Klaus Wunderlich - Weihnachten mit Klaus Wunderlich (1971)

Klaus Wunderlich is the first big name in Germany, when you´re talking about electric organs. The other name is Franz Lambert, whom I have introduced before, but Klaus was the first to introduce these instruments to the German audience. Have I ever shared a LP from Klaus before? I don´t think so, but it´s time now...

Klaus received his first piano at the age of seven, and later on he accompanied many famous German artists on their tours, such as Caterina Valente. He also worked as a newsreader at the famous German "Tagesschau" from 1959 to 1962. Besides the Hammond-Pops series, which I have seen partially on other blogs, he published recordings with names like "Sound 2000" or "Synthesized Old Evergreens" that had worldwide success. He had a way of playing his instruments, by using their timbres, that was unknown to that point. However, this sound could only be created in a studio, not played on stage. People and critics were struck by the way in which he was able to create such perfect music in his studio without outside assistance. Here you can listen to the first out of two Christmas albums he released, from the year 1971. Some Christmas-organ-LPs sound like if they were recorded for being played at funerals, but this one doesn´t. At least not all the time...

Klaus Wunderlich died in 1997, but I´m sure if you´ll play his music on Christmas Eve, he will be listening from somewhere, and he´ll be delighted too...