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Jon Lord plans Concerto studio recording
Jon Lord is working on the definitive studio recording of Concerto for Group and Orchestra, originally composed and first performed in 1969.
Jon wants to record the Concerto in a studio environment to capture what he believes is the definitive edition of the piece after he’s been honing the score through more than 30 performances since he left Deep Purple in 2002.
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Paul Mann are confirmed for the new recording which will be completed later this year.
No other Deep Purple members – current or former – are involved in the recording. The musicians who are involved will be announced in due course.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I am disappointed Ritchie or Ian Paice are not involved. A real Shame .
May 22nd, 2011 at 13:48I still like the 1969 version most. Maybe because i know it very long, but it’s also because of Ritchie, Big Ian and the nervosity you can feel inside band and orchestra.The nervosity allway thrilled me….
So it would be intersting to hear a new “Purple Mark II” version. But this won’t happen.
So I hope that phenomenal Mark Zyk (Demon’s Eye), who played in Potsdam, Munich and Liverpool as well as Doogie White as singer will perform. Second choice: Miller Anderson.
To be honest, I don’t really like the way Steve Balsamo is singing this. He’s a very good singer, but don’t really fit my taste for the concerto, because he’s not really rockin’.
Mark Zyk is the best performer since 1969 IMHO.
Most important for me is, taht Jon Lord will play on it. Only with Jon it will be original. Paul Mann and the LPO are a great, worthy choice.
But I must admit, that this would be my personal choice. I’m looking forward, who Jon will choose.
May 22nd, 2011 at 16:17the definitive edition will always be the first one back in ’69…
May 22nd, 2011 at 19:19@ 2,3:
Your’re right: Mark Zyk would be the best choice for playing the guitar. He’s spot on to what Blackmore was all about. He’s brilliant.
The version of 1969 is really good especially from the emotional point of view but on a studio recording there may be some bits you’ve never heard before like that. So it’s a good idea to record a definitive version, also in case the score disappears again ;-). I can’t think about anybody else then Mann to conduct it.
Another question: What about a Concerto II?
Cheers,
May 22nd, 2011 at 22:13Tommy
The only way it should be done…. Bring in Gillan, Blackmore, Paice and Glover to the studio at different times to avoid conflicts, and let them do their bits. It will not feel right with other musicians.
May 23rd, 2011 at 07:35Yes – only with Mrk II there will be a point of doing this. That also goes for the name Deep Purple. Only MrkII is the real Purple, but OK also Mrk III was great.
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:27It is Jon’s work of course – he scored it and the remaining members of DP were coerced to perform it although they look back on it fondly now of course – so I suppose it is up to Jon to decide what he feels is the defining version… I wonder if he’ll keep IG’s lyrics? And another question I always forget to ask. Were the group’s passages scored by Jon too or the result of collective writing?
Having said that this work is firmly in my head as an important part of Deep Purple’s history. I suppose in a way Jon has to remove that connection to make it his own work… I don’t know if that’s how he’s thinking I’m simply supposing here! He may well wish he could get they guys involved but simply can’t. For me the defining version would be the same performers as in 1969. However would these performers – knowing how they are – simply bow to Jon’s will? I fear not. So I’ll have to trust in Jon’s judgement..
Disappointed however that Ritchie won’t be involved. His guitar playing in 69 on that Gibson was phenomenal.
May 23rd, 2011 at 12:26It was for the group Deep Purple and orchestra, can’t find any interest in this without that band really. Having some other musicians in their place would classify it no more of a tribute than what 90% of the people in here refer to Deep Purple as they are now. I think this is rather redundant, but if it’s better than the original, well then who could argue with the idea… hhmmm… just not interested at this point.
May 23rd, 2011 at 14:09The Concerto is Jon’baby-so he ‘s entitled to record it the way he want it!Jon is a great musician, a man of taste,his work is quite superb-so I have no doubt about the quality of the final result.
May 23rd, 2011 at 17:03Ritchie hated this Concerto since the beginning -so it will be a non sense to ask him to lay again on it..but a specificLord/Blackmore project would be great!
Gaining interest rapidly.
May 24th, 2011 at 14:55Actually, with TMIB present preference of music, he would be more fitted to the task. A ‘Lute’ or ‘Hurdy Gurdy version is just what is needed for this stuff…..
Cheers
May 24th, 2011 at 16:00From a technical standpoint, I can see what Dr. Lord might have in mind for a studio recording of the Concerto.
After so many performances of this work, Lord may be “hearing” things which he was unable to conceive as a novice in 1969. Recall the piecemeal composition process and that the rehearsal was little more than a run-through. In addition, the original score was lost. What we hear today is close–but not exactly–the way it was arranged back in the day. Lord may have some ‘fixes’ in mind–as well as some updates–that could make this recorded version a very different animal compared to the original, and likely would be more tailored to suit the musicians in mind.
As a side note, I did not like the changes that were made in the ’99 Concerto. They sounded more like errors than enhancements, and thus I thought the original arrangement was better. Unfortunately, Blackmore’s guitar work couldn’t be touched, and the much shortened length (back to the originally intended length) of the later performance never really gives Morse the chance to stretch his legs.
Having said all that, I find it difficult to conceive of a version more electric and exciting than that moment back in 1969. Blackmore and Gillan in particular were in some of the greatest form of their career (the emotion in Gillan’s voice and spontenaity of the lyrics made for a truly stunning performance)–not to mention Ian Paice’s drum solo that would set the foundation of his live work for the next seven or so years.
Rather than a futile attempt to eclipse the 1969 performance–despite its warts and imperfections– an “official” studio recording of the Concerto not involving the original members would have to be a totally new take on this work, and one has to admire Dr. Lord’s confidence and gumption to take that on.
As some already have alluded to, recording a “definitive” version is a very daring and bold undertaking!
May 26th, 2011 at 02:03You know, it just hit me….
With all the crying about Gillan not ‘Screaming’ as in the old days…
and Lord not ‘Hammonding’ as in the old days…
and Blackmore not ”Stratting’ as in the old days…
and Coverdale not ‘Bluesing’ as the old days…
and Hughes still ‘Shrieking as the old days…
and Simper still ‘Mk1ing’ it as the old days…
and Evens still ‘Missing’….
and Bolin still ‘Dead’….
and the rest still doing the ‘PURPLE THING’…
Seems that the ‘Fans’ would wake up and smell the Coffee….
Long Live Those whom Keep Purple Alive and Death to those whom WHINE!!
Cheers
May 26th, 2011 at 02:49Whoever Jon chooses should be damn good. Would love to hear Iommi or Satriani on the guitar, Ritchie is still living somewhere in the fifteenth century so one could not expect him anytime soon.
May 26th, 2011 at 07:00@ 12
Very bold indeed.
However wonderful the performance is I never get into feeling goosebumps like with the 69 take.
Were Ritchie and Ian ever better than this?
@ 13
I d love(Always loved my cafe au lait : ( to but coffee tends to make me feel nauseous nowadays.
May 27th, 2011 at 12:01#13
May 27th, 2011 at 12:21Wish DP was Death or Alive…
Wake up with coffee still keep them to Living Death level…
But, cheers!
@ 13 Uncle Trace has a point & a sense of (black)humor,
good, I’m relieved 🙂
May 28th, 2011 at 17:55All this love for the ’69 original? Fair enough, but the later version with Paul Mann conducting, beats it hands down. The orchestra are rehearsed and awake, and we are spared the snearing looks of some of those musicians from the original show.
Loved the story of the lost score and of the efforts of one musician to re-score it all by ear. What a labour of love that must have been.
When you’re well Jon, go to it. Look forward to hearing your idea of the definitive Cncerto for Group and Orchestra
October 1st, 2011 at 13:54