In den Gärten Pharaos
{{Infobox album
| name = In den Gärten Pharaos
| type = studio
| artist = Popol Vuh
| cover = In den garten.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1971
| recorded = {{flatlist|
- Trixi Studio, Munich, Germany
- St. Margareta church, Baumburg (Altenmarkt), Southern Germany
}}
| studio =
| genre = {{flatlist|
}}
| length = 37:25
| label = Pilz
| producer = {{flatlist|
- Popol Vuh
- Bettina Fricke
}}
| prev_title = Affenstunde
| prev_year = 1970
| next_title = Hosianna Mantra
| next_year = 1972
}}
In den Gärten Pharaos ("In Pharaoh's Gardens") is the second album by German band Popol Vuh, released in 1971 by record label Pilz.
Content
On In den Gärten Pharaos, Florian Fricke made more extensive use of the Moog synthesizer and experimental electronic sounds.
On side A is the title track "In den Gärten Pharaos", an ancient, contemplative meditation with the sound of rippling water, Moog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, and African percussion. The Moog creates an exotic and alien sound while the African percussion and the water effects are interwoven throughout bringing the listener back to earth.{{citation needed|date=August 2016}} The track was recorded at Trixi Studio in Munich.
The second song "Vuh" is dominated by one massive organ chord creating an epic wall of sound. "Vuh" uses the wide range of the organ, both the low drones and the high crescendos. Turkish percussion and layers of cymbals increase the intensity of the music. The song was then played and recorded on a medieval cathedral organ in the St. Margareta church, Baumburg (Altenmarkt) in Southern Germany.
Reception
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r108136}}
| rev2 = Head Heritage
| rev2score = very favorable{{cite web |url=https://www.headheritage.co.uk/unsung/review/2235/ |title=Julian Cope Presents Head Heritage
}}
Perfect Sound Forever described it as "an altogether more mature and unified work" than Affenstunde.{{cite journal|last=Bearman |first=Gary |date=October 2008 |title=The Transcendent Music of Popol Vuh |journal=Perfect Sound Forever |url=http://www.furious.com/perfect/populvuh.html |accessdate=July 9, 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029050641/http://www.furious.com/perfect/populvuh.html |archivedate=October 29, 2008 }} Mark Lager described it as "the most mind-blowing mystical experience" and "awe-inspiring".
Legacy
The album was ranked the 5th greatest of the 1970s by FACT magazine.{{cite web|url=http://www.factmag.com/2014/07/14/the-100-best-albums-of-the-1970s/97/ |title=The 100 Best Albums of the 1970s |date=July 14, 2014 |website=Fact |accessdate=November 22, 2015}}
Track listing
{{track listing
| all_writing = Popol Vuh
| headline = Side A
| title1 = In den Gärten Pharaos
| length1 = 17:38
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side B
| title1 = Vuh
| length1 = 19:51
}}
Personnel
- Florian Fricke – Moog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, medieval cathedral organ
- Holger Trülzsch – African and Turkish percussion
- Frank Fiedler – Moog-Synthesizer-mixdown
; Additional personnel
- Helmut Fritz – album cover
- Steffen Metzner – sleeve photography
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{discogs master|12247|type=album}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080119184752/http://www.enricobassi.it/popvuhdiscografia70.htm Popol Vuh discography]
- [http://www.venco.com.pl/~acrux/pharaos.htm In den Gärten Pharaos at Venco.com.pl]
{{Popol Vuh}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:In den Garten Pharaos}}