The Music Of Oktoberfest

This 'Octoberfest' CD is special, it has every quality of musicality that one might wish for in traditional German music, done with the immediate feeling of today. As another reviewer has noted, this may be an 'Oktoberfest' band type of performance. Well, no one will be shouting and talking while this band is playing and their vocalists are singing. There is too much wonder in this music; too much to listen to and too much to (hopefully) remember. To start: this CD is one of a series of 'Distant Winds' travel compilations. If they are each of this quality, I will be buying (and reporting on) more of them. My purchase was motivated by travel...to Germany, but not for Oktoberfest. We travelers get to 'enjoy' long air flights and it seems like a good time to 'get a jump' on the local culture by reading our travel notes and by listening to iconic local music on our MP3 players. This is the 'German' traditional CD to buy 'if you're buying only one', to paraphrase a Michelob beer commercial of my youth. I have elsewhere on Amazon reviewed other traditional German music CDs: Voyager's 'German Favorites' and Kado Music's 'I Love German Folk & Drinking Music' being most similar in content. Each of these CDs will find an audience with choral music lovers and they will be listened to with pleasure at certain times. Those times will be when a concert rendition (let me say, 'sanitized' or 'standardized') arrangement is wanted. They remind me of my trips to Philharmonic concerts or to 'Pops' concerts. This CD is far from that. It has the immediacy of the moment in every note. The program is wonderfully varied, exhibits fine musicianship and is produced with resonant and clear sound quality. The CD begins with rousing marches--Oktoberfest traditionally began with a march--and moves on to a program with featured vocalists and instrumentals that rely on traditional instrumental ensembles, including a coronet section, clarinets, double bass, zither, (on 'Barthaloma') and accordion. This is the 'gold standard' instrumentation for traditional German popular music, such as can be found in beerhalls but is treasured elsewhere, as well. I will not comprehesively single out cuts on the CD because I loved each and every one of them. When you want to listen or when you want to sing along, there will be songs you will gravitate to. All, right...I will say this program is well-thought out, beginning with a rousing march and ending with a tear-producing, pride-engendering 'Patrona Bavariae'. This is a complete program and will be loved by anyone who looks to the best in German culture.

These are nice performances of German Volksmusik, and are enjoyable for those who like it but the music has nothing to do with the Munich Oktoberfest. Go visit and check it out.

Love that ompah music. Very good music quality. Its a Pumper upper. and I like to play it on my car stereo

Beautifully done, was the perfect background music to our Oktoberfest office party celebration! Couldn't have been more pleased with the product and the transaction.

Wonderful, authentic CD, love it! It brings the original Oktoberfest into our house in TX.

I bought this as background music for my Oktoberfest party. I figured the price was fair was a CD that I will only listen to about once a year. The music really set the mood for my party and I'm glad I bought it. I'm just a wee bit disappointed that the CD wasn't longer. Had to keep hitting "play" on the CD player.

Putting on an Oktoberfest at church; perfect music!

I used this to help create ambiance at my Oktoberfest party, everyone had a great time & the music added that magical touch!

We had an Ocktoberfest in the Church Hall so what to do ? I lived in Germany for several years a long time ago but I vividly remember the Ocktoberfest Oompah bands with very fond memories. I looked for a cd with all the classic tunes and I wasn't disappointed. The cd arrived well packaged and at very short notice, quite a bit quicker that the estimate. A bit pricey but very good quality. Lots of other people had promised to bring Ocktoberfest music but on the day nobody did except my wife and myself and it made the event authentic even if the older guests later insisted on singing songs from the Blitz, mainly because they all new the words.

I've no particular love of this style of music, but this was to play at a German Sausage Party and was ideal for the job.

If you are limited to just one CD this has a nice selection. This band's version of Old Comrades is superb!

Never been to an Oktoberfest, but listening to this, makes you feel you are there, thankyou.