Live in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra [Import, Original recording remastered]

Procol Harum | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 11, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: SALVO
• ASIN: B002GNYJJW
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,297 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #88 in Music > Classic Rock > Psychedelic Rock

Track Listings

1. Conquistador

2. Whaling Stories

3. A Salty Dog

4. All This And More

5. In held 'Twas In I: Glimpses Of Nirvana, Twas Teatime At The Circus, In The Autumn Of My Madness,

6. Luskus Delph (b side)

7. Simple Sister (from the rehearsal)

8. Shine On Brightly (from the rehearsal)

Editorial Reviews

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of the British band's 1972 live album recorded with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Stylish packaging includes 20-page booklet, rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia plus extensive sleevenotes by Procol expert and respected author Patrick Humphries with contributions from band members. Eight tracks. Salvo.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Smashing, November 27, 2009

By 

D. Mills "WatchThis" (Silly Valley, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (Audio CD)

I'm no stranger to this album: I bought the A&M vinyl back in the '70s and an import CD in the late '80s. Both sounded magnificent for their time, but lacked the extras (Luskus Delph (B-side of the 'Conquistador' single)), not to mention 'Simple Sister' and 'Shine On Brightly' from the Edmonton rehearsals) featured here. I would have been content to have these extra goodies along with the familiar tunes from the earlier releases in good sound. What I was not prepared for was how the latest remastering brings the whole enterprise up to a new level.

The familiar strains of 'Conquistador', 'A Salty Dog' and 'In Held Twas in I' ring out with the same resonance of 30 years ago, but what's evident is a reworking of the inner voices, notably the woodwinds and choir, which now sound positively celestial. The lesser-known 'All This And More' is elevated by the glowing choral work which somehow seemed buried before.

'Luskus Delph' is a delightfully coy tune from their Broken Barricades album (often introduced by Gary Brooker as "a sultry bit of underhanded smut"). If you had the Conquistador single, you've heard it. I waited 37 years and it was worth it just to hear the horn motif and choir winding its way around Keith Reid's suggestive lyrics. 'Simple Sister' is tarted up here with brass and orchestral flourishes, but lacks the ominous repeated theme that usually closes it, while 'Shine on Brightly' is the band without orchestra - probably a warm up, but showing the band in good form.

If you are not familiar with this album, and want to hear the best of rock/symphonic fusion, by all means pick this up. You may know 'Conquistador' already, but hold on until the close of 'In Held Twas in I' (played at the highest volume your neighbors can tolerate), and I guarantee you'll be blown away.

For devout Procolers, now is the time to upgrade your collection with this new offering.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Does Not Disappoint, November 29, 2009

By 

Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Live in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (Audio CD)

Since Live In Concert With the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was the only Procol Harum album I did not yet own on CD, this Salvo remaster was eagerly anticipated. Even though this album was not my favorite Procol Harum release when it was current, I cannot deny that the rendition of Conquistador presented here has become the one by which all other renditions of the song are measured. The song sounded spectacular upon its original release and sounds even more so on this remaster.
So why do I give this only four stars? Well, mostly because Conquistador is the only song in which the orchestration becomes an integral part of the composition. On the other cuts, the orchestra merely adds highlights although those highlights are not unimportant to what both the band and the orchestra were trying to do here. The other cuts from the original release where the orchestra does most to enhance the music are A Salty Dog and certain parts of the epic In Held Twas In I. As for the bonus cuts, orchestral impact is minimal. I enjoy most the version of Luskus Delph.
Pieces not mentioned are good as well though a lot more could have been done with Simple Sister. The abbreviated take on that here reminds me of how radio butchered the Doors' Light My Fire in the interests of brevity for AM play. Also, even though Gary Brooker has a very appealing and distinctive voice, the vocal parts of In Held Twas In I formerly performed by Matthew Fisher show that he is sorely missed.
This is the album where Procol Harum came out of the closet to proudly display the classical leanings fans always suspected they had. As with the other Salvo remasters, this CD comes with a handsome and interesting booklet containing all pertinent album info, pictures, and interesting commentary that is highly retrospective but with a judicious dose of contemporary viewpoints. I highly recommend this and all other Procol Harum remasters by Salvo issued to date.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Remake" Didn't Use To Be a Dirty Word, June 17, 2010

By 

R. L. MILLER (FT LAUDERDALE FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (Audio CD)

Especially when this album came out, taking the also-ran track "Conquistador" from the first album, added an intro with a Spanish feel, and wound up with a hit. Other notables are "Whaling Stories" and the epic "In Held Twas In I", both of which had always been "what if they used an orchestra" tracks. Which they did on "Salty Dog" (reprised here). Everybody seems to consider the Moody Blues' "Days Of Future Passed" as the defininitive rock band with orchestra album, but this one is "how about in a live setting?", the way Dream Theater did many years later with "Score" and Metallica did with "S&M". With these guys, I had picked up the original "Procol Harum" album on strength of the single "Whiter Shade", liked the followup single "Homburg", but then ignored them until the single "Simple Sister" prompted me to pick up "Broken Barricades", but once this album came out with the single "Conquistador" leading the way, buying it and listening to it prompted me to double back and get the earlier ones that I was missing. From then on in, I never missed picking up each of the later ones as they came out. Which makes this one the album that spawned a collection. This was to include all the "reunion" releases as well. Well, it's as good a way as any to become a dedicated fan, and I recommend it highly to the uninitiated. While you're at it, don't forget Brooker's "Within Our House", prima facie evidence on one disc that you can perform a rock concert in a church--as long as your band stylistically resembles Procol Harum.