CONCERTO FOR GROUP AND ORCHESTRA

I received this album under its cassette version somewhere in June 72. At that time it was the basic version which featured the three movements only. Each one contains a solo work from Paice, Lord and Blackmore. Those were the only moments I could cope with this record. My experience with the Purple in those days was chronologially the single "Black Night" and their albums "Fireball" and "Machine Head". I spinned the last one quite extensively for a few weeks before hearing this classical / rock combination work from Jon Lord which I could never, ever enter into. So, these classic numbers were quite a shock and cannot be compared with a standard Purple album. It is the first album of the Mark II era, and the first to chart in the UK (Nr. 26).

The remastered and extended version provides a bonus CD with "Hush"," Wring That Neck" and "Child In Time". Gilan and Glover have just joined the band. Their live performances in these early times of Mark II era will still be influenced by some Mark I tracks and will be quite expanded ("Wring That Neck" and "Mandrake Root"). The highlight on this bonus CD is of course "Child In Time". It must be one of their earliest live version for it and Gilan is really fanstastic in the vocals. This version is by far superioir to the one on "Made In Japan". Ritchie outrageous guitar solo is also one of the greatest hard rock experience you can expect. Fabulous. The "Hush" version also shows that Gilan is from another caliber than Rod Evans. You should only buy this one if you can get hold on the double CD version unless you can stand classical music which is not my case. For the very good bonus CD, I will rate this one three stars (only one star for the original vinyl album).