The practice of performers adapting popular tunes has a long history, and the jazz movement that emerged in the early 20th century picked right up on the trend. For the Art Deco Trio's sophomore release, Classical Changes, pianist Iain Farrington has done more than simply transcribing this veritable who's who of classical hits, essentially recomposing them for himself and his fellow Trio members, Peter Sparks (clarinet) and Kyle Horch (saxophone). A quick glance at the track titles on this program will likely elicit a ...
Read More
The practice of performers adapting popular tunes has a long history, and the jazz movement that emerged in the early 20th century picked right up on the trend. For the Art Deco Trio's sophomore release, Classical Changes, pianist Iain Farrington has done more than simply transcribing this veritable who's who of classical hits, essentially recomposing them for himself and his fellow Trio members, Peter Sparks (clarinet) and Kyle Horch (saxophone). A quick glance at the track titles on this program will likely elicit a chuckle, but the witty titles relate to Farrington's take on the tunes. The Art Deco Trio offers a variety of styles in these interpretations, kicking things off with the snappy "The Bite of the Flumblebee" (after Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee), which will give listeners a sample of the technical skill held by the Trio members. Elsewhere, the Trio offers takes on Beethoven's Für Elise with "Elise's Blues" (transforming it into a forlorn tale of love lost), two pieces from Bizet's Carmen, and even remakes Brahms' Wiegenlied ("Lullaby"). Beyond the classical hits offered by the Trio are two suites that Farrington had originally arranged for different instrumentation before further adapting them: A Sea Shanty Shake-Up, for orchestra, and a collection of African American spirituals and traditional songs, Lay My Burden Down, which was first arranged for organ. A Sea Shanty Shake-Up is pure fun and fits the players well. On the other hand, while Lay My Burden Down has some quality moments, the clarinet-saxophone-piano sound doesn't quite have the weight required for the original songs, which could benefit from a more fleshed-out instrumentation and arrangement. There is something here for fans of classical and jazz music alike, and it may create new fans of both. ~ Keith Finke, Rovi
Read Less
Add this copy of Classical Changes to cart. $30.05, new condition, Sold by newtownvideo rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from huntingdon valley, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2023 by Somm Recordings.
Add this copy of Classical Changes to cart. $38.95, new condition, Sold by Revaluation Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2023 by Somm Recordings.
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © 2024 Rovi Corporation.