Hostsonaten - Autumn Symphony

(CD 2009, 30:45, AMS/VM 2000/Btf)

The tracks:
  1- Open windows to autumn
  2- Leaves in the well (Including Riverbank prelude)
  3- Out of water
  4- Nightswan i
  5- Nightswan ii
  6- As the night gives birth to the morning
  7- Trees in November
  8- Elegy
  9- Autumn's last breath / The gates of winter

Hostsonaten Website        samples       


Hostsonaten is one of the many projects of Fabio Zuffanti, a very active and creative Italian musician. He is also the leader of groups like Finisterre, Quadraphonic and Aries, just to name a few. Hostsonaten came into being in 1996. Their music mostly consists of prog rock mixed with jazzy, folky and classical elements.

Autumn Symphony is the third part of the Seasoncycle Suite after Winterthrough (2008) and Springsong (2002). The music on this new album sounds like a soundtrack for a rather dark and mysterious movie. The first three tracks are all highly robust ambient prog rock with lots of jazzy aspects and many flute and trumpet parts. Out Of The Water has several orchestral passages featuring cello, violin and oboe, while Nightswan features a lot of double bass and some great electric guitar runs. As The Night Gives Birth To The Morning is a rather jazzy piece, while Trees In November shines brightly because of the very melodic guitar solo. The highlight is probably the last song, a mix of classical music, jazz and progressive rock, proving that Hostsonaten is capable of playing it all.

My conclusion: a good album that will take a few spins to appreciate, but for my personal musical taste this album has too much quiet pieces…

*** Martien Koolen (edited by Peter Willemsen)

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