Thursday, October 22, 2009

The Orchestral Music of Elvis Costello

First posted on November 1, 2007

Here is one that has been out several years: Elvis Costello Il Sogno (The Dream) (DGG). Elvis Costello writing orchestral music? Who knew? Guess what, though, it's pretty darned good. It has some "popular" aspects, especially from drummer Peter Erskine—and with Michael Tilson Thomas and the London Symphony Orchestra, the performance is great. It has plenty of memorable moments and the orchestration is surprisingly good. A worthy listen.

Does anybody old enough to remember still have the Deep Purple LP that was recorded around 1968—a Rock symphony, again I believe with the London Symphony? That was also pretty good if I remember rightly. There were other rock-symphony amalgams to follow but I believe that LP was the first.

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