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Mark Zutkoff

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A statement...

The remastered release on DVD and CD (I believe the SACD version was postponed) of Deep Purple's Concerto For Group And Orchestra from 1969 is something I eagerly awaited for some time.

I have a VHS copy of the Japanese laserdisc version, which has a significant edit of material in the First Movement. Unfortunately, the new version retains the edit (I guess the missing footage was nowhere to be found). I wish that, perhaps, like with the remastered version of A Star Is Born (1954), the complete audio track could have been restored to the DVD along with stills of the orchestra so that the DVD would have a complete performance. However, it's still good to see the remaster.

While the laserdisc made it clear that the source material was videotape, the DVD takes on an almost filmic quality. However, this may be a side-effect of my DVD player when viewing PAL discs sourced from videotape.

The real highlight of the disc for me is the commentary track by Jon Lord himself, in which he's charming, self-deprecating, and quite informative - especially when he points out moments during the performance where something unintended (both good and bad) occurred.

The CD version of the Concerto is a very nice remaster, to which the hitherto-unreleased encore, a reprise of the second half of the Third Movement (commencing with Ian Paice's drum solo) was added. A whole disc is devoted solely to the band's performance of Hush, Wring That Neck, and Child In Time, all remastered (and preceded, for some strange reason, by an excerpt of the narration from the beginning of the DVD!).

To me the most remarkable thing about Deep Purple's solo track is Ritchie Blackmore's guitar sound. It just doesn't seem to fit in, as it appears harsh yet somewhat reedy. But he certainly makes up for it in his solo during the Concerto, however, which goes on and on. Lord indicates in his commentary track that Ritchie apparently decided to make "a statement".

Mark Zutkoff