Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic (and) Rock !, 7 Oct 2002
Here it is finally : a remastered version of the famous Concerto written by Jon Lord and performed by Deep Purple and the RPO.
For the first time the complete show is included : Hush, Wring that Neck, Child in Time and of course the concerto. It is remarkable to hear (and see if you prefer dvd/vhs) Deep Purple greatest line up ever controlling themselves to play the notes that are on the paper in front of them. No escapades from Ritchie but just clean notes. The same counts for the others. Great passages are the ones where there is a distinct interaction between the group and the orchestra as in the third movement (Presto) where for instance Ian Paice and the orchestral drummer really play fluently together. The best was yet to come for Purple but this concerto emphasises their passion for structure in their music. Wished I was there on that remarkable evening.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Way back when rock music was still progressing!, 22 Jan 2003
This was back when rock music was still progressing. The strength of an orchestra working with the power of a rock band. Deep Purple were the first band to integrate rock music with classical. The idea came from Jon Lord, Deep Purple's keyboardist.
The band have the muscle to avoid being buried by orchestration, yet manage to join forces with the orchestra. The outcome is a magnificent union that will delight those who care at all about music.
This set was recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in London on September 24th, 1969 and was divided into three movements:
1st Movement: Allegretto.
2nd Movement: Allegro with lyrics by lead singer Ian Gillan.
3rd Movement: . Vivace presto which integrates a solo for Ian Paice on drums.
For only having two complete rehearsals, the outcome is absolutely amazing. (Important note) Make sure to get the current release (import only, as of early 2003) which has been completely re-mixed to sound 100% better than the old CD and/or LP, it also includes a nice big booklet full of pictures and if that's not enough for you, a great bonus disc of the band performing a three song set before the Concerto. Track 1: Hush - Perhaps a better version than the one we always hear on the radio, with Ian Gillan's incredible vocal delivery. Sounding almost like early Elvis at times.
Track 2: Wring that Neck - A smoking instrumental with room to play for guitarist Ritchie Blackmore and keyboardist Jon Lord. I must also mention the solid rhythm section of Roger Glover on bass and Ian Paice on drums, they just drive this piece along. Nice.
Track 3: Child In Time - The band were just about to record this "soon to be classic" for the upcoming album "In Rock". It might be one of the finest live version they ever did.
It's so new to them that they play it incredibly tight, and Gillan keeps his famous screams slightly off the mic, so not to scare the classical side of the crowd, but it makes for a great reverb sound. Those three tracks give you about half an hour of warm up. The audience sounds like they enjoyed the opening set. Fabulous!
The Concerto for Group and Orchestra was and is an excellent idea from JON LORD, he is a true hero. Thanks Jon.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spectacular Album/DVD, 17 Sep 2003
Deep Purple is a superlative band with incredible musicianship and a high quality backcatalog of albums, CDs and DVDs that puts nearly every other artist to shame. Procol Harum and Uriah Heep, while good, are not even close to Deep Purple in overall musicianship, song writing and quality. Deep Purple is progressive rock, hard rock and are powerfully evocative. They are a genre of music unto themselves.
And, the Concerto for Group and Orchestra is an album which must be approached with an open mind, because it is an unconventional piece of music. If you are expecting straight forward rock or classical music, this album will not appeal to you. If you enjoy musical experimentation that is energetic and melodic, this album/DVD is for you. It is an essential album for those who enjoy musical experimentation, progressive rock or unconventional music.
It is obvious that some people do not understand the ideas behind this music; some seem seem to think that the music should have had the orchestra and band playing in unison from the start. However, Jon Lord wanted his concerto to show the contrast between rock versus classical music in the first movement, and then illustrating rock coming to terms with classical music in the second movement, while having the orchestra and band in unison in the final movement as proof that rock and classical can forged together even though they are substantially different genres of music.
There are moments on this album which are breathtaking( the beautiful orchestral melodies, the clarinet solos, the orchestral percussion, the raging guitar solo by Ritchie Blackmore, the lilting accompaniment of the orchestra with the delicate melody presented by Deep Purple in the beginning of the third movement, the astonishing organ and drum solos by Jon Lord and Ian Paice, and the absolutely beautiful and melodic vocal performance of Ian Gillan against the aural backdrop of the orchestra and Deep Purple's spectacular ensemble musicianship. With this album, there is a virtuosity, a grandeur and majesty on a scale that very few rock albums have ever approached or even acheived, and most of those albums were written and performed by Deep Purple. It is a tremendous album that has been terribly underrated for many years.
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