Track Listing

1. Blue Notebooks
2. On the Nature of Daylight
3. Horizon Variations
4. Shadow Journal
5. Iconography
6. Vladmir's Blues
7. Arboretum
8. Old Song
9. Organum
10. Trees
11. Written on the Sky

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23971 in Music
• Brand: Max
• Released on: 2004-05-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Album Description
Limited UK 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Richter is a British-based, German-born pianist and composer. The Blue Notebooks is his 2004 sophomore solo album, a distinctive and adventurous work that is beautifully recorded and cinematic in scope. 11 tracks. Fat Cat. 2008.

Customer Reviews

Craig Armstrong meets Philip Glass: it's that good!
This album arrived in my life right when I needed it. They say these things happen. It came bundled with a couple other ones from the hands of a friend who knew me too well, and knew how to help me through the period of grief our family is going through after the recent passing of my dad.

When I played the album for the first time, I was touched like I felt touched when I first listened to M83 not too long ago, or when I discovered Sigur Ros in 2001. Max Richter, borrowing influences from Arvo Part, Brian Eno, Philip Glass and Steve Reich, is a new breed of composer, who blends in modern compositional styles with electronic sounds. He creates a sound that resembles minimalism, avoiding being self-indulgent, and keeping the listener involved and engaged with some of the most touching music you will run into.

When listening to Max Richter for the first time, I thought of Craig Armstrong. The latter was involved with Massive Attack, while the former was involved with Future Sound of London. But Richter comes from a much denser and sophisticated musical place. When I think of him, I think more like Craig Armstrong meets Philip Glass. It's that good!

No track in the album is better. The entire piece is outstanding and worth every minute of it and every penny you put into it. I wish you all the same musical joy this album has brought to my life.

Philosophical Modern Classic
Max Richter studied classical music, but also is playing around with computers and samplers. After collaborations with the likes of Future Sound of London, he now makes a kind of modern classical music. Somewhere between minimal music, movie soundtracks, ambient and triphop lies this musical masterpiece. It's almost like a soundtrack to a film, very visual. It has a lot of Phillip Glass-like slow repetitive string-arrangements, but much more interesting to listen to. Because here and there are hidden electronic sounds, but very sparce and subtle. It gives it that little modern edge, which also makes it strange and unpredictable. For example, you are now and then shaken out of your musical dream by the sound of a crow or philosophical poems that are read, over the sound of an oldfashioned typewriter. Very interesting, very subtle, beautifully orchestrated, fantastically crisp produced. This is a musical masterpiece.

Achingly beautiful
Max Richter has created a modern masterpiece in 10 tracks; each stunning, completely unique and mesmerizing. If you're reading this review, you're considering this album for one reason or another, and all I can do is tell you that you must.

I find myself craving 'Shadow Journal,' 'Vladimir's Blues,' 'Horizon Variations,' and 'The Trees' every single night and I've had this album for about a month already. Every piece of this album adds layer upon layer of strings, utterly gorgeous piano, and the slightest electronic element that comingle so perfectly you'll wonder how your luck got so good that your ears have stumbled upon this sonic heaven.

The genius that is Max Richter has another album out that I wish was available here on Amazon.