Live In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra - PROCOL HARUM****

Conquistador/Whaling Stories/A Salty Dog/All This & More/In Held 'Twas I

Progressive British band Procol Harum team up with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra to deliver their most successful US album. Recorded live at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Edmonton in November 1971. (US:5 UK:48)

“Many rock acts have at various points in time worked with a classical orchestra and some have failed miserably, but here the collaboration mostly works. Some of the compositions are given a boost that lifts them to a higher level than the original studio versions. The orchestration works with the compositions and not against them which is generally the problem on other failed attempts at pairing a rock act with a classical orchestra.”

“This is Procol Harum presented in the perfect context for their musical aims and objectives. Prog-rock, symphonic rock - name the band's milieu, and it is here, with a symphony orchestra, allowing the band's musical roots to be highlighted in all their classical glory. There have been many abortive attempts at fusing rock and classical music in a live venue, but most have failed. In contrast here Procol Harum succeed brilliantly, as their music was already scored for an orchestra.”

“Not many rock bands can pull off playing with an orchestra, but Procol Harum definitely can. In fact, the orchestra really enhances the sound, and makes it so much more full and alive. After hearing this album, I actually find it harder to listen to their regular studio work without the orchestra.”

“This was a very ambitious undertaking and consists of a series of Procol Harum earlier compositions arranged especially for a symphony orchestra playing with a rock group. Although not the first such attempt, this was by far one of the best efforts ever attempted. The band's music suits the classical idiom better then any music written by their contemporaries.”

“This type of venture has been tried many times with disappointing results. The key here is that there are very few groups whose music fits as well with an orchestra as Procol Harum. Overall, this is a great example of how classical and rock can work together without becoming an overblown mess.”