Working Classical | ||||
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Studio album by Paul McCartney with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Loma Mar Quartet | ||||
Released | 1 November 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1998–1999 | |||
Studio | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | |||
Genre | Classical, chamber music | |||
Length | 61:35 | |||
Label | EMI Classics | |||
Producer | John Fraser | |||
Paul McCartney chronology | ||||
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Paul McCartney classical album chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [2] |
Working Classical is Paul McCartney's third full-length release of original classical music as a double LP and as a single CD, and was issued less than a month after Run Devil Run's release in 1999.
Following up on 1997's Standing Stone , the concept behind Working Classical was to place pre-existing (and in some cases, very well known) McCartney songs into an orchestral context. Specially for this project, McCartney also unveiled some new pieces, namely "Haymakers", "Midwife", "Spiral" and "Tuesday". A different performance of "A Leaf" was originally released on 21 April 1995 on a CD single, and is presented here in a new recording.
Performing the new arrangements are the London Symphony Orchestra and the Loma Mar Quartet, with special orchestrations arranged by noted musicians Richard Rodney Bennett, Jonathan Tunick and Andy Stein. [3]
The title of this project is a pun on the phrase "working class", in the sense that McCartney, despite his elevated stature, still cherishes his Liverpool roots and is proud of them. Mirroring this ideology is his pride in his rock and roll songs and willingness to transfer them into the "elevated" classical music genre.
Paul McCartney's Working Classical was another success in that genre, even though this time it failed to dent the regular US album charts, and was better received critically than his previous effort, Standing Stone . His subsequent forays into the classical realm are 2006's Ecce Cor Meum and 2011's Ocean's Kingdom .
All pieces by Paul McCartney.
"For No One" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1966 album Revolver. It was written by Paul McCartney, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. An early example of baroque pop drawing on both baroque music and nineteenth-century art song, it describes the end of a romantic relationship. Mostly performed by the composer, the track is distinguished by its French horn line performed by Alan Civil, played first as a solo and then as counterpoint in the final verse. It was considered one of McCartney's most mature compositions to date on its release.
Band on the Run is the third studio album by the British–American rock band Paul McCartney and Wings, released in December 1973. It was McCartney's fifth album after leaving the Beatles in April 1970. Although sales were modest initially, its commercial performance was aided by two hit singles – "Jet" and "Band on the Run" – such that it became the top-selling studio album of 1974 in the United Kingdom and Australia, in addition to revitalising McCartney's critical standing. It remains McCartney's most successful album and the most celebrated of his post-Beatles works.
Ram is the only album credited to the husband-and-wife music duo Paul and Linda McCartney, released on 17 May 1971 by Apple Records. It was recorded in New York with guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken, and future Wings drummer Denny Seiwell. Three singles were issued from the album: "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey", "The Back Seat of My Car" and "Eat at Home." The recording sessions also yielded the non-album single "Another Day."
Lennon is a four-CD box set compilation, featuring highlights from the solo musical career of John Lennon. It was released in 1990 and is not to be confused with the 2015 box set of the same name, which comprised Lennon's eight original studio albums on vinyl LPs.
Give My Regards to Broad Street is the fifth solo studio album by Paul McCartney and the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The album reached number 1 on the UK chart. The lead single, "No More Lonely Nights", was BAFTA and Golden Globe Award nominated. It was also to be his final album to be released under Columbia Records, which had been his US label for over five years.
Flowers in the Dirt is the eighth studio solo album by Paul McCartney. The album was released on 5 June 1989 on Parlophone, as he was embarking on his first world tour since the Wings Over the World tour in 1975–76. It earned McCartney some of his best reviews for an album of original songs since Tug of War (1982). The album made number one in the United Kingdom and Norway and produced several hit singles. The album artwork was a collaboration between artist Brian Clarke, who painted the canvas and arranged the flowers, and Linda McCartney, who produced the cover photography.
Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio is a live album by Paul McCartney and Carl Davis, released in 1991. It is McCartney's first major foray into classical music. Composed in collaboration with Carl Davis to commemorate the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's 150th anniversary, the project received media attention upon its unveiling in June 1991.
Standing Stone is Paul McCartney's second full-length release of original classical music, although he defined it as orchestral music. It was issued shortly after the release of Flaming Pie. The world premiere performance was held at The Royal Albert Hall on 14 October 1997.
James Louis McCartney is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is the son of singer, songwriter, and former Beatle Paul McCartney. He has contributed to solo albums by his parents, including Flaming Pie (1997) and Driving Rain (2001) by Paul McCartney, and Wide Prairie (1998) by Linda McCartney. He has released two EPs and two albums. His most recent, The Blackberry Train, was released on 6 May 2016.
Ecce Cor Meum is the fourth classical album by Paul McCartney. The album was released on 25 September 2006 by EMI Classics. An oratorio in four movements, it is produced by John Fraser, written in Latin and English, and scored for orchestra and boys and adult choir. The oratorio was partly inspired by McCartney's wife Linda. It is also the only classical album by McCartney that was not released on vinyl.
Sir James Paul McCartney is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One of the most successful composers and performers of all time, McCartney is known for his melodic approach to bass-playing, versatile and wide tenor vocal range, and musical eclecticism, exploring genres ranging from pre–rock and roll pop to classical, ballads, and electronica. His songwriting partnership with Lennon remains the most successful in history.
"This One" is a single from Paul McCartney's 1989 album, Flowers in the Dirt. The song reached number 18 on the UK singles chart. It also reached number 8 on the Ö3 Austria Top 40 in Austria, number 31 in the Dutch Top 40 in the Netherlands, number 40 on the Media Control Charts in Germany and number 14 in Japan.
Live in Los Angeles is a promotional live album by Paul McCartney recorded during a secret performance on 27 June 2007 at Amoeba Music in Hollywood, California. The album was released only in the United Kingdom and Ireland through a special promotion run by The Mail on Sunday and the Irish Sunday Mail.
Ocean's Kingdom is the fifth classical album by Paul McCartney. It is the score of the ballet of the same name, commissioned by the New York City Ballet. It was performed by the London Classical Orchestra and conducted by John Wilson. The album was released on CD and vinyl, on 3 October 2011 by Decca (UK) and October 4 (US) by Hear Music/Telarc (US). In the United States, it peaked at number 144 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album has a score of 60 out of 100 at Metacritic, based on eight reviews, signifying a "mixed or average" critical response.
Paul McCartney: In the World Tonight is a 1997 documentary about the making of Paul McCartney's Flaming Pie album. The film takes its name from the album's second track, "The World Tonight".
Kisses on the Bottom is the fifteenth solo studio album by Paul McCartney, consisting primarily of covers of traditional pop music and jazz. Released in February 2012 on Starbucks' Hear Music label, it was McCartney's first studio album since Memory Almost Full in 2007. The album was produced by Tommy LiPuma and includes just two original compositions by McCartney: "My Valentine" and "Only Our Hearts". The former features jazz drummer Karriem Riggins. Kisses on the Bottom peaked at number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and number 5 on the US Billboard 200, while also topping Billboard magazine's Jazz Albums chart.
A Leaf is a classical piece written by Paul McCartney, with assistance from John Fraser, and performed by Anya Alexeyev on piano. The piece is split into 7 parts. It was recorded live in front of Prince Charles as part of the "An Evening with Paul McCartney & Friends" concert, on 23 March 1995 at Royal College of Music, and it was debuted on US radio as part of a radio special titled Classical McCartney.
New is the sixteenth solo studio album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 11 October 2013 through MPL Communications, Hear Music, and Universal International. The album was his first since 2007's Memory Almost Full to consist entirely of new compositions.
McCartney III is the 18th solo album by English musician Paul McCartney, released on 18 December 2020 by Capitol Records. It serves as a continuation to his solo albums McCartney (1970) and McCartney II (1980). Similar to those albums, McCartney III features McCartney on all instruments. It became McCartney's first UK number-one solo album since Flowers in the Dirt in 1989, and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 albums chart. The album received a nomination at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards for "Best Rock Album", along with "Find My Way" for "Best Rock Song". In 2022, the album was packaged with McCartney and McCartney II as part of the McCartney I II III box set.