Family Way

Paul Mccartney (Artist), Carl Aubut (Artist), Claudel String Qrt (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 5, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B000001GBN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #379,177 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Variation No. 1

2. Variation No. 2

3. Variation No. 3

4. Variation No. 4

5. Variation No. 5

6. Variation No. 6

7. Variation No. 7

8. Variation No. 8

9. Variation No. 9

10. Arranged by Carl Aubut

11. Thème

12. Variation I

13. Variation II

14. Variation III

15. Variation IV

16. Variation V

17. Le Capitaine Bonhomme

18. Le Pirate Maboule

19. Sol Et Gobelet

20. Grujot Et Delicat

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

PAUL MCCARTNEY The Family Way: Variations Concertantes Opus 1 (1995 US 22-track CD - In 1967 Paul McCartney was asked to compose the theme music for The Family Way a film based on the Bill Naughton play All in Good Time. Paul wrote a hauntingly lyrical musical theme titled Love In The Open Air with a little help from Beatle arranger and producer George Martin. This album features a new recording of the Family Way love theme as a classical suite for guitar and flute. Completewith picture sleeve and back tracklisting insert)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not the original soundtrack, but well worth a listen..., December 4, 2002

By 

Classic Sitcoms "classicsitcoms" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Family Way (Audio CD)

In 1967, Paul McCartney was asked to compose the theme music for "The Family Way," a film based on Bill Naughton's comic play, "All in Good Time." Perhaps intrigued by the challenge, McCartney took time off from his Beatle duties to write a hauntingly lyrical musical theme titled "Love in the Open Air." With a little help from longtime Beatle arranger and producer George Martin, McCartney then created (or authorized the creation of) a baker's dozen variations on this single melody. These thirteen versions of that theme were then used to score the entire film, to surprisingly good effect. At least partly seeking to capitalize on the Beatle connection, London records issued a "Family Way" soundtrack album, apparently unconcerned that the record would run a scant 24 minutes and contain thirteen versions of the same song. As was the case with most soundtrack albums of that era, "The Family Way" LP soon went out of print (although, interestingly enough, not before inspiring a handful of other artists to record their own instrumental cover versions of "Love in the Open Air" as singles on other labels.)

Cut to thirty years later, when some enterprising person (perhaps McCartney himself?) got the idea to commission a new recording of the "Family Way" love theme as a classical suite for guitar and flute (a combination that also appeared prominently in George Martin's arrangements for the original soundtrack recording.) The CD offered here is the result of that brainstorm: yet another lovely collection of variations on that same durable McCartney tune, newly recorded and rearranged as a classical music suite entitled "The Family Way: Concertantes, Op 1 (Variations.)" Filled out with three companion pieces (which I suspect were included to bring the disc's running time to a respectable length,) the CD represents an excellent way for fans to obtain this essential piece of music from an obscure corner of the McCartney canon without having to track down a copy of the long out of print original soundtrack album.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lush and Gorgeous, May 30, 2002

By 

KittenWithaWhip (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Family Way (Audio CD)

This isn't the sort of thing you'd expect from one of Rock and Roll's most enduring legends, but it IS the work of someone who understands the complexities of beautiful music. Originally composed as the theme for a sweet film about a newleywed couple's problems, the variations also evoke the bittersweet reminiscences and revelations experienced by the secondary characters. It isn't often that the soundtrack to a film seems so perfectly fitted to its celluloid counterpart; Often, it's just a collection of musical pieces that don't detract from what's going on onscreen. This one is different.

Along with the variations on the original theme, this disc also contains several pieces of music that seem to have been added on to fill out the space on the disc. While they're technically excellent, only one or two will grab your attention the way track #1 does. After a while, they sort of bleed together and sound too much alike, so I'm not fond of them. This is the only reason I'm not giving it five stars.

This disc is lovely to have playing during a dinner party, while you're in the bathtub surrounded by candles, or when you're in a meditative mood. There's no better music to listen to on those smokey, rainy evenings where it's just you, a mug of cocoa and an open window. There's some pleasure to be had in its esoteric value, as even die-hard fans might not know about it, but I would highly recommend owning it for the sheer pleasure of listening to the melancholy pieces. All in all, it's worth playing as well as worth posessing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite Music For Guitar, Flute, Clarinet & String Quartet, October 9, 2011

By 

Kurt Leith "baldwood" (Vernon, CT) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Family Way (Audio CD)

I've listened to this CD many times as background music & have always enjoyed it that way, but I finally played it with headphones paying close attention and what a revelation! The classical guitar here is outstanding; intricate & absolutely beautiful, and combining it with some stellar string quartet writing & occasionally flute and clarinet this music is on a par with some of the best chamber music I've ever heard. I would never guess from listening that every track is based on the same melody, instead each variation is so distinctly different that my attention was captured from beginning to end. Easily recommended, especially if you enjoy virtuoso classical guitar similar in quality to Eliot Fisk and John Williams. (Total run time about 57 minutes of pure pleasure!)

Enjoy & God bless!