Music for meditation is somewhat of a novelty in the west. Most do not understand that all matter resonates, from the tiniest particle spin resonance to the drifting planets and stars all create sound when moving through space. Much traditional eastern music is in tune with these natural sounds, utilizing their harmonic overtone resonance to encourage states of energy in the mind, body and environment. It is then especially exciting when artists fuse multicultural music from ancient songs and chants. Peter and Karin Bayreuther have done just that, experimenting with traditional German folk music, playful English poetry and a world sense of musical technicality to blend in Indian Bhajan creating new experimental music with a solid sense of tradition. The new single, Let’s Work Together is hopeful, exuberantly happy and a wonderful exercise in interconnected transpersonal meditation with friends. Though strange to the unfamiliar ear at first, it is only in so much as the new music is so fresh that it requires many plays to understand; it grows and blossoms with time and familiarity.
The first time one puts on Let’s Work Together it is quite a shock. There is little in our postmodern culture to prepare us for Bayreuther’s musical genius. The violin parts are oft so complex, that one feels a sense that perhaps this music is ahead of its time. The complexity derives inspiration from German greats such as Mozart, Bach and Beethoven. This classical European music sense is forged together with a classical Indian perspective similar perhaps to the legacy of Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, whom helped to decentralize Gharana hold on cultural norms popularizing fusion raga throughout India, much as many German composers did for Europe. Now we have Peter Bayreuther taking those previous incarnations and again making then new by combining two very distant cultures with their intrinsic musicality. It is possible that this new combination of harmonic understanding with the fun of folk is revolutionary. Much in the same way music from the 60’s is more worldly and experimental; we may just be at the cusp of a whole new generation of musical synthesis. The resulting synergy from the combined styles is wonderful inward meditative journeys, a peaceful state of mind and ultimately a sense of happiness that one wishes to share with others. Perhaps the only critical problem is the technical complexity and hyperactivity of the violin and mouth harp. A few more chances to slow down and appreciate the serenity would do well to balance their somewhat frenetic style. However, one must appreciate the sheer amount of energy being put into each performance. A few more meditative moments similar to the end of the single, where the progression can be aloud to take place in a more gentle fashion would be comforting and complimentary to the philosophical outlook of the lyrics. The childlike bliss of the music is, without a doubt, joyful.
Peter Bayreuther’s voice is hauntingly reminiscent of the Beat Generation poet Allen Ginsberg, calling in the same deep bellowing tremolo over raga scale Bhajan with similar peaceful and meditative purpose. Peter’s poetry is less radical and much more practical then Allen’s. In fact, Bayreuther too would also be quite good at spoken word. His voice is comforting and the words are simple, yet incredibly wise. The primary focus is a sort of entrancing march of positive communal values that builds to a wonderfully silly crescendo of “fun!” That type of humor echoes the happiness of dharma bums the world over, no matter the generation or in which culture they experience it -as these mantra and yatra have been discovered and forgotten again in every age, by every society- that they are indeed timeless lessons of affirmation though peace. The most difficult is remembering to practice peace and happiness everyday. Honest lyrics refrain in mantras of hope such as “Hey, Let’s do it all together, Life is much more fun like this… Make the magic work!” Such proclamations of mirth are so rare these days that it’s utterly refreshing to here such positive hope from these profound German musicians.
There is a sort of childlike playfulness to Let’s Work Together. Perhaps it’s the vibrant bouncing style of the fiddle and hand drums, it could be the chanting vocals, or maybe it’s the mouth harp twangin’ away in harmonic resonance, but whatever it is, the Bayreuthers seem to be having so much fun one can’t help but smile and laugh. The end of the single builds up into a youthful explosion of rolling instruments, Karen performing beautiful raga style riffs and Peter rolling his lips on the mouth harp finale; a wonderful song for young and old.
Peter & Karin Bayreuther are part reincarnate kirtankar (Indian devotional chanter) and part meistersingers (German lyricist) and part English troubadour poets. Their love for life is eminent in the hopeful music of Let’s Work Together. They are on the right path to a wonderfully inspired and energetic new collection of work if this is any sign of what’s yet to come. The blend of classical understanding in multiple musical styles and chants greatly enhance the importance of their art. However, many will not understand it and may require a little encouragement, but the payoff is worth the effort to have mini-enlightenments about how we understand sound resonance and fundamental philosophical poetry. Peter Bayreuther is a musician’s musician, an illustrator of the new sound landscape with ancient maps in hand to make a new path through the wilds and a great understanding of how to utilize different aspects of many cultures creating powerful songs with meaning that only becomes more important over time. And that’s just one song!
Review by Julian Gorman
