Concerto for Group and Orchestra
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| Concerto for Group and Orchestra | ||
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| Studio album by Deep Purple | ||
| Released | December 1969 | |
| Recorded | September 24, 1969 | |
| Genre | Classical/Rock | |
| Length | 59:26 | |
| Label | Harvest Records (UK) Warner Bros. (US) |
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| Producer(s) | Deep Purple | |
| Professional reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Deep Purple chronology | ||
| Deep Purple (1969) |
Concerto for Group and Orchestra (1969) |
Deep Purple in Rock (1970) |
The Concerto for Group and Orchestra is a concerto performed by Deep Purple and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Arnold in 1969, composed by Jon Lord. It was the first Deep Purple recording to feature legendary vocalist Ian Gillan. A video recording of this concert was released on DVD in 2003. It has also been performed by Australian band, George, with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, also conducted by Malcolm Arnold.
Contents |
[edit] Musical Form
The Concerto for Group and Orchestra displays some characteristics of the concerto grosso, sinfonia concertante, and concerto for orchestra genres:
- First movement (Moderato - Allegro): after an elaborate orchestral introduction the Group and the Orchestra work as separate blocks, trying to get dominance over the main theme - this opposition of a group of soloists against an orchestra is quite "concerto grosso" style.
- Second movement (Andante), with lyrics sung by Ian Gillan: here the group integrates more with the sound of the orchestra while still clearly on top of the orchestral tissue, giving a sinfonia concertante look and feel.
- Third movement (Vivace - Presto): apart from Ian Paice's drum solo, the music is so tighly knit that the distinction between the group and the orchestra is almost lifted: in a way the group becomes part of an extended orchestra, with one elaborate "solo" passage, by an instrument that is no soloist throughout the movement, giving a concerto touch: this is more or less what is understood by the Concerto for Orchestra genre.
[edit] Performances, recordings and releases
[edit] 1969 performance (& recording)
Live concert in the Royal Albert Hall (London), performed by:
- Deep Purple:
- Ian Gillan - vocals
- Ritchie Blackmore - lead guitar
- Jon Lord - organ, keyboards
- Roger Glover - bass guitar
- Ian Paice - drums
- The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Arnold
[edit] LP release
See inset above
This release only contained the "Concerto", with the second movement broken in two halves.
[edit] CD release
The 1990s saw a CD release including the "Wring that Neck" and "Child in Time" songs by Deep Purple, recorded during the same concert.
[edit] DVD release
In 2003 EMI released a special edition DVD-A of Concerto for Group and Orchestra, featuring the entire program of music played that night:
- The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Arnold
- Malcolm Arnold's 6th Symphony Op. 95:
- "1st Movement": Energico 9:19
- "2nd Movement": Lento 8:52
- "3rd Movement": Con Fuoco 7:02
- Malcolm Arnold's 6th Symphony Op. 95:
- Deep Purple:
- Songs:
- "Hush" (Joe South) 4:42
- "Wring that Neck" (Blackmore, Lord, Paice, Nick Simper) 13:23
- "Child in Time" (Blackmore, Gillan, Glover, Lord, Paice) 12:06
- Songs:
- Deep Purple with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Malcolm Arnold
[edit] 1999 performance (& recording)
On 26 and 27 September 1999, 30 years after its first performance, the Concerto for Group and Orchestra was again performed by Deep Purple, before a live audience in the Royal Albert Hall.
The recording of the entire concert was released on a double CD as Deep Purple In Concert with the London Symphony Orchestra.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- 1969 performance (& recording)
- 1999 performance (& recording)
- http://www.thehighwaystar.com/rosas/jouni/discos/live06.html
- http://www.themusicindex.com/rockahead/gigs/purple.htm
