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Re: Lifehouse and BBC, of cuss



I didn't care for the London Symphony thing, myself, and I'm a classical 
music fan.  Somebody described it as an "emasculated" version of TOMMY, 
which I felt was pretty apt.

The best "classical style" arrangement I've heard of The Who's music is the 
Daltrey/Kamen version of "Overture" (to TOMMY) on DST, which captured the 
jazzy edge of Pete's big band treatment.  I haven't gotten a chance to 
really listen to the LIFEHOUSE arrangements without the play, but I got the 
impression they're more straight classical in style.  Is that right, Brian?  
They sound quite impressive and powerful, better than the London Symphony's 
TOMMY IMO, but aren't quite as interesting as DST because they don't have 
that touch of jazzy dissonance that makes me think Townshend rates up there 
with Copeland and Gershwin as a modern composer.

It's actually not that big a jump from Pete big band to an orchestra.  The 
QUAD tour is right on the edge of a "classical" arrangement.  He's already 
got a brass section, percussion, keyboards, and strings, if you want to 
count the guitars.  You'd have to work in the oboes and bassoons and the 
violins and cellos somewhere, but shoot, if you play the other stuff loud 
enough no body will hear them anyway. ;)

keets


>
>What did you think of the Symphonic Who album "Who's serious" which has a 
>version of BabaO reilly . Are these new lifehouse orchestrations superior 
>to this cd?

>
>
> > > The London Symphony Orchestra's Baba O'Riley, OTOH, unfortunately does 
>nothing for me.  I wonder who arranged it for orchestra, and if it's Pete I 
>wonder whether he's bidding to leave a legacy as a classical composer.
>I don't need to hear this more than once or twice more in my life.
> >
> > The arranger is Pete's new girlfriend (I forget the name) and I must say 
>(at risk of looking like I'm sucking up to Pete) that I think it's a great 
>job of orchestrating Pete's music.  She manages to capture the piece's mood 
>instead of just using a straight transcription which usually sounds just 
>horrible (see: the LSO Tommy).  Also love the faux-Beethovenish ending.
> >
> > -Brian in Atlanta

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