Popol Vuh - Improvisation (1971)

[TheTrirkle]

It is not very often that music reminds me that I have ears, this is one of those moments.

[tengort]

where is that building that they are in?

[henceseventytwo]

love this! was pointed this way by eyeearbrain.t35.me

[2020kei]

Buddha...

[NightChariot]

let's share an immense love to Germany for having created such a wonderful musical reality

[Giant1ful]

Wer ist der Mensch zwischen Florian und Holger ?

[frankfiedlerfilm]

@Giant1ful

das ist Frank Fiedler

[Aidanloveskeyboards]

I wish this movement would be starting in America.....

World would be better :)

[ingvaldandre]

@Aidanloveskeyboards Why do you think so? :P Poor germans then :c

[GordonMorrice]

Jeder für sich und Fricke gegen alle!

[LasAtakas]

to see the Book of Revelations

of the Popol Vuh as a feature-length film, google:

THE MYTH OF TIME

[DamoSuzuki100]

@LasAtakas

If your going to quote from the book of revelation, don't go calling it the book of revelations,

theres no 'S' its the book of revelation as revealed by St John the Divine.

See also Mary Hopkin, she must despair

[iceman1995236]

This is a song?

[bakerstreettechno]

@iceman1995236

Do you know the word "improvisation" ?

[iceman1995236]

@bakerstreettechno Yeah, but theyre doing it wrong... xD

[bakerstreettechno]

@iceman1995236 That is your opinion, then enjoy what you like ;)

[moxotengu]

@UppruniTegundanna

….As for being better known, some artists are driven by a need to create, and others for a need to be famous. Like orangefunk says, horses for courses, let's just enjoy the deeply spiritual music, and forget about talk of what should be...

[moxotengu]

@UppruniTegundanna

While I admire your enthusiastic appreciation for Popul Vuh, I think your superlatives are a bit excessive. 'Some of the most creative and vital music of all time' is clearly a ridiculous statement. Popul Vuh were visionary, without question, but I don't think there's any need to speak on behalf of 'modern mainstream audiences' or 'most people'.......

[crcsector9]

tonz of acid !

[UFOIST]

Just discovered Florian Fricke recently on a video called, "Sodom and Gomorrah" by Alessandro Bavari. I've not come across a more twisted collaboration than this - pure genius!

[MrFabs92]

das lief mal auf WDR? wow =)

[sabretheory]

DRUGS. MUSIC. GOD.

[lesyouri]

I love german music so bad! Thanks to WDR I can see live concerts from cool and the gang and such bands at 3 am^^

[altyair]

Beautiful!!!

[lapoiarecords]

La fe que se le debe de tener a Dios (ese infinito mar de angustias) debe ser sincera, pues de no ser así, nuestra concepción de la realidad se pudre, se marchita, se cae en pedazos y nunca podremos obtener todo aquello que nosotros deseemos; en especial la vida eterna.

[taigaro8]

WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LEARN SOMETHING NEW

[MARCOCIENI]

Beautiful.

[Krsna93]

Florian is a Deva guiding us now! Great stuff, Transcendental.

[kordinia]

danke - eine kleine Zeitreise

[hoodwink808]

wow, check out this early early experimental dreamy and tribal electronica.

fro germany 1971.

[alucinesnocturnos]

eaaaaaa!!!!

[electronfun]

Excellent.

[MikeyMcCrashCap]

Well this is alot better than all that rappin' shit!!!!!

[sabrinaeden]

Beautiful. Sounds like the back end of Affenstunde.

[Hellchoir]

Awesome!

[elephanta2]

Their music is religious, oriental and meditative.

[tropcis]

toda la musica de la historia y los grandes musicos de todos lados del mundo usan DR0GAS+

TIRA TU MUSICA LA BASURA ENTONCE JUNTO CONTIGO

PAZ

[UppruniTegundanna]

Late 60s/early 70s Germany produced some of the most creative and vital music of all time. The Krautrock bands influenced modern mainstream music in profound ways that most of the audience are totally unaware of. It's such an injustice that the musicians of that time aren't better known today, and even worse that most people would dismiss it all as atonal rubbish.

[keltyk]

@UppruniTegundanna- My thoughts exactly- But I have a twist to add- The pioneering brilliance of the Germans as they formulated new ways of musical expression- was refined and refined by the mainstream resulting in the purest distilled essence of crap that production line producers serve up today

[JustaPaperbagWriter]

@UppruniTegundanna you could say the same thing for no wave music which was more experimental, more atonal, and more influential.

[tropcis]

hermoso......que genial me recuerda a dead can dance¡ pero yo soy d emxico y suena mucho a nuestra cultura que genios....que Dios lo mantenga en la gloria¡

[kommievision]

what is interesting about this song and video is that i can watch/listen to it in a linear fashion, or click on indiscriminate points and create something new that still seems to have purpose and meaning with a full linear story line--that is truly bizarre...

[Jademan68]

You know Florian Fricke was one of those keyboard genius' that made the golden age of electronic music. A creator. An innovator. A cosmic master. May he always rest in a cosmic peace.

[puggo]

florian fricke: genious

[PakovGT63]

reminds me that great music of tangerine dream, The afrodite Child or those great and obscure group om the 70's Amon Duul

[diemythtruth]

i think one of the member's of popol vuh hooked up with the A. Duul drummer at some point.

[uniquebart]

kraftwerk!!

love this too

/watch?v=x4jXggZBwYU

[brezelbuh57]

Gr8!!!!!

[carrietide]

I have fallen in love with their music.

[dobrinin]

One doesn't often hear music like this anymore, sadly.

[eric1012wi]

Check out Stars Of The Lid.

[diemythtruth]

and mountains, and especially emeralds!

[spyguybuy]

KIDS!

don't use drugs!

[eric1012wi]

@diemythtruth I love Emeralds!

[diemythtruth]

@eric1012wi

cool, me too and i love stars of the lid as well! all somewhat indebted to popol vuh i guess? have you heard Mountains' album "choral"? it's in the same neighborhood, very warm/sunny sound - - perhaps one could also include james ferraro and daniel lopatin as being influenced by the germans..!

[wankerj]

What a percussion workout.

[eric1012wi]

Im watching a program on the Great Lodges of the National Parks. Being Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon. The music here fits the scenery.

[nickcondor]

E' da Trip......

[edw700]

Amazing!

[goblindigital2]

Classic!

[9azmco]

KRAUTROCK !!!!!

[styxxoplix]

incredible.

[listentocolour]

truly wonderful

[MarcoShevil]

sogno di fare una cosa così, semplice, figa e di effetto.

Allucinanti!

[elintrafalario]

..great¡ very nice old video. Thank's

[MusicAndAmbientFan]

Great Ambient Music

[JOHNYNOW]

there is a reason herzog used them in his films....there is pure genius at work here

[Boudosaved]

Herzog is one of the master directors of world cinema. Among German directors, he is up there with Fassbinder, Wenders and Riefenstahl, and better (only in my opinion) than Ophuls, Lubitsch, Schlondorff and Sirk.

[kosmischesynth]

who the hell are all the other wierdos? (no offence meant to Herzog, the genious he is).

[Boudosaved]

Fassbinder was a German director who made most of his films in the 70s, including Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. Wenders is still around and he did Paris, Texas. Riefenstahl was a famous German documentary director who did Triumph of the Will. Ophuls, Lubitsch and Sirk were American but came from Germany. Schlondorff did The Tin Drum.

[MeinErsterFilm]

It needs more than playing with oscillators and congas to create an improvisational concept. great musical atmosphere though.

[eternitypoet]

i LOVE this band ... all the iterations of it. truly unique vision and art. the world has always been a better place for them being here. thanks for sharing!

eternitypoet

[maxwolfeee]

Hypnotic notic notic notic .....................

[ZeuhlEmgalai]

Which Popul Vuh record do I have to get to listen to this sound?

[orangefunk]

the first two from the 1970-72 period... check allmusic for the details...

[ZeuhlEmgalai]

Thanks a lot, going to look for them right away! :)

[ZeuhlEmgalai]

Juste checked out Affenstunde, amazing music.

[rlloydmason]

@ZeuhlEmgalai

This is an excerpt of the title track from Affenstunde

[qadmos]

@ZeuhlEmgalai

Affenstunde dude !

[henryhorker]

Fer sure. These guys had to have smoked much, much weed. Not saying you can't play ambient music sober, but it's so much more fun high.

[51221119]

calm, cool, the isness of sound transcends into image. what inspiration

[MHsieben]

Lovely stuff :-)

[NoRomancelnChina2]

isn't this affenstunde?

[edgaroliviercharles]

Yep...

[hotlanta71]

i like what i'm listening to

[noexisto]

q bravazo.... (Y)

[PAULLONDEN]

Sounds very much like early Schultze.

Vuh became better ,some years later.

[GI0PRODUCTIONS]

i love the trippy-ness of this. i have a musical improvisation video thats not bad. its not as amazingly-trippy but its not sober shit either..

[70srules]

Beautiful...

[Prowinzling]

Die gute alte Krautrock-LSD-Mucke

[ulimalivilay]

indeed, beautiful music,and i want also to notice that its one of the best videos that i ever seen, plain, minimalistic and very hipnotic.The point probably that this video take you inside of music. Best regards to one who made this video and to one who put it in utube

[7111nailuj]

Of course. Who else but the genius of the Germans?

[MikeAdupont]

No kidding, people think the americans hippie age in the late 60's was the ultimate experiance, but the proggresive german scene in the early 70's blows that rite out of the water in terms of expressonism and art.

[WehrmachtLuftwaffe]

@MikeAdupont Your comment is pure Truth, my friend.

[cyberactive8]

@MikeAdupont everyone has their own tastes. One thing is for certain is the era you enjoy would have never have happened had it not been for 60's hippies and what they had laid the ground work for. As technology evolved you could do more and it was evolving by the time this era came to be. Some as myself believe that most prog got too intricate and tried to impress too much. It lost it's simplicity. I enjoy drone immensely and a band that can reinvent that many times over is my taste

[alfons00p]

ur a german too right? ;\

lol...

[900heyzeus]

Like I said, beautiful. Mr. Popol Vuh made a great noise. Wish I'd have climbed that hillside. Big Kraftwerk fan here.

[900heyzeus]

beautiful.

[AzathothianBrew]

Hypnotic maaaan

[ludvigmunthe]

This is the song that sometimes takes the building in the matter which our forfathers were very used to...that feeling thats left in everybody..that comsic energy..everybody gets Yeahh...BASHHH!!!

[orangefunk]

Guys just thought I'd mention, since yesterday seems like a few of my videos are getting taken down for "copyright violation"... however I am told that the family of Florian are happy about this one being here.

Indeed I've had many posts from the artistes themselves about the videos and how they love the fact they are reaching a new audience (selling new/old CDs, gigs and so on) because of it... so I guess its more to do with the publishing companies...

[the42voice]

@orangefunk I'm certain, as a frustrated YouTube uploader that it has everything to do with the publishers/copyright holders.

[msalimon]

@orangefunk It's great to see this online. Let's share the world. It's funny how companies will push what they sell at their convenience and for free but, when it's convenient for you to consume their product, they'll want to charge for it. They don't sell cultural products but the satisfaction of certain cravings instead!

[orangefunk]

haha... horses for courses... I love this track... I also love early synth music

[andrewcramer13]

@jcallegari get high and then listen

[VikyCelty]

@jcallegari I don't agree, but...just in case: Frike has the merit of being one of the first..he was a true artist as he was not afraid of creating

[agatr]

This is actually an alternate version of the second part (from 6:24 on) of the title track on "affenstunde".

[CrossCuntryFranco]

I was gonna say the exact same thing, but you beat me to it! Don't hold it against you, though. --- Love this track.

[6natflat6]

una musica meravigliosa é sempre emozionante ascoltarli

[misterberko]

So much mingbindingly good music comming out of Germany in the 1970s - I'd only just discovered Cluster but will now have to go back to the record storefor the first 2 Popol Vuh records. Many thanks for posting!

[winnieprophet16]

Wonderful. Thank you!

[zeppelin8]

What cd is this off of (if any)?

the musici s absolutely gorgeous

[orangefunk]

not off any CD/LP. Its an improv made for TV in 1971... though their first two LPs do kinda hint at this sound..

[zeppelin8]

gnarly, thanks dude

[CrossCuntryFranco]

The Improv is from "Affenstunde", Track 5 (self-titled, of course!), at 6:20. It's just an alternate version of it, but it's still gorgeous and FUCKING COOL!

[MattHatter]

Dude what I wouldn't give to get my hands on that ANALOG synth! It's such a shame that we've gone completely digital with recording, and for what?!?! To save time?!?! I think the digital era has made music crap because bands aren't "challenged" to create anymore! You had to make your own tape loops!

[nichelodeonband]

A great documentary of an era.

A spiritual game without frontiers.

Claudio Milano

[MySideOfTheMountain]

i saw them in soho in ny in a store front jamming

they siad they're name. popol vu

and i hadn't heard it since

[orangefunk]

you sure? I thought they only ever did one live gig and that was in Munich... though maybe that was just a certain line up of Popol Vuh (with Djong?)

[MySideOfTheMountain]

they were just jamming in a storefront on sullivan street, it wasn't a real gig, and they were very nice when I walked in uninvited, and told them how much I liked their music. I heard it there on the street for the first time.

[MySideOfTheMountain]

Hey I was replying to your reply of my earlier comment...

[Naukeblix]

Was das alles so gibt...

Ist ja enorm!

[cybercow222]

lol, lsd was a nice drug

[Hawkwise]

Thank you Thank Thank you Bliss

[edgaroliviercharles]

This is GREAT!!! Beautiful, naive and honest...

AFFENSTUNDE!!!

I still can't believe we have access to history like this through youtube: thanx orangestuff!

[biodumb]

What da hell! this is future music out of the 70s...can´t believe it...i´m discovering all this krautrock stuff

[sassytassy]

Nice Trance...Hypnotic-Bongos-Remin­iscent of Childhood in the Commune:)-Thanks

[sbringe]

We used to call this noodleing, you know, the kind of thing that goes on before band practice. It never dawned on me that someone might actually pay good money for the (you know). I checked out some of the history on this band and will try to avoid forming an opinion until I hear more of their stuff but it's going to be difficult because this guy went from Myan myth to Christianity, what kind of mind does that? I think that this can be attributed to good drugs and plenty of'em.

[orangefunk]

Theres a difference between noodling and playing. Noodling is when theres no thought involved...

Theres a certain vibe going on here with the indian like drone and a real nice repeating arpeg pattern, the congas and the indian-esque lead.

Wether the guy went from mayan myth to christianity is irrelevent to me.

All I can say is that it floats my boat and has been an influence on me without me having to do drugs or anything... :-)

[orangefunk]

Congas? - more like bongos I guess.. :-)

[MattHatter]

Sbringe, come on! "It's going to be difficult because this guy went from Myan myth to Christianity, what kind of mind does that?" A mind that was open and revealed the truth, that's what kind of mind does that. Christianity is one of THE MOST mystical spiritual beliefs anyone could ever attain. It's because of all the typical T.V. evangelist, conservative hogwash you see that dims it's luster to people.

[CrossCuntryFranco]

Excuse you? I don't mean to start a fight here, but I'm a Christian, and my mom is as well, and she's more into exploring other religions. DRUGS ARE NOT INVOLVED. The reason why Christianity gets the bad rap is due to the stupid Roman Catholic Church, which (don't quote me on that) is the TRUE culprit.

Rest In Piece Florian! May you and Ukyou Kamimura (drummer for Malice Mizer) be good friends!

[MattHatter]

I agree with you on the whole Roman Catholic Church. I can't even go into what's wrong there, it'd take every bit on You Tube comment space that's available! But Christianity is VERY mystical (I don't mean that in an occult sense, I mean that in awe of the power and glory of our Creator). If you ever watch Paul and Jan Crouch on TBN you'll know what I'm taking about. Not trying to judge them, that's for God to do. But alot of those shows make Christianity to be exactly that...a show.

[sbringe]

Thanks for being the voice of reason, I'm fairly new to YouTube and I had gotten myself worked up that day over some crazy Christian fundamentalist videos where they had been indoctrinating children with their whacked out beliefs.

I think you are correct and that this ambient electronic music is the work of an open minded and creative individual.

[GianlucaSpace]

Cosmic sounds ... I love Florian Fricke (r.i.p.)and Popol Vuh. Hosianna Mantra is my favourite Album

[dwm1812]

Pretty cool. Popol Vuh is the Mayan story of creation

[snotspot]

Thankyou for the video. I've been interested in this music genre for a while now. Can especially. Electronics and hypnotic beats (I've just discovered Boredoms - they are tribal beat(Seadrum)/krautrock explorers).

Being a Herzog fan - this video does have that contemplative/meditative/refle­ctive quality that some scenes in Herzogs early films have. Was this a Herzog music video?

[orangefunk]

No idea... I got it from a WDR special on german rock music.. amazing what they have in the archives...

[underbedbeast]

love that old MOOG III

[drtrueblue]

Anyone have a clip of Sons of Darkness Brothers of Light? Thanks for this post.

[kendo1972]

Soundtrack music

[keusti]

this is so fuckin good . i like this kind of trip.. peace to all the peoplz who like this one

[zsrr]

The slow zooming composes really good together with the music.

[DaGaukla]

really nice love it wish i had lived in that time

[mirloniger]

Excelente!!! muchas gracias por compartirlo

[sergioDGO]

what a great video, good recording and excellent music, thank for the uploading.

[donaldolofsson]

Those of you who like this also want to check out Terry Riley. "Persian Surgery Dervishes" and the "Poppy Nogood all night flight" b-side on his classic "Rainbow in Curved air" (which I think is rather dreadful, since i am into darker, more haunting and eerie tones). I just came to think of Terry Riley so much when hearing this.

[Asterra2]

You are so right about Persian Surgery Dervishes. I would say PSD is way more minimalist (which explains why I can easily fall asleep listening to it). This tune from Popol Vuh has more variability but is indeed similar. I wish there was more classic synth just like this. Plus I'd love to find this track in stereo!

[donaldolofsson]

In my opinion the music in this clip lies somewhere between the first and the second album (In den Gärten Pharaos) soundwise. Not as cut up and un-melodic as the highly experimental pieces on the first more avantgarde-oriented album, but more in the droning eastern tinged wein of their second one. This is so good!!! Thanks for posting whoever did it. Sorry for blabbering, can go on forever about this...hehehe/Andreas from Sweden

[orangefunk]

No problem keep blabbering away :-)

Big fan of electronics and ethnics...

[donaldolofsson]

This is amazing! I always look at the picture on Popol Vuhs first album (Affenstunde) to get the vibe of the moment so to speak. This is the first time I see live material from the same era .Purely amazing!!!! I am speechless...

[celtikmontoya]

Simplemente Maravilloso... Las palabras salen sobrando

Simply Gorgeous... the words aren't enough

Saludos desde México

[redshaftedflicker]

Perfect! The keyboards don't have the dated feel/sound like most music of the 60s/70s/80s.

[freeform83]

Why was this filmed? Was there a German TV show in the early 70s that featured avant-garde music set to images?? If so, does anyone know where I can see

more??? PLEASE EXPLAIN. I love Popol Vuh -- In dem Garten des Pharoahs is one of my favorite albums -- but I had no idea they were ever in a clip like this.

[FickHeil]

Das Video was shown on german TV in the Show "WDR Rockpalast" but this show wasnt limited to avant-garde music, there was mainly Popmusic :/

[orangefunk]

Are you talking of the original show or the clip I posted (which came from a 10hr special in 2006)?

[miniGMgoit]

Never heard of this guy before. Think we know where Boards of Canada get their ideas from.

[ThatsEwalds]

The shepheards flute fills the air.

A bright shining moment.

Florian Fricke on the big moog.

[Thusyanthan]

fricke was a fucking genius. r.i.p brother, you have no idea how many kraut bands u have influenced. love u.

[GayBarmen]

Kraut :)lol

[Wheel333]

I love this thanks for posting

[ephemerol]

wonderful.

[velyogendra]

I've heard of them but never heard anything by them. Thank you very much for the video and song.

[orangefunk]

First two LPs are much like this, then they got more into acoustic instruments as in the Kyrie clip. Great band, don't think they played live much...

[zikphu]

Amazing! They made a lot of Herzog's soundtracks: Nosferatu, Herz aus glass, Aguirre, Cobra verde, and some more... a great band for one of the greatest moviemakers of all time... so sad to hear that florian died, I didn´t know that. RIP

[JJ77TTUU3]

they are on the movie soundtrack of Herzog's Fitzcarraldo

[mstern18]

stumbled on this, had never even heard of these guys. left me feeling pretty spaced out...loads of eastern influence i think. seems like maybe they were listening to jazz fusion too (e.g. miles davis' electric stuff). guess i'll have to look them up, check out the music more.

[pelolargo]

i love progressive rock, but that is just boring!

[ABNERMASTER]

cosas como estas hacen de la vida bella, gracias por compartir!!!!

[desdanova3]

Que buena onda ver que alguien escribe en espanol acerca deDe acuerdo con tu comentario,gracias !!!

[demonication]

beautiful ¡¡

Florian Fricke RIP

and thanks for all these

[balizador]

Pure music. No concessions. Impossible in our days.

[KingCrimson12]

I just love this... I don't like that Florian moved from the synthesizers later on. Only Affenstunde and In Der Gärten Pharaos are electronic albums, then they became more spiritual.

Anyway, awesome video clip! R.I.P. Florian.