Jon Lord - The Official Website

The Australian talks to Jon Lord about how he created a new sound for the Hammond organ when he plugged it into a stack of Marshall amps:

- I suppose I felt I had to compete with the guitarists. What I discovered was that the Hammond organ, when treated like that, makes a heck of a noise.

The interview also focuses on the Concerto for Group and Orchestra and how the musical climate was different in 1969. Lord says many classical and rock purists missed the point:

- The piece was written with a sense of love and to enjoy the experience of playing with an orchestra as much as to enjoy the experience of playing with a rock band.

- It was written by a guy who was, and still is, massively in love with both ends of the musical spectrum.

Read the full interview.

In an interview with Giessener Allgemeine, Jon Lord talks about 40 years of the Concerto, the open rehearsal at Hagen, his new Boom of the Tingling Strings and more.

Listen to the interview segments here:

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The Adelaide Review talks to Jon Lord about his love for all types of music. He sees music as one giant house.

- It is as simple as choosing which room you want to walk into.

The interview focuses on the making of The Concerto for Group and Orchestra and the new ground that was being explored.

- It was a young man’s scream of ‘Yes, it can be done’ – not just a scream at the classical establishment, but at the rock establishment too.

- I found myself slap bang up against the attitude of the Philharmonic Orchestra, Jon Lord says - and explains his gratitude for Sir Malcolm Arnold’s enthusiasm towards the Concerto.

Read the full interview.

Adelaide’s Messenger News talks to Jon Lord about the Concerto before its three performances there on March 27-29.

- The more I look back on it, the more I realise what a giant leap of faith it was, Jon Lord says.

- If I’d been older and wiser, I think I might not have done it. It just seems that when you’re in your 20s and it was the ’60s all things seemed possible.

Read the full interview.

The April issue of Classic FM Magazine features an interview with Jon Lord on the Durham Concerto. You can now read the article here by clicking the thumbnails. You can also read a brief review of the album - originally published in the UK edition of Metro on February 8.

In the afternoon leading up to the concert in Hagen on February 15, Jon Lord did an interview with Bruno Golgowski for his local radio show Ruhrkultur. You can now listen to the brief interview here, in two parts:

Part 1, Part 2 (mp3 format).

Due this month, issue 35 of Ritchie Blackmore magazine “More Black Than Purple” features an interview with Jon Lord. Amongst other things, the interview covers the Durham Concerto, Jon’s thoughts on Ritchie Blackmore and the chances of future Deep Purple activity.

Getting all emotional and teary at hearing ‘Sarabande’ and ‘Gigue’ live, Swedish Artrock Association’s reviewer caught Jon Lord in Hagen. Read his review (Swedish language).

Der Westen reviews Friday night’s Hagen concert very favourably. Read ‘Jon Lord bei den Philharmonikern’ (German language).

Hagen Philharmonic Orchestra turned Friday night’s performance of Jon Lord’s ‘Concerto for Group and Orchestra’ into a victorious celebration of not only the orchestra’s own 100th anniversary, but also of Jon Lord’s versatile talents as a composer. The Hagen locals agreed and afforded the sold out show (1.200) a prolonged standing ovation at the end.

The concept of teaming up with a local orchestra to perform some of his orchestral pieces seems a successful (not to mention practical) way for Jon Lord to take his music ‘on the road’ more often.

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