Portrait of Sequentia Legenda – Beyond the heritage of the Berlin School

Portrait of Sequentia Legenda – Beyond the heritage of the Berlin School
Portrait by Christophe Bargeault
originally produced for Patch Work Music

Christophe Bargeault interview Sequentia Legenda
Music, benevolence and spirituality

This portrait is dedicated to Sequentia Legenda who offered us just before the summer their latest opus RESONANCES. Beyond the legacy of the Berlin School genre that he has received and that he is passing on in turn, Laurent Schieber was kind enough to share with us a few moments of kindness and spirituality.

Christophe Bargeault: "Laurent, after having taken us beyond the stars, then to a celestial universe, you offer us a new album where everyone will find a way to enter in resonance with the universe. Can you tell us how RESONANCES was born and do you consider it as a follow-up to BEYOND THE STARS and "CELESTIAL"?

Sequentia Legenda: "Since BLUE DREAM, I think I can say that each album that has come out is a sequel in itself, an evolution of my musical vision. I can also happily say that with this latest album my music has just ascended towards ever more spiritual vibrations. RESONANCES is for me a pivotal album for several reasons. The birth of RESONANCES happened instinctively, naturally, with the help of a – guidance – that allowed me to bring to light the channeled message and all the emotions that went through me. I thank this divine chance which was granted to me, I am proud and happy to be able to share with the listeners joy, dreams and well-being. RESONANCES is also a highlight of my convictions for a better, fairer and brighter world. This album is the affirmation of my work on the side of Light, Love and Hope. RESONANCES is the direct announcement of ALCYONE which will be my next album for 2023."

 

Christophe Bargeault interview Sequentia Legenda
Musical universe in perpetual resonance

Christophe Bargeault: "RESONANCES is offered to us using a process that uses the frequency 432 Hz. Can you explain this choice?"

Sequentia Legenda: "I wanted to work on my three compositions in the frequency of 432 Hz which is in harmony with the heart, nature and the universe. I wanted to offer listeners an even more spiritual approach to music and propose three vibratory universes that would allow for a resonance, a connection with one's own inner symphony."

Christophe Bargeault: "Spirituality is very much a part of your musical universe. In fact, you have presented RESONANCES as an album of "great spirituality at the service of the listener". We also find many references to spirituality in your discography (Beyond from beyond, Fly over me, Elevation, Luminosa veritas, Celestial, Heavenly resonance). This spirituality seems to be an important part of your life. How does it play a part in your compositional process?"

Sequentia Legenda: "Spirituality is part of my evolution, it has always been present in me, around me. It accompanies me, guides me through my intuitions, makes me move forward and grow. It is the same for my musical adventure that I have the happiness to live, which evolves, transmutes little by little to become always a little more spiritual. There is always a sign, if I may say so, an energy that will propel me towards the keyboards. It's magnetic, it's magical. When I compose, I feel things from the inside, the vibrations crystallize, I let them impregnate me, and then I put them to music. It's the heart that speaks before anything else! Thanks to this spirituality and to listening to it, the process of creation is a real guidance, a journey out of time, an inexhaustible source of energy and love. I am delighted to be able to share what I receive, with passion and sincerity. This is my way of working alongside the Light."

Christophe Bargeault: "The first notes of RESONANCES were released on your Youtube channel in the summer of 2021. What steps did you take to get to this finalized album? Do the comments left by internet users have an impact on your creative process?"

Sequentia Legenda: "It is interesting for me to hear the feelings of the listeners. Reading the comments is also a source of motivation and inspiration. I am often reminded of one such comment. One listener wrote to me that his toothache had almost disappeared after listening to my music. In the same vein, I was pleased to read that my music was a medicine. What more can I say? If not the most beautiful gift, a beautiful reward, which I fully savour. It is a delight to be able to share a source of happiness and serenity – Gratitude. After having put some extracts online, I continued the composition work, mainly concerning the third title. It was important to me to bring the three sound worlds together. Then, I proceeded to adjustments and optimizations, in order to highlight certain parts, while keeping in focus, the colour, the atmosphere and the global warmth that I wanted to offer to this album. The mastering phase was the last step. I like to add that final specific patina, that varnish conducive to sonic unison."

Christophe Bargeault: "Of all the comments that can be found about your music, most agree that you have a signature that you have a signature sound of your own. How would you describe what characterise the Sequentia Legenda sound?"

Sequentia Legenda: "I am happy and honoured to hear about a Sequentia Legenda signature, it is a great reward. I would say without hesitation that this signature is channelled directly from the depths of my being. And, above all, it is with my heart and my soul that the Sequentia Legenda sound is truly built. As for the technical part, it is a balancing act between creativity and rigour that must be established. I obviously have my reference points, my automatisms, I use the sequencers a bit like a sculptor, in order to make the different loops cohabit. Sound research is essential and sometimes it can be time consuming. I am demanding and I pay a lot of attention to the sound grain, so that it is rich, coherent and reflects my musical vision. However, the notion of freedom remains paramount. This is how this sound will be able to evolve again and again. I won't dwell on the technical aspect, because in my opinion, it's the emotional part that prevails. It is a sincere sharing with the listeners and I believe that it is precisely this sincerity that is the main characteristic of the Sequentia Legenda sound."

Christophe Bargeault: "Your approach reminds me of Klaus Schulze, who used to explain in his interviews that he started a new album by looking for new sounds, like a to begin a new album by searching for new sounds, like a sculptor who goes to look for his raw material like a sculptor who goes looking for his raw material before working on it and giving it life. Do you share this initial phase or are the sounds and melodic ideas born first of all according to the emotions you want to create? according to the emotions you want to create?"

Sequentia Legenda: "After a certain period of time, there is a real call to the keyboards, so to speak. This is the signal. Then the phase of discovery begins, of research in every respect. It's a special moment, something unique, highly emotional too. There's no real rule, either it's a particular sound that will be a trigger, or a sequencer line that will propel me, or the atmosphere of a string section that will make me take off. It's really all about my emotional state, my sensitivity and my level of awareness and reception. Each time it is a new beginning, a thrilling creative birth."


Christophe Bargeault: "Speaking of Klaus Schulze, you paid tribute to him in May in the special issue of PWM Calepins. Would you say that, without him, your musical path would have been different?"

Sequentia Legenda: "I would like to say that without him my musical journey would not have been possible. In my eyes, chance doesn't really exist, I prefer to talk about synchronicities. It was in my parents' vinyl collection that I discovered a cover that literally attracted me – like a magnet – that of the album MIRAGE, illustrated with a stylised portrait of Klaus Schulze. It was literally explosive for me, for my ears, for my whole body! From the very first time I listened to it, something happened to me that was to become my musical trigger! Thank you mother, because it was she who, after a concert of Klaus in Mulhouse, had bought Mirage, this fantastic album. A cover, a piece of music, an artist and my life was turned upside down."

Christophe Bargeault: "Just as with Mirage, the cover is often the first contact with an album, an artist, or a artist. Your choice of covers is always careful. They are always evocative of the feeling the feeling that accompanies each of your albums."

Sequentia Legenda: "Indeed, in my eyes, the cover is important and I attach a lot of time and care to it. For me, music and image are one and the same."

Christophe Bargeault: "You show gratitude and in return your audience always responds to every new song or album you release. new song or album you release. Your previous releases have even been nominated for at the Schallwelle Awards, which is a great reward."

Sequentia Legenda: "I must admit that I am always delighted by the public's reception of a new album. It's pure happiness, a balm to the heart. As far as the nominations for the Schallwelle Awards are concerned, it is always a great joy to be able to go there and actively participate in this beautiful musical and family celebration. The Schallwelle Awards is ultimately a big family of musicians and listeners who get together to vibrate in communion. Indeed, it is a beautiful reward. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Sylvia Sommerfeld, who was instrumental in creating the Schallwelle Award and who unfortunately passed away at the end of 2021. I had the pleasure of being welcomed by Sylvia, with the great kindness that characterised her. Overall, I must say that the welcome and the fervour shown towards my music touched me a lot, it is a beautiful reward, a beautiful adventure. The Berlin School "made in France" defends itself rather well I think. But I admit that it's still very complicated to win an award in Germany against German musicians and bands... But I'm already happy to be able to appear at the Schallwelle in the land of the Berliner Schule and who knows, maybe one day Sequentia Legenda will be among the first three."

Christophe Bargeault: "In this musical universe in perpetual resonance, are there any artists that you follow you follow?"

Sequentia Legenda: "I admit that I certainly don't listen enough to what other artists are doing now. I still stick to the classics. Without wanting to make excuses, it is perhaps also due to a lack of time. Between my two sons, my professional activity, the solo management of daily tasks and the management of everything revolving around my music, there is not much time left. I mainly listen to Klaus Schulze, sometimes also to Tangerine Dream and from time to time to some current musicians like Kurz Mindfields, Michael Brückner or Awenson to name a few. I also like to listen to classical music and jazz. Compared to electronic music and the Berlin School in particular, the Berlin School "made in France" brings an additional nuance to this movement. For me, music is a sign of Hope, Freedom and Love. I am certain that the Berlin School will remain a music that is conducive to dreams. Of course, it is a musical niche, but it is for this movement that my heart beats and as long as I still have something to express, to share, it alone will be my refuge."

Christophe Bargeault: "The final word."

Sequentia Legenda: "It was a great pleasure for me to take part in this interview, thanks to you Christophe for this initiative and to Patch Work Music. I hope that the listeners and readers will take as much pleasure in reading it."

Trailer of the next musical opus of Sequentia Legenda :
The 432 Hz Berlin School Box

The 432 Hz Berlin School Box by Sequentia Legenda
ULTIMATE EDITION REVISITED BY SEQUENTIA LEGENDA

This double album contains 5 tracks from my discography, revisited and tuned to the 432 Hz. This project has been maturing since the beginning of this year, it is in September that it really took shape, to finally become a real challenge in November following the death of my Mom. I really wanted to put my compositions in unison with this warm and natural frequency, favourable to introspection, escape and elevation. It is part of my musical vision, that of a deep and harmonious sharing with the public.

For this project, I had the pleasure to be able to count on a collaboration from Switzerland in the person of Nicolas Picciotto who took care of remixing and remastering two of my compositions.

The 432 Hz Berlin School Box : A Heart to Heart Sharing

Official release on 17 December 2022.

 

 

            

From DNA to the Berlin School

"From DNA to the Berlin School, life is made of sequences"
Christophe Bargeault

Christophe Bargeault's testimony
To immerse myself in the universe of Sequentia Legenda

SL: "How did you discover my music?"

Christophe Bargeault: "My name is Christophe and I am passionate about music, mainly electronic. Although this music does not constitute my DNA, it is nevertheless part of my daily life and I consider it as vital, as air and water can be. This passion has led me on a perpetual quest, from my first memories forty years ago, to the present day where musical networks lead me from surprise to discovery.

It is this quest that led me to meet the Patch Work Music association three years ago, and to immerse myself in the universe of Sequentia Legenda.

I discovered the Berlin School late in life, twenty-five years ago, at a flea market, when a record dealer, looking at my T-shirt with a certain JMJ on it, handed me a vinyl and said: "Here, this is for you". I was holding Klaus Schulze's Picture Music in my hands. That was the start of a new musical life."

 

THE UNIVERSE OF SEQUENTIA LEGENDA
Back to my first electronic emotions

SL: "How do you feel when listening to my sound worlds?"

Christophe Bargeault: " The music and the universe of Sequentia Legenda are fantastic in that they instantly take me back to my first electronic emotions. Like Proust's madeleine, the sounds, sequences and rhythms take me back in time, with this incomparable flavour, while keeping this very current signature."

THE RETURN (LONG VERSION)
A return to the roots, a return to the essential

Christophe Bargeault: "Laurent, you offered us at the beginning of this month of July a long version of your track "The Return". This particular track finds its genesis in 1984 when the idea of your project "Over There" was born in your mind. In 2017, an experimental version of The Return was released and in 2019, your 1984 project was realised. Finally, comes this long version from 2021.

Is this song one of the most important of your career? Listening to this new version, we feel that you still had things to express."

SL: "Indeed, you are right, I still had things to say, emotions to share. This title says a lot about my state of mind and my musical vision: a return to the roots, a return to the essential, in every respect. I reworked this track not only in its duration, but also in its depth, in its "soul" if I may say so. There isn't necessarily an excess of artifice as one might expect when a longer version is released. The challenge was, on the contrary, to make this title "grow" a little more, with subtlety, with sensitivity and creativity. I can't say if it's the most outstanding track in my discography, but in any case, it's the one that Tommy and I played in concert with great complicity and aptness. At the end of the concert in Tübingen, Till Kooper, a musician friend of mine, said something beautiful to me that really touched me: "It's as if I'd just heard the third track of Klaus Schulze's Trancefer exclusively!", and Tommy added: "It made me think back to the nightly rehearsals with Klaus, and tonight I felt in a trance again!"

Christophe Bargeault: "You mention in the notes of this new version the use of a new emulated instrument: the Korg modular PS-3300. At a time when physical reissues of mythical synthesizers are commonplace, you use almost exclusively virtual instruments. What led you to make this choice? Doesn't this "distance" between the composer and his instrument, because of this difference in interaction, slow down your creativity?"

SL: "When I was 18 years old, I had a lot of analog instruments: the ARP Odyssey, the Korg PS-3200, MS20 and SQ10, the Oberheim Two Voices and so on. When the MIDI standard came along, I gradually got rid of my analogue synths and bought digital instruments. Then life took me away from music for a while. Just ten years ago, I started making music again and discovered virtual instruments. Their possibilities seduced me immediately, and I was able to work happily with these emulations while combining my knowledge of analog and digital synthesis.

I don't really perceive any distance between my instruments, virtual as they are, and myself. I have taken my marks, my routines and I always discover with pleasure the vast field of action which is offered to me. With the large and beautiful palette of possibilities to express myself, I have the freedom to sculpt my sequences at will and program certain things that I feel cannot be easily done with a hardware synth. But this is subjective, of course, it's my feeling, the fruit of my experience.

Creativity for me is a matter of sensitivity and it is the language of the heart and soul that takes precedence over everything else."

 

THE RETURN (Long Version)

MY VISION FOR THE BERLIN SCHOOL IN 2021
Self-expression, passion to share and authenticity

Christophe Bargeault: "Compared to what it was when it was born, how do you see the Berlin School of 2021?"

SL: "I believe in this beautiful musical movement and I am still convinced that it has great days ahead. The technology may have changed, but the purely musical approach remains much the same. Once again, as far as I am concerned, it is not the instruments that come first, but the self-expression, the passion to share, the authenticity. CELESTIAL will be my vision for the Berlin School in 2021.

I am already looking ahead to 2022 with RESONANCE, where I invite the audience to resonate with my music, with the Berlin School."

ENTER IN RESONANCE

 

Extract of the first track "Three Astral Arches" from Sequentia Legenda's next musical opus "CELESTIAL".

I am very happy to announce that the work on my next opus "CELESTIAL" is progressing in a positive way. The result corresponds to the idea that had germinated a few months earlier in my mind, it is the reflection of what I wish to communicate emotionally and artistically. A new experience, a new sharing, that I will have the pleasure of presenting and highlighting on 21 September 2021, the date of the album's release.