Hoelderlin -

Hoelderlin — originally spelled Hölderlin — were a German super-band from Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen, formed in 1970. In 1972, the band debuted with a folk-psych album under the umlauted nameplate on Pilz. Between 1975 and 1981, a symphonic/art-rock incarnation of the band released five studio albums and a live double-LP on Spiegelei.

Members: Nanny de Ruig (vocals, 1970-73), Christian Grumbcow [Christian von Grumbkow] (guitar, 1970-77), Jochen Grumbcow [Joachim von Grumbkow] (cello, flute, acoustic guitar, piano, organ, Mellotron, 1970-81), Christoph “Nops” Noppeney (violin, viola, piano, flute, 1971-78), Peter Käseberg (bass, acoustic guitar, vocals, 1971-75), Michael Bruchmann (drums, percussion, 1971-78, 2005), Hans Bäär (bass, guitar, 1975-81, 2005), Pablo Weeber (guitar, 1977), Thomas Lohr (guitar, 1977-81), Rüdiger Elze (guitar, 1979), Eduard Schicke (drums, 1979-81), Bernd König (vocals, 1979-81)

Hoelderlin sprung from a musical partnership between brothers Joachim and Christian Grumbkow. In 1964, they formed The Beatkids, a teen cover band that plowed through numbers by The Shadows, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. In 1970, the now-grown siblings formed Hölderlin with Christian’s wife, Nanny de Ruig. They took their name from the 19th century German poet and philosopher Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin, a key figure in Romanticism.

Initially a trio, Hölderlin played folk-rock covers as Christian von Grumbcow developed a set of originals. In 1971, they grew to a sextet with bassist Peter Käseberg, drummer Michael Bruchmann, and multi-instrumentalist Christoph “Nops” Noppeney. They signed to Pilz, an underground division of Breeze Music GmbH, and recorded their first album at Tonstudio Dierks in Stommeln in January 1972.

Hölderlins Traum (“dream”) appeared later that year.

Discography: