“Climb A Little Bit Higher”
“Climb a Little Bit Higher” is a collection of original vocal rock, funk and pop tunes.
“Diminishing Returns”
“Electric Anthems” is a collection of instrumental rock tunes.
“Robot Songs”
“Robot Songs” is a collection of instrumental rock tunes with robot melodies, zany timbres and funky grooves.
“Electric Anthems”
“Electric Anthems” is a collection of instrumental rock anthems.
“Rise”
“Rise” is an instrumental symphony of Stratocasters in six movements.
“Prometheus”
“Prometheus” is an instrumental symphony of Stratocasters in three movements.
“Red & White Blues”
This is an album of mostly original blues tunes. Mostly done in power trio format of guitar, bass & drums with vocals. There are a couple of instrumentals and one cover song. But mostly just good, rocking, swinging, fun blues!
“Electric Guitar”
“Electric Anthems” is a collection of instrumental rock tunes in a variety of styles & timbres.
“Hammerhead”
This is an album of original guitar-based rock-style instrumental tunes. I used two 1970s Fender Stratocasters, one Reason Amps Bambino, one Marshall 50-watt JCM800 half-stack, and one Create DXB112. I hope you enjoy the music.
“Concert Electric Guitar”
Review From The Rational Argumentator
In his use of the electric guitar, Mr. Schlegel takes that instrument onto an entirely new level—the plane of high art. Given the clean, powerful, and melodious sounds an electric guitar is capable of, there is no reason why it should not be used in creating compositions of the highest caliber in harmony, melodic structure, and dynamism. Mr. Schlegel confirms this proposition in two ways. First, he rearranges several recognized classical masterpieces for electric guitar—thereby not only maintaining their greatness but also imparting an additional grandeur to them through the resounding, monumental sounds of the instrument. Second, Mr. Schlegel creates additional pieces for electric guitar which are just as meticulously structured, powerfully executed, and intellectually inspiring as the classical masterpieces. The CD alternates between Mr. Schlegel’s own compositions and classical works—underscoring the continuity between past musical greatness and Mr. Schlegel’s endeavor to restore the heroic and uplifting to its proper place in musical composition.
The first work in the collection—“Magnanimous Man”—takes its title from Aristotle, who wrote: “The magnanimous man is worthy of great things and knows it.” For Aristotle, the magnanimous man is neither vain in overestimating his worth nor humble in denying it—but an accurate estimate of his abilities leads him to comprehend and convey his capacity for illustrious achievements. The magnanimous man’s justified pride is evident in Mr. Schlegel’s composition. It is written in a radiant major and combines powerful chords with passages of rapid movement; when listening to this piece, one gets the impression of a man who exhibits great ability and activity—directing it toward worthy goals while being conscious of his worth and celebrating it.
The next Schlegel piece in the collection, “Defiance,” has a darker mood to it; it is written in a minor key and conveys a setting of distress and turbulence—against which the defiant man must struggle. The first chords assail the hero of this piece, which then transitions to a solo passage for electric guitar that culminates in a note of tension as the percussion intensifies to magnify the effect toward the end of the first minute. Then begins a directed melody, a single thread composed first of minor chords and then acquiring major elements over time. This is the defiant man’s resistance to the troubles surrounding him; he decides to take a firm stand in working to counteract the onslaught, and his action is a glorious struggle that bears fruit—though it is fraught with obstacles and perturbations that seek to offset his progress—as the periodic return of the minor passages indicates. As the piece ends, the hero is still engaged in his defiance; his obstacle is not yet overcome. It is powerful, but it has not defeated him, and he is better prepared to resist it than he was before.
I like to interpret the next Schlegel piece, “Life is for the Living,” as a continuation of the story of “Defiance.” The major here is more prevalent, and it dominates the main theme of the melody. But struggle is also present here; during the minor passages, the hero is no longer embattled—but he is challenged. This piece ends in a major key, indicating that the challenges have been resolved and—through the hero’s lengthy and persistent effort—the happinesses of his life have come to outnumber the problems. In his celebration of life, Mr. Schlegel recognizes that life is generally not a calm paradise; rather, it requires extensive work in the face of difficulty to bring about happiness. Yet the struggle to achieve this is worthy and dignified, and a fine reward awaits those who defy hardship nobly. This reward is depicted in Mr. Schlegel’s next original composition, “Glory and Thunder.”
“Glory and Thunder” is a full-fledged fanfare in celebration of man’s accomplishment and his ability to overcome obstacles in his way. Mr. Schlegel summons the entire potential of the electric guitar to convey an impression of overwhelming, irresistible power—but a power that is on man’s side and fully in his grasp. It can be deployed to meet his purposes at his command. This piece portrays a man who is supreme over his life and can confidently, comfortably annihilate any obstacle to his flourishing.