Andreas Vollenweider & Friends - The Journey - fifty years of enchanted music

Karl-Farkass-Gasse 19

1030 Wien

 

What a story! For almost half a century, Andreas Vollenweider has captivated millions of people worldwide with his incomparable music. And to this day, listeners from all corners of the globe gather to experience his concerts together. So what is the secret of music that seems to transcend time?

When the journey began in the mid-1970s, the enthusiastic response from audiences was attributed to the prevailing zeitgeist. But over the following 50 years, that zeitgeist has shifted repeatedly—and yet this music has endured, passed down from one generation to the next. Clearly, it touches something in many people that runs far deeper than any zeitgeist or fleeting trends.

Even back then, the New York Times sensed a "profoundly positive otherworldliness" in Vollenweider's music—and perhaps therein lies the secret to its enduring success. Vollenweider refers to the current situation: “Especially in times when we are all confronted with highly threatening developments in our world, without really being able to act ourselves, we seem to have a strong need for moments in which we can seek, rediscover, and strengthen our deeply rooted primal trust in life. This power lies deep within the essence of music. In this sense, I, too, have always found my survival strategy in the world of sound.”

For the 73-year-old Vollenweider, the 2027 tour, “The Journey,” is also a deeply grateful revisiting of the stages of his extraordinary adventure. With their remarkable versatility and virtuosity, these five musicians can create the rich sound of an entire orchestra.

The powerful sound of Andreas Vollenweider’s unique harp can effortlessly fill even the largest concert halls—with ultra-deep bass, hypnotic grooves, crystal-clear transparency, melodic beauty, and a profoundly moving presence. His four musical companions move within these soundscapes—and take flight.

The complementary force comes from Walter Keiser, whose drumming has given this music its heartbeat since the very beginning; Daniel Küffer, also the band's multi-instrumentalist for almost 30 years, with a virtuoso focus on a wide variety of wind instruments; Isabel Gehweiler, whose cello playing has lent the music emotional warmth, depth, and richness for many years; and Oliver Keller, who expands Vollenweider's sound world with a broad range of string instruments—from delicate intricate textures to powerful, rock-infused energy.

The many people behind the scenes—in organization, sound, and technical production—are also part of the "Friends," most of them since the very beginning. Together, they create something that goes far beyond a concert ensemble: a sense of family that, together with the audience, brings about the "Vollenweider experience." What can concertgoers expect on the 2027 tour? Andreas and his companions will open the doors to their treasure troves and share with us the most legendary gems from the 50-year history of this unique soundscape.

(Source: globe.wien)