Musyl & Joseppa: 1981's Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzchen (The Girl with the Little Match)

Here's one that came completely out of left field and a welcome surprise from our very good friend in a relatively quiet summer of new explorations.  Of course one couldn't fault anyone when the temperature is so high in the northern hemisphere and the children are out of school and playing in our ears all day...
I had no idea they even existed heretofore, and this duo put out it seems three albums in the period we are reviewing here.  This particular release is just full of the progressive spirit with turbo-crazed compositions and marvellous ideas filled with emotion, while the others on either side of 1981 are somewhat slacking in comparison.

Notice for example the second track, with its fusionoid opening, leading into a very odd chord change indeed, Die Mutter & Der Tod (i.e., mother and death):

The odd thing here is the fact the tonic starts the song then uses the tritone interval up to modulate down a minor second.  And be assured that side b, which contains even superior music, is totally out of this world in terms of its progressive content.  I'll mention the most impressive thing which is the way the music alternates between string quartet, fusion, and jazz-pop.

I'll quote their story from the Austrian rock archive (apologies as usual for google translate which I left verbatim in all its silly robotic AI glory --and we're supposed to trust them with driving our cars??):

Joseppa: Voice / Text 
Paul M. Musyl: Guitar, Flute, Keyboard / Music

Paul Musyl played already in the 1960s with his group "Pauli & We" sophisticated cover versions since pushed ca.1969 who grew up in Afghanistan Joseppa the band. As to the two main protagonists all musicians went different professional paths, which took the two to the occasion to gain experience with different musicians in Germany, Belgium, Holland and the USA.  Back in Austria, they united various forces around and started under the new band name "Musyl & Joseppa" concretely implement their ideas in their own compositions.  1973 produced first LP "Rozz" emerged, an unusual mix of rock and jazz, in equally unusual, varying instrumentation (e.g. String Quartet).  The single "a friend went to America" ​​was coupled, a setting of a Peter Rosegger-poem, the first no wanted, to advertising manager HG Haberl she heard and squeeze as promotional single for the company Humanic let ... the song became a big hit and later used in America as Signation "Radio Edelweiss". 
"Musyl & Joseppa" published more records and CDs, produce for film, television, radio and advertising, organizing annual midnight concerts, composed 1983, the musical setting for the meeting of the Pope with the youth at the Prater Stadium, 1995, the music for interreligious meeting with the Dalai Lama and won in 1999 with the song "No more was "the Peace song Contest in Ireland. 
Many musicians Styrian music scene working with" Musyl and Joseppa "together, which all names would call the scope of this book. 
The out-LPs" Rozz "and" the girl with the Little Match "were reissued in 2010 as CDs.

Having returned to "Musyl & Joseppa" form in many variations and find a string quartet its unique and idiosyncratic sound. 
"Musyl & Joseppa" produce in 1975 its first single, "A friend went to America" ​​(Text: Peter Rosegger), a setting that would not have until HG Haberl, advertising manager, and she heard immediately - in one of Austria bestselling edition of 13,000 copies - produced. Meanwhile, this plate is busily black pressed. 1983 is pressed again for the Peter_Rosegger-year in an edition of 13,500 pieces and is the identifier for "Radio Edelweiss" in the US and Canada. 
At the same time, the first LP "Rozz" published, a plate without compromise and therefore producible only with its own resources. Meanwhile, an unfortunately out of print object for lovers. 
"Musyl & Joseppa" compose among others, the Humanic advertising, which in 1981 was awarded the State Prize for Advertising. 
Movies with music by Musyl & Joseppa received throughout Europe first prizes. 
1978 will find a TV portrait "Musycal "" What makes the wind when it is not blowing. " 
in addition to radio and TV productions of the ORF is a special event for years traditionally become midnight concert on 24.12. to 24, which will be 1983 up recirculation for the sixth time. 
1981 produced the LP "The Girl with the Little Match", a gift from Musyl & Joseppa to disabled children and youth. 
1982 present Musyl & Joseppa her now 3rd album "Barney Leather", a collection of Soundtracks who wrote Paul M.Musyl in recent years for advertising, presentations and short films. 
1983 Pope's visit to Vienna. 
came for the event "meeting the Pope with the youth" at the Prater stadium to the 80,000 visitors who by Television TV viewers around the world reached, compose and perform Musyl & Joseppa "the entire musical accompaniment." 

(from the official biography http://www.musyl.com/german/joseppa/main.html . Last visit: April 22, 2009)


Note the little comment regarding the release featured here today:

The LP "The Girl with the Little Match", a gift from Musyl & Joseppa to disabled children and youth. 

What's for certain is these artists had a totally uncompromising attitude towards music and composition which surely deserves to be celebrated appropriately in today's more mature (huh?? are you following the Trump saga?) environment.