Arcana obscura
Arcana Obscura is a German music project around the musician Thomas Gäbhard , which combines danceable electro with medieval and world music as well as elements from dark electro .
history
Arcana Obscura (literally Latin "dark secrets"; actually a term from alchemy that describes a "mysterious elixir") has existed since 1990. Thomas Gäbhard's original solo project developed from puristic EBM to his through the use of alternating guest musicians today's form of archaic dark wave / ambient with spherical chants and acoustic instruments from classical, medieval and different ethnic traditions. Arcana Obscura worked with various guest musicians, such as the voice of Angelika Meindl, who is also famous for her choreographies in contemporary dance , later Heike, who had already worked with Clandestine , joined as the first permanent singer.
The two special performances, “Machine Experience” in the Deutsches Museum in 2002 and the concert in the Völkerschlachtdenkmal Leipzig in 2003, added an opera soprano Sabine Andres and Sabine Stelzer, another singer and medieval multi-instrumentalist. In 2006 Sabine Andres and in 2011 Sabine Stelzer separated again from the music project. Andrea Bannert and Betty Baindl from Tibetréa joined as singers in 2013 and Timea Göghova has been another new addition since the end of 2015.
Music / performance
As the main music project of Thomas Gäbhard, Arcana Obscura combines medieval instruments, historical and international texts and experimental computer sound collages with the singing of different expressive female voices. In contrast, these mystical chants are occasionally accentuated by Thomas Gäbhard's expressive voice, whereby he, as the head of the group, is mainly responsible for all electronic ideas and their realization. His sound compositions suggest diverse ethnological and mythological currents. The Slavic, Oriental and Indian influences as well as those from Balkan music are clearly audible. Medieval international songs and classical opera texts are wrapped in a new guise and their own melodies, with Arcana Obscura's own lyrics being performed again and again.
The musicians also demonstrate great liveliness and variety with the use of acoustic instruments, most of which come from the medieval instrumental repertoire, such as shawms , bagpipes and cisters . But also various flutes , harps , percussion instruments and tinny percussion ( gongs , singing bowls , cymbals, etc.) bring a special dynamic to the music, which also gets its unmistakable character. The spiritual power of magical texts such as B. the Merseburger Zaubersprüche , combines with meditative soundscapes, powerful electronic beats and intercultural dances and creates images of mystical worlds.
live
Arcana Obscura presented their program live for the first time at the Munich Theatron Open Air in the summer of 1993. This was followed by various appearances, including in the opening act for DIE FORM and CALL, in 1995 a tour across Germany and Belgium together with DIVE and KIRLIAN CAMERA and in 1998 as one of the headliners at The-Power-Of-A-New-Aeon -Festival. In 2003 and 2004 they played a musically exclusive special set at the Völkerschlachtdenkmal Leipzig, a musical journey through time from antiquity through the Middle Ages and Baroque to modern times.
Since 2010 the show has become an increasingly important element. The band is now optically enriched by various dance performances such as "Tribal Fusion Bellydance", sword dance or classical Indian dance. In open-air performances, the power of the element of fire reinforces the overall picture in the form of an integrated fire show.
Discography
- 1994: ARCANA OBSCURA (LP)
- 1995: DELUSION (CD)
- 1995: PAIN (MCD)
- 1998: FIELDS OF THE LOST (CD)
- 2000: THEMES FROM DOOM (CD)
- 2003: LIVE at the VÖLKERSCHLACHT-DENKMAL 2003 (CD)
- 2005: EXTRACT (CD)
- 2006: LIES (CD)
- 2007: EVIDENCE (CD)
- 2011: LEMURIA (CD)
- 2013: PAIN NEW EDITION (CD)
- 2017: TEMPUS (CD)
- 2017: 2000 MILES (CD)
Compilations
- 1994: Essence of ConSequence Vol.1, Dark Cities, Where are you
- 1994: SIX-PACK, I Could be You
- 1995: Touched by the Hand of Goth, Why
- 1995: The Gothic Compilation Part.III, Delusion vers.II
- 1995: Cleaner, Er, Strong, Quiet Earth, Where are you (video vers.)
- 1995: Sound-Line Vol.1, Awakening
- 1995: Essence of ConSequence Vol.2, Where is my Way (violin edit)
- 1995: Taste This.4, Myth
- 1996: Miroque Vol.1, Forgotten Time
- 1996: Touched by the Hand of Goth Vol. 2, There burns a Fire
- 1997: Miroque Vol.2, Hall of Mirrors
- 1997: The ABBY Compilation, Theme from Doom (long version)
- 1997: The Dark Ages, Underworld
- 1998: The Gothic Compilation Part VII, Theme from Doom
- 1998: Essence of ConSequence Vol.3, Run Away (remix)
- 1998: The Dark Ages The Final Chapter, Incantation (remix)
- 1998: Tortures Vol.3, Waiting (remix)
- 1999: Wellenreiter in Schwarz Vol.4, Have you looked into my eyes
- 1999: Samhain, Forgotten Time (version)
- 2001: Triton II, Awakening by the End
- 2002: Essence of ConSequence Vol.4, Stop it Now 02
- 2002: Best of Medieval & Romantic 1, Hall of Mirrors
- 2003: Mystica Mysteria IV, Forgotten lakes
- 2003: Gothic Compilation subscribers only, Dark Cities (angelmix)
- 2003: EXTREME Hereafter Hymnen 4, Pain (Disastrous Din mix)
- 2003: LUNA's Fantastic Music Vol.1, Flames
- 2004: LUNA's Fantastic Music Vol. II, Desert Of Pain (2nd Version)
- 2004: EXTREME Hereafter Hymns 5, Theme from Doom
- 2004: Pax Music Edition Vol.2, Stella Splendens
- 2005: ZILLO Dark Summer 2005, Playing God (Din Remix)
- 2005: The Gothic Compilation Part XXIX, Playing God (Din Remix)
- 2006: The Gothic Compilation Part XXXIII, Evidence
- 2006: ZILLO New Signs & Sounds 07-08 / 06, Evidence
- 2007: NERODOM Compilation 2007, Stella Splendens (Club Mix)
- 2007: ADERLASS VOL.5, Stella Splendens (Club Mix)
- 2007: ORKUS COMPILATION 29, Stella Splendens
- 2008: DARK ALLIANCE, Stella Splendens
- 2010: KLANGFEST 2010, Evidence (Lemuria Mix)
- 2013: ABSOLUTE GRRRLS MANIFESTO (chapter I), Stella Splendens
- 2013: Body To Body, Stella Splendens
- 2014: The Live Life, Stella Splendens (live in Erding)
- 2015: Unforgotten Rhymes - A Tribute To Psyche, Murder In Your Love.