Customer Reviews

Deep Purple: Concerto for Group and Orchestra (2-CD Set)

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One of the more frustrating things about "remasters" is that sometimes they are "re-edits". While this release gives us one more track in the pre-concerto performance ("Hush"), as well as the previously unreleased encore, the editors of this CD have cut more than 2 minutes from the third movement of the concerto!!

While this cut was mainly from the lengthy drum solo, there was certainly enough room on the disc for the full version.

The now out of print import CD has the complete version and sounds equally as good as the remaster.

This "remaster" smacks of revisionist history. For shame!

My oldest sister got the original vinyl album. I was intruiged by the cover (a glorious color photo of an empty Royal Albert Hall) and inside picture (a grainy black and white picture of Deep Purple surrounded by the orchestra in front of an overflowing Albert Hall). When I heard the album, I couldn't quite believe my ears. Here's the orchestra creating beautful sounds, there comes the band crashing in with heavy metal! And it all somehow hangs together!

Recorded 35 years ago, two-thirds of that magical evening is now avaible (still missing: the opener Sixth Symphony of conductor and composer Malcolm Arnold). After the opening symphony, Deep Purple then came on for a short 3 song set (which was not featured on the vinyl album, but is included on the CD reissue). That set is incredible: Hush, the instrumental Wreck That Neck, and the then-still unreleased, unrecorded and unknown Child in Time (explaining why there was no reaction from the crowd when Ian Gillan announces the song).

Last but not least comes the Jon Lord-composed "Concerto for Group and Orchestra". The 1st Movement is still my favorite, because it takes it time setting the table and then magically making the way for an instrumental hard rocking jam by the band, with a blazing solo by Ritchie Blackmore. The 2nd Movement is my least fave of the three, as it is too timid (and reminding me at one point of the Moody Blues, argh!!). The 3rd Movement however is explosive, and includes an amazing drum solo by Ian Paice, only to then go to an incredible explosive final of band and orchstra. Wow!

A year after this album Deep Purple started its string of now-classic albums "In Rock", "Fireball" and "Machine Head". However, the "Concerto for Group and Orchestra" album is just as adventurous in its own right. I "borrowed" the album from my sister, and sure am glad to have it on CD now. Buy it, you won't be disappointed!

This was back when rock music was still progressing. The strength of an orchestra working with the power of a rock band. Deep Purple were the first band to integrate rock music with classical. The idea came from Jon Lord, Deep Purple's keyboardist.
The band have the muscle to avoid being buried by orchestration, yet manage to join forces with the orchestra. The outcome is a magnificent union that will delight those who care at all about music.
This set was recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in London on September 24th, 1969 and was divided into three movements:
1st Movement: Allegretto.
2nd Movement: Allegro with lyrics by lead singer Ian Gillan.
3rd Movement: . Vivace presto which integrates a solo for Ian Paice on drums.
For only having two complete rehearsals, the outcome is absolutely amazing.

(Important note) Make sure to get the current release (import only, as of early 2003) which has been completely re-mixed to sound 100% better than the old CD and/or LP, it also includes a nice big booklet full of pictures and if that's not enough for you, a great bonus disc of the band performing a three song set before the Concerto.

Track 1: Hush - Perhaps a better version than the one we always hear on the radio, with Ian Gillan's incredible vocal delivery. Sounding almost like early Elvis at times.
Track 2: Wring that Neck - A smoking instrumental with room to play for guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and keyboardist Jon Lord. I must also mention the solid rhythm section of Roger Glover on bass and Ian Paice on drums, they just drive this piece along. Nice.
Track 3: Child In Time - The band were just about to record this "soon to be classic" for the upcoming album "In Rock". It might be one of the finest live version they ever did.
It's so new to them that they play it incredibly tight, and Gillan keeps his famous screams slightly off the mic, so not to scare the classical side of the crowd, but it makes for a great reverb sound. Those three tracks give you about half an hour of warm up. The audience sounds like they enjoyed the opening set. Fabulous!
The Concerto for Group and Orchestra was and is an excellent idea from JON LORD, he is a true hero. Thanks Jon.

The original album, released in 1970, had terrible sound. It was distorted and shrill. And a piece with so many soft passages didn't do well with the inherent surface noise of vinyl. In spite of that I completely wore out two copies of this album.
Now, this remix and remaster is nothing short of miraculous. Increased clarity and airiness are immediately apparent. But what really stands out is the group sections. Richie Blackmore's guitar parts...well I'm hearing things I never heard before. Roger Glover's bass now has a beautiful fullness and roundness. In fact the clarity of each group instrument is amazing. Get the picture? If you know and love this piece like I do, it's worth every penny of the high price. To say nothing of the additional three songs preceding the concerto. Ain't technology great?

I have to admit I have very little knowledge of classical music though I do appreciate it at times. This album always intrigued me even before I actually heard it. Being a fan of Purple for many years I had obviously heard of the album and its reputation as a difficult thing for most rock fans to get into. It's definitely worth a purchase only for fans of the band but at a much cheaper price. The legendary Mach II lineup of the band makes its album debut here and while it isn't a true Purple album, each band member gets to shine in his own distinct way. Even Ian Gillan gets to sing a tiny bit during the second movement. This two disc edition is a much more reasonable buy then previous versions may have been due to the inclusion of Purple's warmup set before the concerto, featuring great versions of "Hush" (the BEST version), "Wring That Neck" and possibly the world premier of "Child In Time" although I'm not as crazy with this version as the 'Made In Japan' (could be my favorite DP song of all-time live or studio). Not for metal fans but for curious Purple fans only. Purple, 1969, Royal Albert Hall and an Orchestra, it doesn't get classier than that. Pretty ironic that their next album would be the absolutely devastating 'In Rock"!! No Malcolm Arnold here!

Before Metallica, Deep purple was the second band to do an arrangement with an orchestra.(the moody blues the first). At first I didn't know what to think. But, after listening to it a few more times I dig it. Maybe not for the true metalhead.If you like classical music, you'll surely enjoy this one.

This is a 2 CD set. The first CD features Deep Purple doing live versions of some of their album songs.None of it is bad but none of it really anything more spectacular than live material Deep Purple has done on it's other releases. The 2nd CD is live progressive rock with Deep Purple more actively interacting with the Orchestra.It is very intense material with excellent performances by both band and orchestra.

Deep Purple's early albums are full of rock band arrangements of classical music, and this album is the pinnacle of that experimentation. Jon Lord had had ambitions to create a "concerto for group and orchestra" (a concerto, for those not familiar with classical forms, is when an instrument or group of instruments is set off against an orchestra - so the orchestra and the soloist trade off being the focus). When the record company/orchestra/whoever gave them the chance to do this around 1969, they took it - although not whole-heartedly: Richie Blackmore (although a proponent of the classical influences in general) was more interested in forging the groundbreaking heavy metal sound that would emerge on the following album "In Rock", while some of the members of the orchestra were not keen on playing with pop musicians! Nonetheless, the project went through and here's the result. The fusion is not seamless - in the first movement particularly it seems the orchestra is playing classical music, while (in large part due to Blackmore's self-indulgently extended blues-based guitar solo)the rock band seems to be playing straight rock music, but in later portions of the piece the two compliment each other better - with the orchestra and band trading themes or playing together. The orchestral and rock passages are both good music - it's notable that Jon's classical influences here are rather more modern than the 18th and 19th century ones on early Purple classical fusion. All in all, it's an interesting, enjoyable, and definitely ground-breaking work. Jon would continue such experiments as solo albums (most notably in the excellent "Sarabande" album), and a number of progressive rock bands (Yes, Renaissance, et.c) would work with orchestras or classical soloists in the 70s, while most other classical-metal fusions would be less artistically ambitious (following A.the light "orchestra plays the melody while a rock band plays the backing" of the 80's "Orchestral music of. .. " or B. the Metallica-lead "lets tack some orchestral accompaniment on some previously-written metal songs" movement of around 2000), until around the early 2000's groups like Iced Earth, Nightwish, Blind Guardian, and Rhapsody would lead a movement of orchestrated (sometimes real, sometimes synthesized) heavy metal.

I bought the 2 cd set which has the following tracks on the 1st cd: Intro; Hush; Wring that neck; and Child in time.

Intro - features a clipped English male voice interviewing band members and the conductor. It runs 3:27 minutes.

Hush - has a little bit of distortion it it and has Gillan introduce the piece. Also has a guitar lick nicked from the "Popeye" cartoon theme, I think.

Wring that neck - also has some distortion on it. It's an instrumental. Gillan later introduces the band members. A jam, basically, with some bluesy lead guitar, and the lick from "Jingle bells", I think. Guitars sound country flavoured. The track becomes interminable later on, coming across as a rehearsal. 13:23 minutes long.

Child in time - Gillan hits his trademark high notes. 12:02 minutes.



CD 2:


The music has a sort of film score quality to it. On first listen, it came across as the band playing their parts, then the orchestra playing theirs, but on second listen it didn't seem that tacked together. The CD has some liner notes on what the intention was with the music. If you like Deep Purple's drum, guitar and organ solos, then the concerto does provide some good examples of those which you may not be familiar with. I've got a note about the band parts working well, but not being so into the singing bits. Probably have in mind some rather earnest, unsophisticated lyrics in at least one of the songs.


The tracks...


First movement - 19:21 minutes long. Almost half of this track is symphonic in nature, then the orchestra takes turns with the band. First impression was that the symphonic part was vaguely "Bolero" ish...perhaps for the woodwind instrument. Not sure if that impression survived my second listen. Has quiet parts and loud, regal sounding parts. The rock parts are basssy and not really synthesised with the symphonic part. Strings are nice in the symphony. Has some fancy lead guitar notes at times and organ too, at times.

Second movement - 19:11 minutes. Peaceful, symphonic music. Has lyrics which are quite facile and come across as being written just before the performance. The band is bassy and they provide some bluesy, Deep Purple kind of music with the organ and lead guitar.

Third movement - 13:08. This, and the last track are a good source for novel drum solos from the band. It's a bellicose symphony here. It later transforms into a thriller/adventure movie kind of film score sound. Extended drum solo goes from around 6:25 - 8:10.

Encore - 5:52. Starts off with a drum solo then sounds like an adventure movie kind of score.



Conclusion: I'm not sure how much repeat listen value this cd will have. It's novelty lies in the 2nd disc, which is notable, for me at least, for the drum solos that it has.




Recommendations:



King Crimson - In the court of the Crimson King. Very pleasant music, with symphonic elements to it.

Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygène. Great synth art-pop. Entirely instrumental.