LIVE AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL WITH THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PART 1

This is the first leg of a dual album. It should have been wise to combine them into a more affordable double album. Anyway.

This concert at the Royal Albert Hall is another occasion for the band to play lots of their great classic songs in combination with an orchestra. They already had done this experience a year earlier in New York (Carnegie Hall).

After the fully orchestrated and dull "Prologue", the band joins the orchestra for a more convincing "Can You Understand" one of their best song in their whole career.

This album seems a bit superfluous since four out of the five songs available were already released in their New York album.

On top of this, the interpretation is pretty much similar. But it is of course always a pleasure to listen to these marvelous symphonic pieces of music. Die-hard fans are probably interested in both recordings (as I am) but more casual ones, are probably more inclined to chose either one or the other.

Annie's voice always sounds as nice as ever and the orchestra has a good backing role throughout the different songs available on this first CD.

The most rewarding track is "Can You Hear Me" from their album "Novella" (just released a couple of weeks prior to this concert as Annie introduces it). Since the original already had the benefit of the addition of an orchestra, little difference can be noticed. A pretty faithful rendition of this great track.

The third highlight is of course the "Song Of Sheherazade". A brilliant composition and a fantastic live version. Probably superior to the Carnegie Hall one. But in the meantime (a year or so), the band has practiced and polished this excellent prog epic in front of an audience. Splendid.

I am still wondering why it took so long to release this work. It might have been wiser to have brought this to the public during the bright period of the band and not some twenty years after the representation.

Still, I rate this live work with four stars. Thanks to three long tracks.