Tommy: As Perfromed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chambre Choir with Guest Soloists

Various Artists (Artist), London Symphony (Orchestra), Sandy Denny (Performer), Steve Winwood (Performer), Maggie Bell (Performer), Roger Daltrey (Performer), Pete Townshend (Performer), Rod Stewart (Performer), Richie Havens (Performer), Merry Clayton (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 12, 1989)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Ode Records/Rhino
• ASIN: B0000032WV
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,415 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Overture - London Symphony Orchestra

2. It's A Boy

3. 1921

4. Amazing Journey

5. Sparks

6. Eyesight to the Blind - Sonny Boy Williamson

7. Christmas

8. Cousin Kevin

9. The Acid Queen

10. Underture

11. Do You Think It's Alright

12. Fiddle About

13. Pin Ball Wizard

14. There's A Doctor I've Found

15. Go To The Mirror Boy

16. Tommy Can You Hear Me?

17. Smash The Mirror

18. I'm Free

19. Miracle Cure

20. Sensation

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenominal interpretation of a seminal album!, August 11, 2001

By 

Eric V. Moye (New York, by way of Dallas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tommy: As Perfromed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chambre Choir with Guest Soloists (Audio CD)

This is a wonderful adaptation of the Who's classic rock opera. To my mind, it is far, far superior to the movie soundtrack. The trouble with the Soundtrack (in my opinion) was the predominance of the non-singers like Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margaret and Oliver Reed (the Broadway version does not even merit mention). Sure, there was Tina Turner and Elton John, but overall, the hallmark of that 'track was the signature non-singers singing in what was an incredibly weak effort. By contrast, here we have Merry Clayton, Rod Steward and Ritchie Haven. Do they match up performer to performer with the Soundtrack? Depends on whether you prefer Elton to Rod, and Tina to Merry. Otherwise down the line, this is far superior.

But it is the fabulous performance of the London Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Choir gives this effort a fullness and lush quality which is missing from every other adaptation. Give a listen to the cut called the "Underture" which sounds just fine on the original concept album, until hearing it done by a full orchestra.

Critic 'Music fan' may be correct. The way to go may well be by the purchase of the movie soundtrack (for Elton and the Divine Ms Turner), the Original, and this effort. Then burning one's own CD (or making an original cassette) will give the best of all worlds. This albumstands very well, however, alone, which until now was something that only the Original Concept Album could do.

If my memory serves, this came out in 1975 or so. One of my best friends from the old neighborhood gave me this for a birthday present before heading back to college (thanx, Roger). I made a cassette, then combined the three onto my reel-to-reel. I am glad to have it on CD and MP. It has been a long long time since I heard this. It returned to the front of my brain, like a long lost friend.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not As Good As the Other One, June 6, 2001

By 

Jason_Els (Warwick, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tommy: As Perfromed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chambre Choir with Guest Soloists (Audio CD)

First off I LOVE this version with the London Symphony Orchestra backing The Who and a who's who of guest rock legends. The orchestrations are outstanding, particularly the first half. When I first heard this as a child of 5 or 6 I was amazed and played the record with the kind of unending repetition that only kids can do. As a result, I know this recording inside and out.

My beef is this particular CD. This version is from Rhino and while (to their credit) Rhino releases stuff that's hard to find they don't put a lot of effort into remastering or cleaning-up their recordings. The unfortunate result is that this has background tape hiss, piercing highs that are occasionally shrill, recessed mid-bass and midranges that at times are barely audible, and thumpy bass that turns to mud. Please, I am not bragging but I have an outrageous sound system with Definitive Bipole towers and a B&K 307 receiver and while it makes excellent recordings akin to heaven it does reveal poor quality recordings without mercy. Whether Rhino used a poor master or there just isn't a better recording than this I don't know but I do remember the vinyl version to be balanced much better. I still have that version, beaten and with a few scratches and I'm not wrong.

This version also lacks the outstanding libretto which came with the original vinyl set and that's a shame considering how good the art is.

I love this piece but while it's passable on my home theater/music system it's abysmal in the car where I would listen to it most frequently. If another, cleaner, better-mastered version were to come out I wouldn't hesitate to toss this one and get it. "Tommy" is a landmark of rock and belongs in every rock lover's collection; particularly the LSO version where "Tommy" takes flight and soars far above the other versions of it.

Many thanks!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This CD Can Be Summed Up In One Word: Magical, October 4, 2007

By 

H. F. Corbin "Foster Corbin" (ATLANTA, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tommy: As Perfromed by the London Symphony Orchestra & Chambre Choir with Guest Soloists (Audio CD)

This is amazing music. I remember in 1973 telling a friend how much I liked The Who's "Tommy." He then informed me that the London Symphony Orchestra had recently made a recording of it. I was blown away by it then and remain so almost 35 years later. If I could own only ten CD's, it would make the cut. The cross-pollination of popular/rock music with classical arrangements and instruments often does not work; but when it does, you have the rarest of wonders as in this instance, something magical.

Pete Townshend of The Who as the Narrator is joined on this marvelous recording by Sandy Denny (Nurse), Graham Bell (Lover), Steve Winwood (Father), Maggie Bell (Mother), Richie Havens (Hawker), Merry Clayton (Acid Queen), Roger Daltrey (Tommy), John Entwistle (Cousin Kevin), Ringo Starr (the wicked Uncle Ernie), Rod Stewart (Local Lad) and Richard Harris (Doctor).

For recent converts who may not know the plot of the opera, Tommy as a child witnesses his father kill his mother's lover. His parents insist that "you didn't see it, you never heard it, not a word of it." As a result Tommy becomes "blind, deaf and dumb" and is interested in only two activities, playing penball ("penball wizard") and gazing at his reflection in a mirror. After his guilt-ridden mother smashes the mirror, Tommy believes he is the Messiah, etc., etc. ("How do you think he goes it?") There is so much beautiful music here: "It's A Boy," "Amazing Journey," "Do You Think It's Alright," "Tommy Can You Hear Me." The list goes on and on. Rarely does a later version-- in my opinion-- work better than the original. While The Who's "Tommy" is quite wonderful, for my money, this arrangement even surpasses it and is certainly much better than the soundtrack from the movie. Whoever came up with the idea of this recording was a genius. The liner notes indicate that David Measham is the conductor; the music was arranged by Wil Malone and James Sullivan.

This CD, as all good music should, will lift your spirits and bring you much joy. This arrangement is difficult to find. If you can get your hands on a copy, by all means buy it.