“Pete Townshend as announced a symphonic reimagining of the Who’s ‘Quadrophenia,’ orchestrated by his partner, Rachel Fuller,” reports Sean Michaels in Tuesday’s (12/2) Guardian (London). “ ‘Classic Quadrophenia’ will be released by the esteemed classical label Deutsche Grammophon in June 2015. In a statement, Townshend said he hoped this version of ‘Quadrophenia’ would help ‘reinvigorate’ classical audiences, ‘[bringing] people who might not otherwise go to see a symphony orchestra perform without lights and fireworks and a movie screen.’ Townshend himself plays electric guitar on the record, which was recorded in October.… But Roger Daltrey is absent; almost all the vocals will be provided by platinum-selling English tenor Alfie Boe. ‘[“Quadrophenia”] is in my blood,’ Boe said. ‘I wouldn’t separate [this music] from a symphony by Beethoven or Mozart.’ … Boe and Townshend recorded ‘Classic Quadrophenia’ with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Oriana Choir, conducted by Robert Ziegler. All of these players will reunite for the orchestral arrangement’s world premiere: 5 July 2015, at London’s Royal Albert Hall. … ‘Quadrophenia’ was first released in 1973—the year Boe was born—and later transformed into a feature film.… Townshend, 69, allegedly hopes to ‘leave a legacy’ by overseeing orchestral arrangements for all of his work.”
Posted December 4, 2014
