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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I first heard Colosseum in the late sixties/early seventies. In the mid to late seventies I was impressed by bands such as Brand X featuring Phil Collins on Drums. Then I heard Colosseum II with Gary Moore on lead gtr. The Title track of the Variations album was used by Melvyn Bragg for the South Bank Show theme music, having heard this I bought the album and was not at all disappointed. With all the ingredients of a classic album it still stands the test of time.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
But this really is the chocolate icing on top of the cream cake with marshmallow bits in.
What do you mean you don't like marshmallows? Well, anyway, this is the original 1978 recording of Variations remastered into lovely sounding CD quality. Not that I noticed, but there you go.
And thisi s good - very good.
What do you mean you don't like marshmallows? Well, anyway, this is the original 1978 recording of Variations remastered into lovely sounding CD quality. Not that I noticed, but there you go.
And thisi s good - very good.
Everyone knows the Paganini melody, usually from the Lloyd Webber version, though strangely enough no-one ever knows the name of it, and mutter stuff about "The South Bank Show" theme and wander off humming.
Being a 'cellist this always intrigued me, and "Variations 1-4" was always a favourite of mine on the ALW compilation cassettes. This is the original though (did I already say that?) with Julian Lloyd Webber and his rock band allowing for an incredible mix of styles, from the classic ALW contemporary to jazz, saxaphone blues, discordant rock music, and synthesised dance. The instant and continuous change of mood and style makes for this collection of 23 variations to be well balanced and entertaining up until the last slide down to bottom A (impossible on a 'cello without having to detune the C string; very interesting to watch!). ALW obviously knew the worth of Variation 5 (that's Unexpected Song to the other ALW lovers out there) which makes several triumphant reappearances throughout this recording....
So what's this recording actually like? Well, compared to other versions that I've heard, JLW's "1-4" is just a tad too slow, and that "Yee-haw" is a bit annoying. But apart from the title song, the rest is fantastic, just so long as you like synthesisers.
The Song and Dance recording is also very atmospheric (because of the applause) and has several added Variations, but the sound balance isn't quite right and I don't like the reorchestrations into proper instruments......
It's jolly good, though.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Written by Andrew for his brother Julian, This turned out to be a rock classic. the musicians they got to help make it so. for a start we`ve got Rod Argent and Don Airey on keyboards,John Mole bass, Gary Moore guitar,Jon Hiseman drums including Phil Collins, Herbie Flowers, A.L.Webber synthesisers and J.L.Webber cello!If you like the Mahavishnu orchestra, Focus and Tommy Bolin. Then this could be for you!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Andrew Lloyd Webber Variations Revisited
Recently, in March 2011, I went with a friend to a Julian Lloyd Webber Concert where he played Elgar's Cello Concerto. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Multi Music Nick
Just as great as I remembered
I've been a fan of Lloyd Webber's Variations for years (I used to own it on cassette back in the stone age) so knew I would be happy with this purchase. Read more
Published 12 months ago by red_fraggle
variations
I purchased this soon after it was first released over 30 years ago as a 12in disc. On discovering that it is now available in a reasonably priced CD I had to have it. Read more
Published 15 months ago by D. Stock
Variations
Unfortunately the first track has a gap in it, so unable to enjoy the best track on the CD.
I was really looking forward to hearing this music again, but I am disappointed... Read more
I was really looking forward to hearing this music again, but I am disappointed... Read more
Published 15 months ago
Variations
Unfortunately the first track has a gap in it, so unable to enjoy the best track on the CD.
I was really looking forward to hearing this music again, but I am disappointed... Read more
I was really looking forward to hearing this music again, but I am disappointed... Read more
Published 15 months ago
Classically Prog!
Takes you right back to the time when classically trained musicians and rock music could sit side by side! Julian Lloyd Webber and Gary Moore on the same album, fantastic. Read more
Published 20 months ago by tim
VARIATIONS
This album is great,just as i remembered it from the
vinyl version, i can now add it to MP3.highly recomended
vinyl version, i can now add it to MP3.highly recomended
Published on 15 Sep 2009 by A. Kenworthy
Classic
proof positive that some old music can be listened to and enjoyed almost as much as queen, Phil Collins & the Blue Men whilst driving.
Published on 12 July 2009 by D. Brimmicombe-wood
Variations
I had this album on vinyl and recently heard it again, an excellent album with a wide variety of styles on a theme. Read more
Published on 19 Jun 2009 by Cazza
A Classic - really!
I bought this a million years ago and it wears really well. Old Sir did himself proud with this jazz-rock come classical feast.
What a band too! Read more
What a band too! Read more
Published on 30 Sep 2008 by Ben Bottle
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