to ex-Yes front man Jon Anderson. It is uncanny to say the least and I enjoyed every minute of it. Kopecky also needs to be recognized as his bass runs are a real delight. You may have noticed an absence of guitar but I feel its not really missed as the music is richly layered with Lindhs keyboards making for a full, fleshed out sound.
Although there are only four songs, three of them have a running time of over nine minutes with the first, the albums title track over seventeen minutes in length. It is long but the time flies by as Lindhs plethora of keys are a joy to listen to. The song has a bold and dramatic beginning, maybe even a little pretentious but I would not want it any other way. A darker mood settles in before upbeat melodies and intense Hammond organ provides the necessary earworms. Add to that some scintillating church organ and we have an epic in the making. Besides ELP, I also heard snippets of Alan Parsons Project in this one.
The odd song in the bunch has to be the piano driven ”Waltz Street” with its ragtime sensibility and honky tonk style piano. Its an uplifting track highlighted by some fabulous interplay between bass and Hammond. More ripping bass can be found on the melodic ”With Death Unreconciled” where Lindh puts his various keyboards to good use as he does in the closing track ”Sky Door” where a 70s inspired musical landscape is infused with softer parts complete with slow droning keys and wisps of percussion.
The long wait was worth it as Time Mirror is an excellent album that will be adored by keyboard aficionados and symphonic rock junkies alike.
Well done Mr. Lindh!
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Review from ROCK REPORT
An album I´ve been playing a lot lately, is this here ”Time Mirror”, the latest studio album from Pär Lindh Project. Its their first studio album since the well-received ”Veni Vidi Vici” from 2001, but it was worth that long wait. Pär explains the long process of making ”Time Mirror” as follows: ”I was determined to make an album that would make a real difference in the world of music today, both as far as in using innovative new sound combinations as in developing new composition ideas and the creation of a new musical direction.” As far as Im concerned, he has succeeded in doing so. ”Time Mirror” consists of four compositions: one relatively short one (the honky tonk piano piece ”Waltz Street”, the odd one out here) and three lengthy pieces, of which one is an instrumental, namely the final cut ”Sky Door”. Pär Lindh once again proves that he is a gifted composer and classic keyboard player, but I also want to praise the input of both vocalist (drummer & percussionist) Al Lewis and bass guitarist William Kopecky. Together they have succeeded in recording the best PLP album so far. Enjoy! (CL)
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Reviewed by Donato Zoppo ITALY
Excerpt of review:
Back in the studio is the prodigious Swedish keyboard-wizard Pär Lindh.
In the 90s and early 2000 Par Lindh was the prototype of the modern prog hero: with his Pär Lindh Project and albums such as ”Gothic Impressions”, ”Mundus incompertus” and ”Veni Vidi Vici” behind him his band played concerts around half the world for in particular the diehard lovers of symphonic rock at full blast performances. His last appearance dates back to 2008 with a renewed energy in the Live Project in Poland DVD, but at the end of 2009, the meeting with the American drummer-vocalist Al Lewis ( Alaska and Starcastle) has rekindled the hope of new songs and PLP is now back with the CD ”Time Mirror”.
For this fifth studio album Par made sure to keep William Kopecky in the band: this formidable bassist is an essential part of this progressive power trio and in all four tracks on the album his presence is crucial. Albums like this you either love or hate, no half measures here: Now in 2011, there is a full progressive suite of pompous, aggressive music with attitude which can be seen totally out of time these days – and probably is … – But as an interpreter of art-rock keyboard-oriented music Par Lindh has no equal in our time. The four essentially instrumental pieces includes long passages with vocals characterized by a remarkable grandeur.
After a string of albums in the 90s, The Pär Lindh Project is back with a new album Time Mirror. It has been a ten year wait since the 2001 release Vini Vidi Vici. The wait has been understandable considering the unfortunate passing of their vocalist Magdalena Berg in 2007. On the new release the Scandinavian keyboard maestro is joined by first time band members Al Lewis of Starcastle fame on drums and vocals and the excellent William Kopecky on fretless and fretted basses.
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Crimsonic