Customer Reviews
One of Garbarek's strongest albums - By: C. H. Shaw, 20 Mar 2008 
This was the first Garbarek 'solo' album I bought (having heard him with Keith Jarrett before), & it remains my favourite. Eberhard Weber's innovative bass (unusual sounds created by using the bow close to the bridge) adds much to the atmosphere of this album. Bruninghaus's piano does too, but recessed into the background - never forward but always part of the web of the sound. Manu Katche (played with Peter Gabriel on the PoV tour) accurate & sparkling on drums. A couple of tracks are based on the traditional Lapp singing (Joik) of Ailu Gaup 'His Eyes Were Suns' demonstrates Garbarek's brilliance at counterpoising different sounds & instruments, where the pauses & silences are so important to the delicate construction of the music. As other have mentioned, the 5 Part 'Molde Canticle' is the highlight of the album - you can listen again & again over the years - it just gets better. If you are a Garbarek fan, or if you are looking for a place to start - this is a great album to buy.
Bewitching stuff - By: Andrew Sutherland, 11 May 2005 I'm new to JG & this was my first purchase upon a friend's recommendation - it far surpassed my expectations - the suite 'Molde Canticle' comprises some of the best music I've heard anywhere,in any genre - equal parts uplifting & soul-destroyingly sad. You can buy this one with confidence - especially if you're into ECM stuff. If you like this check out John Surman's 'Coruscating' - another must-have.
A Beautiful Journey - By: , 27 Jan 2001 It's hard to see how this exquisite album could fail to appeal to either established Garbarek fans or newcomers.Typically haunting,"I Took Up The Runes" is one of Jan Garbarek's most appealling albums to date.
By the time this album was made (1990),the celebrated Norwegian saxophonist's personal & group sound was firmly established.Aided by gifted accompanyists Weber (Bass),& Bruninghaus (Piano),nowhere is his uniquely desolate folk-inspired music better captured than here.Deft Percussion is evident too by Nana Vasconcelos & Manu Katche,frequent choice of Peter Gabriel & Sting.
Perhaps the album's most striking feature is the epic 5-track suite "Molde Canticle".Sandwiched by a beautiful Nordic Folk motiff,this is one of Garbarek's most adventurous compositional moments,in a career of European jazz.Eberhard Weber's ground-breaking bass work is demonstrated well,with the German's classical bow techniques providing atmosphere aplenty.
This isn't an album you will forget easily;the melancholic melodies are too touching for that.If you have difficulty listening to instrumental music,this is a great place to start,not only because there are occasional vocals (from Ingor Antte Ailu Gaup),but because the group's treatment of melody is so accessable.
One of the most coherent albums ever made by Garbarek,this beautiful work is a treasure only matched by "Rites",his most recent offering.
