Tangerine Dream / In Search of Hades: The Virgin Recordings 1973-1979

well it took nearly a month but my 18 disc box set from amazon italy arrived, £55 inc postage, good deal i think. bespoke packaging as well which always helps

A selection of tracks from Sorcerer was included on Virgin’s ’70 – ’80 box set. Baryll Blue, Chimes and Chains and Haunted Heights first appeared there also. I bought that set back in 1980 and have treasured it ever since.

Took me a while to obtain a copy of Hades (after Amazon kept me on a string for 6 weeks), but the wait was worth it. So far I’ve only scratched the surface! Exceptional material.

€ 57,15 on Amazon Italy.

Amazon baffle me! I ordered the set for £125.00 at the end June. Over nearly 2 months the delivery date kept changing getting pushed further and further back. On Tuesday I caught sight of the £58 deal on the Amazon website, ordered it, cancelled my original order and have just had the bargain deal order delivered today, 5 days later.

Does anyone know the date of the new printing?

Currently under 60 UK Pounds on Amazon UK.

Those who missed it out so far take note:

A second print will be available in August.

A poet from 6th century BC, Theognis of Megara wrote that “no man takes with him to Hades all his exceeding wealth”…

However, he had no chance of coming across the newly released Tangerine Dream box set… Both Theognis, and undoubtedly Hades, would approve of this wealth in one’s possession – if only they had the chance to listen to the 16 CDs and 2 BR discs of the Virgin recordings from 1973 to 1979…

In Search of Hades not only contains splendid remasters of Tangerine Dream classic albums from the 1973-1979 period, but also numerous previously unreleased tracks that are genuinely spellbinding. The Steven Wilson mixes and Ben Wiseman-remastered versions can be heralded as examples of how informed and sensitive remastering should be done, when we are flooded with countless remastered editions of classical albums that not only over-compress the original material, but may also genuinely massacre those… The Ricochet and Phaedra remastered versions notably also restored their original structure, with material that was either cut or misplaced in some previous releases.

In addition, for the first time one can hear quality recording of certain era-defining live appearances that TD fans so far only could hear in bootleg recordings and mono radio material of highly varying “quality”.

First fact to stress is that the previously unreleased material is not a mere pile of studio leftovers and obscure curiosities that stayed in dusty basements for good reason. Instead, they are astonishing electronic soundscapes that are not only musically, but also historically, significant.

The Phaedra Outtakes are of simply aching beauty, with gentle piano, flutes, strings, electronic swirls and indescribable sound effects all combining into subtle, sensitive sonic paintings that are at the same time cosmic and terrestrial, alien and human.

These recordings show again something that unashamedly biased (with good reason) TD fans have known for a long time: the way that Mellotrons are used by Tangerine Dream truly stands out, when compared to the ‘raw’ and typical Mellotron sounds found in countless electronic and progressive rock albums.

Among the included concert recordings, the Victoria Palace live appearance is particularly notable, as some remarked: it is an evolutionary ‘missing link’ between the sound world of Atem and that of Phaedra.

Not only we have here a group of fiercely innovative musicians improvising live, something that in electronic music cannot be understated, but the sonic gems of this concert have the ambient soundscapes, fluid and utterly sensitive meditations of what we could hear on the classics Zeit and Atem. These are seamlessly blending with the more melodic Mellotron strings and flutes, underpinned by tight pulsating sequencers, a novel and characteristic sound that on Phaedra became a global phenomenon.

Nothing ever stays static, nothing ever has straight lines or perpendicular sharp corners. Everything here is fluid, constantly changing and evolving…

This Victoria Palace concert is also perhaps the most audible example of the heroics that some may take for granted nowadays: one can hear how the sequencers are drifting out of tune, how the jamming musicians make this process an organic part of their improvisations and we also hear how the naughty analogue equipment is being tamed again, with on-the-fly re-tuning.

The other two London concerts, at The Rainbow Room and of course the Royal Albert Hall appearance, are connecting us more with the sound world we know from Phaedra and Rubycon perhaps, but here, too we have ample improvised compositions firmly rooted in a unique variant of space / ambient music that Tangerine Dream have unleashed on audiences well before ambient was called ambient…

In the fiery sequencer patterns we already hear elements of what Ricochet was to be, as a supreme example of Berlin School wizardry that stood the test of time. One can defy modular enthusiasts and sequencer magicians of 2019 to even replicate or emulate the astonishing sequencing present on these recordings from more than four decades ago.

The concert recordings show musicians achieving something in the 1970s that is rare even today, despite the mainstream position that some genres of electronic music occupy nowadays in major live performances and festivals. These live recordings are simply humbling: one has to clash with, and firmly realise, one’s own limited human abilities, when trying to even follow the intricate multi-layered details swirlingly unleashed on us by these musicians.

Here we have largely improvised jams spanning, and seamlessly combining, distant corners of many different galaxies of electronic music. Actually playing multiple layers of intricate patterns emerging from fiendishly unstable analogue sequencers, instead of static repetitive patterns that many even now think sequencers are for? Of course, why not. Seamlessly blending spacey electronic atmospheres with gentle, almost fragile flutes and strings, piano textures and human voice? Of course, why not? Do taped strings pushed through phasers and modulated effects sit at home with pulsating Berlin School patterns of a very ordered and structured Universe? Sure.

Clearly, above is a far from exhaustive overview of the box set, but even if one omits mentions and reactions to the vast amount of musical material of this treasure chest, the Oedipus Tyrannus simply must be mentioned.

This is perhaps one of the, if not the, most mythical Tangerine Dream albums. It only existed in various unofficial forms, in highly variable (but consistently low) quality versions and it gained a mythical status not only due to these factors, but also because it contains a monumental electronic suite.

The epic material takes us from the avantgarde atmospherics of the Overture to the mind-blowing sequencers of the Battle to the playful melodic inventions of Baroque (latter actually being more of a Renaissance-era slow dance if one wishes to be knit-picking, when listening to the characteristic melodic lines). It further shows, as if there was any need, that Tangerine Dream has been and remains quintessential to the history of not just one genre or sub-genre of electronic music, but to the history of electronic music, full stop.

The range of music on just this box set shows how they have remained influential for vast arrays of electronic music ranging from most avantgarde and experimental ambient to the most mainstream sub-genres.

So what would be the single central characteristic of this vast collection of music released in this box set? Can one condense into a single word all the breathtaking and fiery improvisations, delicate and fragile melodic inventions, vibrations of star systems from distant outer space, waves and fluid motions of unidentifiable liquids, swirls and storms of strange aethers?

Most definitely, and Tangerine Dream fans can put it down as nothing surprising, long-known by them and merely re-enforced by the proofs in this box set:

Imagination.

(originally written for Notes From A Nebula)

A fantastic box set!

But… there are some glaring omissions and errors in the book, for one Monique Froese is not even mentioned for the album artwork and the numerous photos she took of the band. I know the Jerome Froese was pretty p*ssed off at this one, all that credit has gone to someone called Phil Smee. (Monique Froese gets one paltry mention for Encore). The info regarding how Franke acquired the Moog is wrong as well, he didn’t get it from Florian Fricke as that one was purchaed by Klaus Schulze. Whoever did the text for the book should have done a bit more research and proof read it. As for the discs get some of those Japanese poly sleeves to protect them from scratching. All in all though a brilliant one off box set release.

Now let’s see some unreleased recordings by TD from their Ohr era.

I love it… playing them the whole weekend, the live content is great!

Maybe I was looking forward to this too much, but as I sit here with a beer/Doritos and Phaedra on, I’m a bit disappointed.

It’s a nice set and I can’t wait to play the live stuff but the way the discs are presented is poor.

It has those flat ‘slots’ that you have to slide the disc out and risk scratching the CD.

The housing for the discs is also a bit lightweight. Shame they didn’t put each disc in a reproduction sleeve.
First World problems as they say but I am a little disappointed with this….luckily, I love the albums.

I only know of TD via Christopher Franke due to him writing the music for the Babylon 5 TV Series. I’ve been interested in checking them out, but have no idea where to start. Can anyone point me to some songs?

It’s amazing the difference in value that you get with a CD/Blu Ray box set like this compared with vinyl. Most vinyl box sets are merely digital files pressed on plastic – not sounding a whole lot different from their CD counterparts but significantly more expensive. This looks absolutely marvelous: I have really enjoyed Steven Wilson’s 5.1 remixes of King Crimson and XTC (amongst others). How does he find the time…..

Would have been a no-brainer on SACD! It’s a shame, what a missed opportunity…

Maybe our Japanese friends do better some day.

Hi Paul,
Firstly congratulations on the SDE site and associated activities – I have been an avid reader for years. I would love to order the Tangerine Dream box set from the SDE site, but the 80 pounds delivery cost to Australia is way too much money for me – it would make the box set $379 Australia which is nearly double the cost from other sites. Secondly, why is there no pre-order available from Amazon US? Being from Australia, we are prevented from ordering from Amazon UK (Amazon Australia has a limited range – often, orders of box sets of this nature are fulfilled by Amazon US).
Cheers
Neil

I have pre ordered my copy in anticipation of the fulfilment of a life long quest since 1974, of obtaining a clean clear stereo copy of Oedipus Tyrannus in full.
I heard the initial broadcast on John Peel’s Radio 1 programme, on a portable radio whilst on holiday, my Teac stereo cassette deck and Sony FM tuner, miles away at home!
In 1976, Alan Freeman played Baroque from this broadcast, 95% of which I managed to capture on cassette tape. Can I say that one track on tape sounds cleaner and clearer than any bootleg CD of the same, purchased in hope and in good faith, in the vain hope of obtaining a decent audio recording.

Hi,

are there any plans for a similar box set in the future with material coming from 1980 – 1983, the last virgin years and Johannes Schmoelling era?
I’d love to see Tangram, Pergamon, Thief, Exit, White Eagle, Logos and Hyperborea all newly remastered, with some extra stuff and outtakes.

Hasn’t it any flat transfer of studio albums on blu-ray?

Paul, regarding Disc 13 Coventry Cathedral – The Original Film Soundtrack (34.02) – recorded 1975 , previously unreleased (other than original broadcast).

The actual concert sound has never been broadcast. Richard Branson scrapped the original soundtrack and turned it into an advert for `Ricochet’, none of which was recorded there. As the concerts were improvised, this is quite important. The original concert sound was considered to be lost until now. There is also some confusion regarding the original broadcast on BBC2. It was NOT an OGWT show, it was simply a standalone show called `Tangerine Dream at Coventry Cathedral’ broadcast on a Sunday night on BBC2 (at the same time as the newly popular `Fawlty Towers’, which caused ructions in my household as there were no video recorders back then. Little did we know there would be so many subsequent re-runs of Fawlty that we’d know every episode backwards. Luckily I got to see the TD broadcast, and my life was suitably changed forever !) . To further add to the confusion, there is a version of the Coventry Cathedral DVD being bandied about in ever more desperate packaging by Gonzo Multimedia purporting to carry the original concert sound. It doesn’t ! They even tried dubbing `Rubycon’ over it last time…be very aware !

Why is the Royal Albert Hall show in this set? It’s already out in the Bootleg Box 1 so we don’t need it again. I’d love to have the full Oedipus Tyranus set and the two 1974 shows though but can’t justify £125.

Oh bugger! This looks like a good purchase, but I don’t have a blue ray player for the 5.1. Wish there was a SACD version. Anyway, I doubt I’d be able to sneak this one past the wife!

In response to CJLs concern about the CDs getting scratched removing them from their pockets, the problem can be solved by purchacing the Clear Poly CD Sleeves that one gets in those excellent Japanese Mini CD discs. My 18 disc John Martyn boxset is a similar design where the discs slide into cardboard pockets, I just purchased a pack of 200 Japanese cd inner sleeves and they fit perfectly into the pockets stopping the CDs from getting scratched. I did find it cheaper ordering them from Japan especially if ordering quite a few, Plus I’ve now used quite a few in other boxsets where boxsets have this type of design, I’ve also used these sleeves in the Beatles and Pink Floyd cardboard CD covers with No Digipac inlay trays. Can’t remember which place I ordered them from but I think I either found them through ebay or somewhere like Amazon…….BUT from a Japanese dealer.

Any idea who designed the box? Or is it done archival art?

Hope I’m proved wrong, but it looks like the folders that house the discs are the kind that end up scratching (the discs) as you try to remove them from the ‘pouches’.

Those coloured “Red Dragon” Virgin labels looks great as Disc labels.
“V” was one of my favourite finds back in the day as a “just about to turn teenager” obsessed with all things Virgin and Oldfield and a “find” in pre-internet days is way more exciting than just checking eBay. Reddington’s Rare Records in Birmingham 1979 I think. It was my first exposure to Tangerine Dream and then I found out my future Brother in Law had a copy of Phaedra (and my first exposure to Oxygene). These things last in the mind.
BTW it took me until only a few years ago to realize that the hand on the front cover of “V” has six fingers. D’oh.

great looking set. personally not this much of a TD fan; the 1CD versions seem more suited to me, glad those are being released as well.

This is an absolute feast of material!
Whilst it is disappointing that Virgin EMI seem to have lost the multitracks of most of these albums (!) the revelation that they have soundboard recordings of several gigs from 1974/75 is a total delight – no longer must we make do with some god-awful mono audience recording from a tape-recorder stashed in some hippy’s armpit :-D
I am also intrigued to hear what the remaster of Encore sounds like, as the audio quality on previous releases was a mess.
Oh and what happened to Nick Mason’s ill-fated mix of Stratosfear, that Edgar’s autobiography tantalised us with? lmao

Paul this boxset is not showing for sale anywhere else
on Amazon they have live at Coventry cathedral in 1975 as a lavish box set
for delivery in may. Why so many releases of this period all of a sudden?
Seems strange is it a definite that you will have it for sale.Just wondering
no criticism inferred.

Is the live material sourced from sound desk recordings?

Ordered via your shop. Damn it, Paul you just made me break my “won’t pay more than £100 for a boxset” rule!! (but good value compared to some who shall not be named)

Steven Wilson remixes is certainly a good thing. Only two albums in 5.1. is a little poor, at least for the hard core collectors who will have at least the live recordings. So adding this to the expectable quality of the remix this is ok not a real bargain. But as a TD collection I bough much more unreasonable things…

Not to forget: Paul, respect for your growing shop, I am pleased it contains some important progressive treasures. Unfortunately it becames more and more pricey to pay postage when delivered to the continent. Brexit won’t do any better.

Nice one for sure. Now let’s have a complete legend score revamp ??? . Pigs n whistles .

Ordered!

Super stoked to get this, been a Tangs fan for over 30 years! Looking forward to hearing the unreleased Phaedra sessions and the full Oedipus disc plus the 3 recorded manor mobile concerts. I wonder if the music on that youtube video of TD in the Manor in 75 is in those outtakes (as it sounds very Rubycon-esque!)

What’s the UK shipping cost when purchased from SDE?

Sorry will there be a vinyl option or is this a CD box?

This appeared on amazon today then after 5 mins vanished. It’s now gone off drift records and beggers banquet pre orders. Do you know anything about what’s happening paul?

This is an automatic purchase for me so I will admit to whining and nit-picking, BUT
…I really wish they’d gone one album further because Tangram is one of my real favourites and I’d love to hear a SW mix.

Is there a problem ordering?.I noticed 2 shops with pre orders yesterday and now the pages have vanished?

Now, if only they’d release everything related to “The Keep”.

Waxwork Records are reissuing Sorcerer on vinyl this year

I hope I can order the box set, just missed placing my order,

Oeps… the news is deleted from Wilson’s Site

I have just seen this and have always been a massive TD fan so went straight to order and you can’t! How disappointing. Will it definitely be available later and is there a reason it’s been pulled? Keep up the good work on SDE.

Why have pre-orders been paused?
TAKE MY MONEY NOW!

Thanks to all who commented with advice on this set – looks like I’m going to be £125 poorer! Great to see (as ever) this site acting as a community of music lovers eager to share their love of great bands and albums, and not being a sniffy *oh look at this chap who doesn’t know anything about [insert band name here]* – thanks again.

Pedants Corner.

Just to point out that the 2/4/75 Albert Hall concert has been previously released on The Bootleg Box Set Vol 1. But that was bootleg quality, albeit listenable. I wonder if these are soundboard recordings?

And a couple of subjective comments. Personally I find Phaedra quite unique in their catalogue. It’s almost pastoral. It’s sublime. From Rubycon onwards the sequencers are really to the fore and by Stratosfear they are performing compositions as opposed to improvisations. It’s a subtle difference.
But Ricochet and Rubycon are stunning so anyone in doubt about purchasing, just go for it. Then buy the earlier Ohr albums because they are even better.
And there is nothing bad about Cyclone; it’s great big dumb over the top fun. Atypical, but the second side is instrumental so win win.

I have no idea where I’m going to get £125 from, but I’m going to have to pick this up. Not interested in the 5.1 stuff, but the presence of unreleased material from this era is going to be worth it alone.

Really hoping we get a similar set for the second half of the Virgin years, which are a bit underappreciated in my view – Johannes’s melodic sense was incredible, and Tangram & Hyperborea are my two favourite TD records. I’d happily take a box of this magnitude based on the ‘Pink’ and ‘Blue’ years too, but I can’t see them coming. Esoteric have re-released that material so many times now I can’t help thinking we’d have had the extra material if it was forthcoming.

so the Definitive Edition Cd’s were not quite so definitive.
who am i kidding, I’m a TD nut, i’ll be buying this.
i’ve got the original virgin vinyl, and the CD’s already.
Looks like they’ve mopped up the exclusive tracks from the 70-80 box set as well.
Esoteric did a great job with the pre/post virgin material (although i’d still like to hear an unfiddled with ‘green desert’, and the two live bootleg boxes that came out a few years ago

I’ve done it again, ordered this via SDE.

Have had most of this music for years on vinyl, then CD but cannot resist a tasty box set, and the live stuff, a new book and now I am excited…

Glad ‘Baryll Blue’ is on there as its a great track not been available for years. Check it out, it may be on youtube.

Canadians, the item is not up in Music Vaultz pre-order yet. Cannot wait to order that one!