Ivory -

Ivory was a German symphonic-rock band that released the 1979 album Sad Cypress on Jupiter Records.

Members: Christian Mayer (vocals, guitar), Ulrich Sommerlatte (keyboards), Thomas Sommerlatte (keyboards), Goddie Daum (guitar), Charly Stechl (bass, flute), Frederik Rittmüller (drums), Thomas Carl (drums)

Background

Ivory formed in 1976 as Caressing Hands: a merger of two Munich student groups, My Sound and Pipedream.

My Sound keyboardist Thomas Sommerlatte impressed the concept on his father, Ulrich Sommerlatte (b. 1914), a veteran soundtrack composer, radio broadcaster, and conductor of the Hannover Symphony Orchestra. The elder Sommerlatte liked the contemporary symphonic bands in his son’s collection. Their father/son partnership was a rarity in Seventies rock, which had almost zero performers in Ulrich’s age range.

The Sommerlattes hired three members of Pipedream: guitarist Horst Polland, bassist Charly Stechl, and drummer Frederik Rittmüller. Polland soon cleared for guitarist Goddie Daum. They became a sextet with singer/guitarist Christian Mayer.

Sad Cypress

Ivory released their singular album, Sad Cypress, in late 1979 on Jupiter.

Sad Cypress pairs symphonic rock grandeur with intricate keyboard arrangements and shifting tempos. Tracks alternate between structured vocal numbers and expansive instrumentals, built on analog synths, Mellotron layers, and piano figures. The band explores Latin phrasing, longform suites, and tonal contrast, moving from brisk melodic passages to solemn, ritualistic interludes. Acoustic textures and electric climaxes intertwine across extended compositions, culminating in a dynamic blend of baroque influence and modern progressive flair.

Both Ulrich and his son Thomas Sommerlatte share keyboard duties, utilizing analog synths, Hammond, electric piano, and Mellotron. Guitars by Mayer and Goddie Daum alternate between delicate tracery and sustained lead lines. Bassist Charly Stechl contributes flute, while drummers Frederik Rittmüller and Thomas Carl alternate across tracks.

A1. “At This Very Moment” (3:57) – Tightly structured opener with phased synths, staccato guitar accents, and dynamic vocal shifts.
A2. “In Hora Ultima” [“At the Final Hour”] (7:12) – Latin-verse centerpiece with organ swells, modal key changes, and layered keyboard motifs.
A3. “Sad Cypress” (8:34) – Alternates between stately instrumental counterpoint and brisk melodic ascent in changing meter.

B1. “Time Traveller” (4:15) – Clavinet and synth-driven, with shifting tempos and a suspended midsection of ethereal textures.
B2. “My Brother” (13:52) – Longform suite with electric piano intro, Mellotron chorales, organ punctuations, and an expansive closing passage.

Recorded and mixed at Lyrock Studios, Munich
Producer – Ulrich Sommerlatte

Musea reissues of Sad Cypress contains four bonus tracks recorded between 1983 and 1987.

6. “The Great Tower” (9:44) – Towering instrumental with layered analog synths, chiming guitars, and a central ascending motif.
7. “Incantation” (4:42) – Dark, ritualistic interlude with minor-key piano figures and choral Mellotron backdrops.
8. “Construction N° 2” (2:29) – Fragmented keyboard sketch with rapid changes, echo effects, and minimalist phrasing.
9. “Barbara” (13:45) – Expansive closer driven by sustained organ chords, flute-like synth leads, and a plaintive vocal coda.

Later Activity

In 1992, Sad Cypress was reissued by Musea with four unreleased tracks recorded between 1983 and 1987. These include “The Great Tower,” a slow-building piece structured around church organ and subdued vocal refrains, and “Barbara,” a 13-minute work of shifting instrumental scenes: piano-flute duet, string-synth chorale, and a final sequence scored in solo electric piano. Though composed later, the bonus material preserves the album’s formal discipline and textural nuance.

Sad Cypress remains notable for its rare cross-generational authorship and for transposing late-Romantic sensibilities into a 1970s symphonic-rock idiom without recourse to pastiche or excess.

Discography: