Standing Stone [Import]

Paul McCartney, Lawrence Foster | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Classic
• ASIN: B00004U8WN
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #809,438 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS Standing Stone (1997 Japanese 4 part 19-track CD album featuring The London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lawrence Foster complete with picture sleeve and glossy 44-page booklet housed in card picture slipcase plus obi-strip and still sealed TOCP-50300)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, February 28, 2001

By 

G. Sawaged - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Standing Stone (Audio CD)

This is truly the work of a musical genius. I am no expert by any means when it comes to classical music, especially modern 'classics'. (Kind of an oxymoron...modern classics). But anyway, I do know good, well-written music when I hear it, and this is both of those things. For those people, like myself, who need some info on the music to help us understand and enjoy it to its full extent, this album comes with a 48 page book that includes the list of the 4 different movements, an introduction written by Paul, the poem that Paul wrote to help keep him on track throughout the writing of this music, an indepth essay all about the music and storyline, paintings done by Paul, and loads of photos. Even people who are not too fond of classical music, surely will be able to enjoy this...it is truly accessible to all...the informative book helps make it so. But above and beyond all else, is the music...truly an experience!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars At least I got to learn the word "programme", July 11, 2002

By 

Scott Sweet "Music Freak" (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Standing Stone (Audio CD)

Influences leap to mind while listening to "Standing Stone," like Holst's "The Planets," and Prokofiev's "Alexander Nevsky."

Right up front: I'm not a rigorous student of classical music. The effect of a modern orchestra expressing a story set in ancient times resembles that of a period film score. There isn't enough singing to call it an opera, and the poem is a libretto only in broad terms. Still, rather than being "pure music," there is a storyline loosely connecting the movements. Paul's artwork is intriguing, and Linda was a good photographer. It's also important to remember that Jeremiah was a bullfrog - I don't believe that can be overstated.

A stumbling block is the lack of a distinct instrumental refrain or melody to anchor the music start to finish. The long patches of low volume and little melodic activity reinforce the feel of a film score. Also, you gotta turn the volume up to 9 to hear half the album.

"Standing Stone" has its strengths. When McCartney does focus on melody, you get stirring pieces like "Sea Voyage" in Movement II, and "Messenger" in Movement III. Several tracks flirt with the John Williams method of running a major-key melody over minor-key bass and vice versa. During the main character's travails, there are effective, atonal washes of music and voice.

"Standing Stone" was dismissed as a vanity project among those who wanted "Liverpool Oratorio Part II." While not structured enough to please classical purists, nor lively enough to sustain its full 70+ minutes, this CD is an intriguing glimpse of the other side of a musician who has spent about 40 years showing the world how to write a catchy song.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Evolution continues., August 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Standing Stone (Audio CD)

I have this racked with my classical recordings. It *is* a symphony, if not a stereotyped one. When listening to a lot of classical and modern-classical pieces I haven't heard before, I can crack my husband up by predicting turns in the music before they happen. I can't do that with Standing Stone. It's not in the least hackneyed or formulaic. This is programme music, music that tells a story (the booklet gives you the entire poem by McCartney that forms a text for the composition), and it does its job wonderfully well. Each section is crafted to create in the listener's head almost an inevitable picture. The second cut (each movement is divided into cuts at major changes, which I wish more symphonies would do!), "growth music," especially stays with me for days after listening to it, though the "storm at sea," the "battle music," and the finale do to a lesser degree. Unusual percussion, a large choir, and some innovative use of the usual orchestra give Standing Stone a twist off the ordinary textures of a symphony, as well. In the first cut, the "creation music," every instrument is played open - no fingering - for a truly primitive but urbane sound. In short, if you want something both accessible and novel, give this one a try!