Back when keyboard wizard Jon Lord wrote a concerto for Deep Purple to perform at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969, it was regarded by some as an ambitious folly – surely a hybrid of hard rock and classical hues wouldn’t work? Subsequently, however, it was deemed a pioneering move, one that would be replicated by other rockers (Roger Waters, Metallica) in years to come.
Lord retired from Purple in 2002, but the spirit of his audaciousness is evident in this show from the famed music festival last July. Whereas the 1969 performance featured music tailored specifically to be played with an orchestra, here we have towering monuments from the band’s heavy rock history (Smoke On The Water, Woman From Tokyo) tweaked and tinkered to accommodate a barrage of strings and more.
Don Airey, Lord’s replacement, is key to the success of the venture, his dextrous keyboard work providing a confident bridge between metal and chamber music, sneakily throwing the occasional Mozart motif into the mix. Even more impressive, however, is singer Ian Gillan, his full-throated howl kept in check and often serving as a counterpoint to the orchestrations.
