Jon Lord is working on the definitive studio recording of Concerto for Group and Orchestra, originally composed and first performed in 1969. The Concerto was recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in 1969 (album release shown here) and again in 1999, but has never been recorded in a studio environment.
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Paul Mann are confirmed for the new recording which will be completed later this year.
Updating the score
Jon has had plenty of opportunities to listen to and adjust the Concerto score.
- Over these last years since leaving Deep Purple, I’ve played it over 30 times with different orchestras and conductors all over the world, and, of course, in 2000 I did it well over 30 times with Purple on the Concerto Tour, so I’ve been honing the piece live on stage, and I’ve had the opportunity to change things in the score that weren’t sounding quite right. It is therefore a marvellous and exciting prospect to have the definitive recording of the definitive version of the score.
Paul Mann
Liverpool Philharmonic and Paul Mann
- I’m thrilled to have the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on board. I have immensely enjoyed working with them on several occasions since recording Durham Concerto with them in 2007. They are a wonderful group of players, and with Paul Mann conducting – a dear friend and a man who knows the score inside out – there couldn’t be a better conductor and orchestra for this studio recording of the Concerto, says Jon.
Contrary to ill-informed rumours on other websites, no other Deep Purple members – current or former – are involved in the recording.
The musicians who are involved will be announced in due course.
Jon Lord photo: Kasia Łaska
On April 21, Jon’s music will rub shoulders with such esteemed British composers as Malcolm Arnold and Benjamin Britten in Granada, Spain.
