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Post by nonrabbit on Mar 3, 2017 14:27:51 GMT
And the winner is "La La Bunkerfan" (Think I opened the correct envelope or is it all fake news - we shall see ) I'll be going to see "La La Land" on Sunday in a REAL Theater. I hope you have a lovely time. Me - personally, I've just came back from the second half of my root canal treatment. I'd rather repeat that than go and see LaLaLand.
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 4, 2017 23:38:58 GMT
Roots to Branches ?
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Post by JTull 007 on Mar 7, 2017 2:10:35 GMT
Jethro Tull frontman talks to Stephen Riley about reworking his music for string quartetJethro Tull have been a fixture of the British music scene for over forty years. Their restless movement between rock, prog, and folk has meant a large group of fans and the ability to ride out changing fashions. The new album Jethro Tull: The String Quartets features some of Tull’s most famous material given thoughtful and inventive re-working for quartet plus Ian Anderson’s famed flute-work and (more sparingly) his vocals. The tracks have been re-worked by Anderson himself in collaboration with arranger and Tull keyboardist John O’Hara. These are special performances of completely re-imagined songs and they repay listening on their own terms as well as for propelling the listener back to the original material.
Speaking to TV Bomb, Anderson revealed the driving impulse ‘was not to have a rock band plus a string quartet. I have already worked with an orchestra and a quartet. We wanted to do something authentic involving a string quartet plus “decorations” from me. This project with John allowed us to work with a very talented quartet and to give John a free hand with the arrangements.’
With the Anglo-Irish Carducci Quartet, he found a group of musicians who regularly perform pieces from both the classical canon and contemporary work. The group have been applauded for the unity and warmth of their playing. ‘I was introduced to them by a mutual friend,’ says Anderson. ‘They are a group able to play anything and they play these pieces with conviction. We were lucky to get them, and we were able to record the whole album in just three sessions.’ The album was recorded in two historic churches including the crypt of Worcester Cathedral and the tracks have the immediacy and edge of a live performance.
The locations were chosen for their spiritually uplifting atmosphere (I don’t enjoy recording in studios). But these were challenging circumstances for the musicians. The recordings had to go to plan. Places like that involve a lot of extra noise, from traffic and the wind. But they are special places and we got great performances.’
The newly arranged pieces cover the core Tull classics we might expect. ‘The tracks needed to include a few heavy hitters including Living in the Past and Bungle in the Jungle (which was a big hit in the US). I was conscious of what people expect of a Jethro Tull album. But it was also important in making the final choice of tracks to think about maximizing the impact, and the dynamics, of the album with a range of tempos and keys. The two medleys (Sossity Waiting and Songs and Horses) had already been performed together inthat form before. They were natural choices for medleys being title songs from consecutively released albums.’
Also included is We Used to Bach, a combination of We Used to Know (from 1969’s Stand Up album) and a Bach prelude. The original Tull piece was played regularly on their tour with the Eagles. ‘People have said there’s a similarity with the Eagles’ song Hotel California [released some time after the Tull recording] with which it shares a similar chord structure, as well as with work by Bach. We worked in elements of both.’ The finished article is a nice piece with some additional piano from O’Hara. But it should also inspire the listener to return to the original track We Used to Know with its wailing wah-wah solo from Martin Barre and Ian Anderson’s flamboyant flute playing, so dirty it sounds like the flute was invented for rock ‘n’ roll.
While Ian Anderson continues to tour, additional performances of the string quartets seem unlikely now given existing commitments. Anderson himself has a bucket-list of smaller projects like this which he hopes to work on alongside his touring commitments. The common thread is the music rather than the musicians. ‘I want to continue making music in the style of Jethro Tull with “Jethro Tull” being a body of repertoire not a particular group of people. For various reasons it is impossible to get the old troopers together (many of them are no longer musicians) and to find time to rehearse material. But I am still energized by touring and working on new ideas and with new musicians.’ He continues his present tour shortly with a concert in Kiev. Jethro Tull: The String Quartets is out on BMG on 24 March LINK
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Post by bunkerfan on Mar 7, 2017 14:53:49 GMT
Just received this message...............
Hi everyone I hope you're all well. We are now in the final few weeks before the release of The String Quartets ! A note just to let you know... Since the CDs went to print, we decided to make a slight adjustment to the track listing printed on the artwork (striving for perfection!). As a result, you'll now be receiving an additional sticker for the back of your CD with the new track-listing printed. Thank you for supporting the new project, and I very much look forward to you all hearing it very soon! Best, Ian
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 7, 2017 15:00:33 GMT
Just received this message............... Hi everyone I hope you're all well. We are now in the final few weeks before the release of The String Quartets ! A note just to let you know... Since the CDs went to print, we decided to make a slight adjustment to the track listing printed on the artwork (striving for perfection!). As a result, you'll now be receiving an additional sticker for the back of your CD with the new track-listing printed. Thank you for supporting the new project, and I very much look forward to you all hearing it very soon! Best, Ian So unstickered ones will become rarities and worth money ?
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Post by JTull 007 on Mar 7, 2017 16:33:11 GMT
Just received this message............... Hi everyone Thank you for supporting the new project, and I very much look forward to you all hearing it very soon! Best, Ian So unstickered ones will become rarities and worth money ? I've got the autographed Lp on order. Wonder if it has the same issue with track listing? That would make it even more valuable which makes it PRICELESS !!!
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 17, 2017 8:25:17 GMT
jethrotull.com/the-string-quartets-album/#linernotesLINER NOTESTHE CARDUCCI QUARTET Matthew Denton – Violin Michelle Fleming – Violin Eoin Schmidt-Martin – Viola Emma Denton – Cello ADDITIONAL PERFORMERS: Ian Anderson – Flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin and vocals. John O’Hara – Piano and celeste Produced by Ian Anderson for Calliandra Records The Carducci Quartet Winners of many international competitions and regularly appearing at Classical Music Festivals throughout the world. Highly celebrated for their interpretation of contemporary repertoire, the Carducci Quartet is regularly invited to perform new works and recitals. www.carducciquartet.comThe String Quartet Project Ian and John O’Hara – keyboard player with Tull and Ian Anderson – had discussed for some time the prospect of a dedicated string quartet album specially conceived and orchestrated to celebrate some of the best-known repertoire of Jethro Tull in a new and very different setting. They had first heard of the Carducci Quartet through violinist Matthew’s brother Chris, also a musician. After seeing the quartet in concert in London at LSO St Luke’s, Ian invited them to take part in the recording of this project. Ian and John then pored over the entire Tull catalogue and decided on this selection of songs which includes two O’Hara-arranged Tull pieces already performed with quartets in various concerts over the years. With judicious additions of flute, acoustic guitar and mandolin along with a few vocal sections, this album offers Tull fans the opportunity to enjoy familiar melodies and songs within the styling and traditions of Classical Music. John O’Hara: Two violins, viola and cello make up that perfect combination of musical instruments known as a string quartet. Composers such as Beethoven, Bartók and Britten have written for it, and it felt like an exciting prospect to hear Anderson’s music in this way. Since the 1980s I have been composing and producing music for television and the stage, so this project was an opportunity to combine my experiences with Ian’s music. Over the years I have scored the works of Jethro Tull for larger orchestral forces, but this was a chance to distil the material and hear it self-contained within the quartet format. It was an honour to work with such an accomplished ensemble as the Carducci Quartet: their joy and enthusiasm can be heard throughout. This has been a project of love. I created each new arrangement over a period of several months, always trying to offer something new and exciting to the listeners, some of whom will know this material very well. Expect a few surprises! Ian Anderson: John O’Hara and I have worked on various orchestrations and performed many orchestral concerts in several countries over the last fifteen years. A couple of years ago, I came up with the idea of recording a dedicated SQ album in a contemporary but “Classical” setting together with my own brief appearances. Having discussed this with John at various points during tours, we started in earnest by jointly choosing some potential tracks to work on. In order to differentiate between the titles of the original tracks and these reworked arrangements, I decided to give them rather cryptic names for these versions. The publishing and record royalty payments get very complicated when the same song title applies to different albums, performers and writers. Better, therefore, to avoid confusion with these pseudonyms. Although you are probably confused now, too. Sorry about that. It has really been a lot of fun to work on this project. The Carducci Quartet provided a spirited and committed performance, without which all would have been futile. And, I only had to pay for lunch once as they brought sandwiches. Bless. Many thanks to Susan Macleod at Worcester Cathedral for making it happen there and to Crispin Truman and his crew at the Churches Conservation Trust for the access to St Kenelm’s at Sapperton. Finally, many thanks and appreciation for JO’s hard work and dedication to detail in bringing this project to fruition. Why the churches? There is something of a spiritual and uplifting quality in the ambience of the Christian church. Can’t quite put my finger on it (yet) but the musical liturgy of the church does something for me. Strangely, I feel quite at home in our parish churches and grand cathedrals these days. Ian Anderson, 2017.
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 21, 2017 9:03:52 GMT
www.getreadytorock.me.uk/blog/2017/03/album-review-jethro-tull-the-string-quartets/Album review: JETHRO TULL – The String Quartets (Ian Anderson)Posted on March 20, 2017 by petefeenstra www.mixcloud.com/grtr/the-pete-feenstra-feature-ian-anderson-jethro-tull-12-march-2017/BMG Rights Management [Release date 24.03.17] ‘Jethro Tull: The String Quartets’ is in fact Ian Anderson plus The Carducci Quartet on an album orchestrated by Anderson’s long time collaborator John O’Hara. The result is a refreshing interpretation of some of Tull’s back catalogue, leaving the fans to argue about what was left out. This is the kind of album that asks some awkward questions about whether a rock audience has now matured to the point where it can appreciate chamber music renditions of a band whose musical career spans folk, prog and heavy rock. Also how many versions of these songs do fans still want to hear? Whatever the answer, there’s plenty to enjoy here, as O’Hara sets about Anderson’s material with gusto. The quartet’s subtle dynamics pick out the musical highlights, before they explore the outer fringes of the material. In the case of ‘We Used To Bach’ (aka ‘We Used To Know’) Anderson’s song is cleverly segued with the original influence for the song, ‘Bach Prelude C Major’. Tull’s music has already been through the classical blender before of course, but this string quartet album brings a lively, jaunty presence to bear on a thoughtfully compiled set of songs, albeit it includes two Christmas songs. The key to the project is the strength of the material. String quartets were after all considered to be the ultimate test for a composer’s art and for the most part the songs benefit from the ‘unplugged’ approach. ‘Bungle’ (aka ‘Bungle In The Jungle’) for example, is given a more accessible lighter feel, in sharp contrast to rather more lumbering original, and ‘Ring Out Those Bells’ (aka ‘Ring Out Solstice Bells’) has a joyous feel as Ian adds one of 6 passable vocals on the album. Then there’s the strange choice of ‘Pass The Bottle’, a wry seasonal ditty which retains the Eastern sounding mandolin, while adding a busy string arrangement that helps builds it up impressively. Anderson voices the original outro with a distinctly southern vowel sound compared to the more flat original: ‘hey Santa pass us that bottle will ya” Recorded at Worcester Cathedral and St. Kenelms’s Church in Sapperton, Gloucestershire, the album gets off to a brave start with the Tull classic, ‘Living In The Past’. Retitled ‘In The Past’, the 12 different titles reflect the different musical approaches and different players from the original band. ‘In The Past’ opens with a gently thumbed strings and Anderson’s flute which deftly meanders in between the strings as the quartet works its way back to the theme. ‘Sossity Waiting’ (‘Sossity, You’re A Woman/Reasons For Waiting’) doesn’t quite work as well, if only because it’s a segued piece on which the original acoustic number is well suited to the string arrangement. The latter was was already orchestrated and even though it’s beautifully voiced here, the quartet arrangement doesn’t really add anything to the original, though it does serve to remind us you of the potency of Anderson’s melodies. The folky material seems better fitted to purpose, most notably on the uplifting feel of ‘Songs And Horses’ (aka ‘Songs From The Wood/Heavy Horses’), one of only two tracks to feature the quartet on their own. The staccato nature of the song and the melodic resolution is beautifully captured by purity of the strings on a piece full of subtle dynamics. The link piece ‘Only The Giving’ (aka ‘Wond’ring Aloud’) stays much closer to the original acoustic arrangement, until a startling violin drop-in at 35 seconds, before the strings recover to colour the piece with intricate bowed strings. Die hard fans will want to hear what has been made of the two Tull heavy hitters, ‘Loco, (‘Locomotive Breath’) and ‘Aquafugue’ (‘Aqualung’). ‘Loco’ is a highlight, particularly as Ian’s excellent flute is offset by the strings as they map out the melody line. ‘Aquafugue’ is given a more sonorous reading with the repeated riff punctuating a sombre claustrophobic sounding piece, before a spirited unison of strings and a belated vocal (the least impressive on the album). The flute and string double lines nearly obscure Anderson’s vocal, while the Celeste sounds a bit heavy handed, almost as if trying to mirror the bombast of the original version. Given that it’s the last song on the album it’s a slightly low key finish to an otherwise enjoyable album, which for all its endeavour and sense of adventure will probably be for completists only. **** Review by Pete Feenstra
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Post by JTull 007 on Mar 21, 2017 11:24:37 GMT
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 22, 2017 8:17:24 GMT
www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/cd-jethro-tull-string-quartetsCD: Jethro Tull - The String QuartetsIs Ian Anderson's new LP faux classical or just its own thing? by Russ Coffey, Wednesday, 22 March 2017 On Jethro Tull's classic "Songs from the Wood" Ian Anderson promised "all things refined". And, refined, the band certain has been. Musically educated too. For 40-odd years they have specialised in baroque rock and minstrel ballads all served up with harpsichords and flutes. There were even a couple of albums featuring a full orchestra. Yet, notably, string quartets have only made the occasional appearance. In a way, then, you could say an album like this is actually a little overdue. The thing is, though, Jethro Tull - The String Quartets isn't really a Tull album. Nor is it even really an Ian Anderson LP. For the most part, this is the sound of arranger John O'Hara and the Carducci Quartet. The results are really rather convincing. That's partly down to the source material. Jethro Tull songs often start with ersatz sixteenth-century melodies which then progressively move towards blues rock. O'Hara, however, pulls it all the other way. "Sossity Waiting", for instance, takes the melodies of "Sossity: You're a Woman" and "Reasons For Waiting" and arranges the flute and strings to sound like the work of an early English composer. Where a heavier more syncopated sound is needed, such as on "In the Past", it's achieved using slurs up the fingerboard and heavy duty plucking. For classical purists, of course, the thought of Tull's music becoming even more faux baroque will be horrendous. But, actually the album finds its most authentic voice the further it gets away from the originals. This is helped by Ian Anderson's sparing use of his own vocals. One song, in particular, illustrates why too much Anderson wasn't right. "Wond'ring Aloud" - featuring the main man on both guitar and vocals - was, no doubt, included because the original's use of strings virtually inspired the whole project. But it's not a particularly stirring version. Tull fans will be far more taken with the unexpected way O'Hara, Anderson and the Carducci Quartet have reinterpreted "Locomotive Breath". That really is something special.
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Post by bunkerfan on Mar 22, 2017 19:21:18 GMT
Mine's on it's way.
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Post by JTull 007 on Mar 23, 2017 1:12:54 GMT
Mine's on it's way. Ordered mine on December 4th... Here is what they said: Jethro Tull has pledged to fulfill all exclusives by 31 March, 2017 unless otherwise stated.
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 24, 2017 8:17:51 GMT
www.noise11.com/news/ian-anderson-reimagines-jethro-tull-with-a-string-quartet-20170324Ian Anderson Reimagines Jethro Tull With A String Quartetby PAUL CASHMERE on MARCH 24, 2017 Ian Anderson has recreated his music with Jethro Tull with the Carducci String Quartet but don’t call this project classical. “The thing about this is, I am not doing classical music,” Anderson tells Noise11.com. “This is rock music done with a switch of the acoustic instruments of an orchestra (or in this case a string quartet). Whilst you are working within the traditions of classic (with a small c) it doesn’t turn it into classical music. It still has its origins of the Jethro Tull repertoire. I think what we tried to do was put it “in the style of classical music”. But that doesn’t make it classical. Most classical music is 200-300 years old and as much as some of us might want to wave a magic wand (or baton) it’s not possible to recreate (and why would you want to). That was then and this is now”. The string quartet reimagination of the music of Jethro Tull has been a year in the making. “At the beginning of last year I decided to pursue the project and discussed it with our keyboard player John O’Hara who is a classically trained musician and composer,” Ian said. “We worked on it over the course of the next few months while we were on tour and got it together to record with the chosen string quartet, the Carducci String Quartet in September last year”. While the project is something completely different for Jethro Tull, Ian says it is definitely a one-off and that everything they recorded was used on this album. “I don’t think that I’d want to go there again because I feel there are other things that would be a priority for me before thinking about something like that. At the moment I don’t have any ideas about doing that again. I’ve worked with large and small orchestras before. The only thing I haven’t done, except on one occasion with a few pieces, is to work with a choir. That is something that might have a possibility in the future, to do a choral work. It would be a very different realisation of that music to be sung by a mixed choir”.
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Post by treeborn on Mar 24, 2017 11:44:37 GMT
Just received The String Quartets,in my opinion very good,Bungle stands out to me of them all but they all have merits.Progressive retro progressive,a new take on Tull,but hey why not.
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Post by bassackwards on Mar 24, 2017 13:36:17 GMT
www.noise11.com/news/ian-anderson-reimagines-jethro-tull-with-a-string-quartet-20170324Ian Anderson Reimagines Jethro Tull With A String Quartetby PAUL CASHMERE on MARCH 24, 2017 Ian Anderson has recreated his music with Jethro Tull with the Carducci String Quartet but don’t call this project classical. “The thing about this is, I am not doing classical music,” Anderson tells Noise11.com. “This is rock music done with a switch of the acoustic instruments of an orchestra (or in this case a string quartet). Whilst you are working within the traditions of classic (with a small c) it doesn’t turn it into classical music. It still has its origins of the Jethro Tull repertoire. I think what we tried to do was put it “in the style of classical music”. But that doesn’t make it classical. Most classical music is 200-300 years old and as much as some of us might want to wave a magic wand (or baton) it’s not possible to recreate (and why would you want to). That was then and this is now”. The string quartet reimagination of the music of Jethro Tull has been a year in the making. “At the beginning of last year I decided to pursue the project and discussed it with our keyboard player John O’Hara who is a classically trained musician and composer,” Ian said. “We worked on it over the course of the next few months while we were on tour and got it together to record with the chosen string quartet, the Carducci String Quartet in September last year”. While the project is something completely different for Jethro Tull, Ian says it is definitely a one-off and that everything they recorded was used on this album. “I don’t think that I’d want to go there again because I feel there are other things that would be a priority for me before thinking about something like that. At the moment I don’t have any ideas about doing that again. I’ve worked with large and small orchestras before. The only thing I haven’t done, except on one occasion with a few pieces, is to work with a choir. That is something that might have a possibility in the future, to do a choral work. It would be a very different realisation of that music to be sung by a mixed choir”. Speaking of choral music, I haven't been able to find any links to the few choral songs Ian did last year. Has anyone heard these?
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Post by samatcn on Mar 24, 2017 14:24:37 GMT
I'm on my third listen. Quite a nice little album, even if it isn't one I imagine I'll get back to too often. My favourites so far are Bungle, We used to Bach, and Velvet Gold. The last one is really faithful to the original, probably one of the most faithful. You'd think that would make it less interesting, but Velvet Green is such an underrated song and it fits the quartet really well in my opinion.
What did you guys think? Regards /sam
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 24, 2017 14:27:58 GMT
Dropped through letter box lunchtime. On first listen, love "Sossity Waiting" but as we all know with Tull, things have a habit of changing
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Post by bunkerfan on Mar 24, 2017 14:39:32 GMT
Got mine too but as I put my finger and thumb in to get the booklet out I've torn the corner of the cover So beware, the cover is a bit flimsy. I've tried to repair the inside Here's the old and new list of tracks
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Post by bunkerfan on Mar 24, 2017 15:56:30 GMT
Dropped through letter box lunchtime. On first listen, love "Sossity Waiting" but as we all know with Tull, things have a habit of changing On my first listen I have to agree with you about "Sossity Waiting". It's brilliantly done as is the rest of the album which I'm pleased about because I must admit I was a bit unsure whether I would like it and I'm glad to report. I love it "Only The Giving" gave me goosebumps!
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 24, 2017 17:01:54 GMT
Allright Mr Postman.....bring my mine, already !
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Post by ash on Mar 24, 2017 17:50:29 GMT
Dropped through letter box lunchtime. On first listen, love "Sossity Waiting" but as we all know with Tull, things have a habit of changing I have my signed copy as well ..Now I just need the right time to sit down and take in the music
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Post by samatcn on Mar 24, 2017 18:24:04 GMT
[quote author=" bunkerfan " source="/post/70314/thread" Here's the old and new list of tracks [/quote] Wow, they changed the tracklist quite a lot. (Haven't got my physical copy yet.) I still feel it is a little weird to see a new album under the JT name on streaming services.
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 24, 2017 20:28:45 GMT
Amazon Prime has String Quartets as very first album featured in Classic Rock new releases
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 25, 2017 8:41:12 GMT
wror.com/2017/03/24/ian-anderson-jethro-tulls-new-album/MARCH 24, 2017 Ian Anderson on Jethro Tull’s New Albumby Erica Banas Out today is Jethro Tull -- The String Quartets, a collection of a dozen Tull favorites arranged by keyboardist John O'Hara for, as the title indicates, a classical string section. Tull founder and frontman Ian Anderson oversaw the project, providing flute for several tracks, while the Carducci Quartet played the tracks. Anderson tells us that it took time and care in order to make sure the album didn't seem like a kitschy gimmick: The album features arrangements of "Aqualung" (as "Aquafugue"), "Locomotive Breath" (aka "Loco"), including "Bungle In The Jungle" ("Bungle"), "Living In the Past" ("In The Past") and "A Christmas Song" ("Pass The Bottle"), a 1968 song that marked Anderson's first work with a string quartet. A new Jethro Tull by Ian Anderson tour kicks off May 26 with the Colorado Symphony at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, followed by planned dates in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Europe and South America. Anderson is also finishing up a lyric book, which will be illustrated wtih photographs from his personal collection and published later this year.
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 25, 2017 8:44:52 GMT
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Post by samatcn on Mar 25, 2017 14:25:44 GMT
I've listened a bunch of times now. Couple of reflections.
I'm really happy they didn't do Bouree. Would have been so obvious..
Shame they didn't reference DP's string arrangement on Bungle. The bit that starts at the end of the second chorus on the original has always been a particular favourite of mine...
I think in general, there's a little too much flute included on the album. I would have preferred to hear either the quartet by itself, or maybe a bit more vocals.
Regards /sam
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 25, 2017 15:13:56 GMT
www.stormbringer.at/reviews/13691/jethro-tull-jethro-tull-the-string-quartetts.htmlJethro Tull - The String QuartetsThe quiet songs of JETHRO TULL are not necessarily right at Stormbringer, because our magazine is mainly on the hard side. The implementation of JETHRO TULL songs by THE STRING QUARTETS is still a giant step forward and is therefore an absolute edge theme, which we nevertheless accept, however, without evaluation. I know enough metalers who like to listen to classic instruments at APOCALYPTICA or 2CELLOS - as long as the METALLICA, AC / DC or other heavy songs play until the arcs glow and the strings are cracked. There are "mash-up" and clenched fists, because these bands still embody and play metal. Not so THE STRING QUARTETS. This is a purely classical string quartet, there are neither loud, oblique, nor fast, crazy notes, no rock, no metal, no drums, just quiet music from a string quartet. That just JETHRO TULL songs from several years. In this respect, all are warned, their rocker! This is a STREICHER album! You can buy it from your grandmother or heiress. For JETHRO TULL fans, it is also not uninteresting, because you can completely re-live the songs of the favorite band. But again with the ending: this is pure classics and nothing else! [Note D. Lekt .: I think, now I understand it.] You only need to hear the first song, it's all about what you expect on the album: violins, cellos, flutes - it is painted, plucked and flushed, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes sad, sometimes cheerful. "Sossity" and the rest of the album is really beautiful, from the first song "In The Past / Living In The Past". But it is just a chamber quartet and no modernization of this matter, and therefore, unfortunately, there are some stretches of music, too. The only change is that there is more to be heard in some songs than just the quartet. There are also piano and singing. Examples are "We Used To Bach" or "Only The Giving". If you decide for this album, you have to be prepared for the fact that there are long plays, which have to come to one, several have the five minutes playing time. In this respect, all those who can start with the "four-seasons" or VIVALDI, or with other classical stringed instruments, will be delighted, and pieces like "Loco (Locomotive Breath)" or "Velvet Green (Velvet Green)" or " Aquafugue (Aqualung) "as beautiful and with recognition value. Where the last song is again flutes and the famous chorus is sung. So, you dear JETHRO TULL or VIVALDI fans, you should be brave and surprise this album.
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Post by steelmonkey on Mar 25, 2017 17:26:16 GMT
Still waiting. If it doesn't appear today, no mail again till Monday ....I'll kick the dog, scream at child and wallow in self-pity ( more than ususal)
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Post by maddogfagin on Mar 26, 2017 8:02:27 GMT
myglobalmind.com/2017/03/23/jethro-tull-string-quartets-review/Jethro Tull – The String Quartets ReviewPosted on March 23, 2017 Over the years Jethro Tull has dabbled in many musical styles, arguably with varying degrees of success but making it near impossible to accurately categorize them. Having numerous personnel changes since their formation in 1967, what I would term as the “twilight” years have seen Ian Anderson cast off the cloak of Jethro Tull – in name only whilst reaching into the recesses of the extensive Tull repertoire and plucking out gems to be reinvented… Jethro Tull – The String Quartets is the most recent example of this. Not one to rest on his laurels, Ian says the idea of working with a string quartet came to him a couple of years ago. When Ian Anderson and John O’Hara first saw the Carducci quartet they were mesmerized by their sound and invited them to take part in a recording of reimagined Tull classics. No stranger to working with orchestras, Ian has an enduring love of classical music, the essence of which is captured perfectly on this stunning release, each track meticulously selected to work to as a classical arrangement. The opening track In the Past is instantly recognizable as the classic “Living in the Past”, the omission of vocals barely noticeable such is the skill of the musicians. A beautiful rendition of Sossity Waiting, better known as “Sossity: You’re a Woman” features Ian singing and although it airs on the lugubrious side it is undoubtedly one of my favorites on this release. Bungle – “Bungle in the Jungle” sounds like a film score on this album – or perhaps it always did but had previously escaped my notice… The lack of vocals here, in my opinion, is an improvement – as musically brilliant as it was in its original form, I never was keen on the lyrics … Farm the Fourway – “Farm on the Freeway” was the only track on this selection not readily discernible to me and although it’s always been a favorite of mine I considered it to be an unusual choice for a compilation such as this… yet it works. The mergence [‘mash up’ for our younger readers – editor] of two of what I consider to be the best ever Tull songs – “Songs from the Wood” and “Heavy Horses” is performed as Songs and Horses by the Carducci quartet alone. The melodies of these songs serve to compliment each other perfectly and this is one of the definite highlights of this release. I was further enchanted by Velvet Gold – “Velvet Green” which although lacking in vocals, doesn’t sound overly far removed from its traditional arrangement. Not surprisingly perhaps, the album concludes with Aquafugue “Aqualung”. A song I could never tire of listening to in any variation, this version seems particularly poignant. After my first listen to this album I felt compelled to revisit the originals of all the tracks featured here for reasons of comparison. It occurred to me thereafter that the infusion of classical elements has become so synonymous with the music of Jethro Tull that I was finding it hard to differentiate in places. With the exception of 5 tracks, this release is, for the most part, instrumental. The inclusion of two Christmas songs is a nice touch, Pass the Bottle – “A Christmas Song” features Ian Anderson on Mandolin conjuring up a haunting melody. Recorded in the crypt of Worcester Cathedral and in St Kenelm’s Church, Sapperton, the overall sound produced by all involved is musical perfection. As uplifting as it is in places, I imagine I detect the slightest hint of melancholy here and there throughout the album. The String Quartets will be an essential addition to any Tull fans collection. Ian Andersons imagination seems limitless, his compositions timeless. I always look forward to his next project with renewed enthusiasm and this classical album does not disappoint. I’ll be interested to see what musical direction Ian takes next but I would wager that he isn’t too old to rock n’ roll, well not just yet…. Reviewed by Karen Hetherington SCORE: 10/10
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stevep
Master Craftsman
Posts: 430
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Post by stevep on Mar 26, 2017 10:15:18 GMT
"I'm on my third listen. Quite a nice little album, even if it isn't one I imagine I'll get back to too often."
I have the same view in that it will not be an album I listen to very often.... just not really my cup of tea. I wish IA had left the singing out too... his voice sounds so weak nowadays..
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