Liverpool Oratorio
Tracklisting
- Movement I - War Andante (Orchestra)
- Movement I - War 'Non Nobis Solum'
- Movement I - War 'The Air Raid Siren Slices Through...' (Shanty)
- Movement I - War 'Oh Will It All End Here ' (Shanty)
- Movement I - War 'Mother And Father Holding Their Child'
- Movement II - School 'We're Here In School Today To Get A Perfect Education'
- Movement II - School 'Walk In Single File Out Of The Classroom' (Headmaster)
- Movement II - School 'Settle Down'
- Movement II - School 'Kept In Confusion' (Shanty)
- Movement II - School 'I'll Always Be Here' (Mary Dee)
- Movement II - School 'Boys, This Is Your Teacher' (Headmaster, Miss Inkley)
- Movement II - School 'Tres Conejos' (Miss Inkley, Headmaster, Shanty)
- Movement II - School 'Not For Ourselves' (Headmaster, Miss Inkley, Shanty)
- Movement III - Crypt 'And So It Was That I Had Grown' (Shanty)
- Movement III - Crypt Dance
- Movement III - Crypt 'I Used To Come Here When This Place Was A Crypt' (Shanty, Preacher)
- Movement III - Crypt 'Here Now' (Shanty)
- Movement III - Crypt 'I'll Always Be Here' (Mary Dee, Shanty)
- Movement III - Crypt 'Now's The Time To Tell Him' (Mary Dee, Shanty)
- Movement IV - Father Andante Lamentoso
- Movement IV - Father 'o Father, You Have Given...' (Chief Mourner)
- Movement IV - Father '(Ah)'
- Movement IV - Father 'Hey, Wait A Minute' (Shanty)
- Movement IV - Father 'Father, Father, Father' (Shanty, Chief Mourner)
- Movement V Wedding Andante Amoroso - 'I Know I Should Be Glad Of This' (Shanty, Mary Dee)
- Movement V Wedding - 'Father, Hear Our Humble Voices' (Preacher)
- Movement V Wedding 'Hosanna, Hosanna' (Mary Dee, Shanty)
- Movement VI Work Allegro Energico
- Movement VI Work 'Working Women At The Top' (Mary Dee)
- Movement VI Work Violin Solo
- Movement VI Work 'Did I Sign The Letter...' (Mary Dee)
- Movement VI - Work Tempo I
- Movement VI Work 'When You Ask A Working Man' (Shanty, Mr. Dingle)
- Movement VI - Work - 'Let's Find Ourselves A Little Hostelry' (Mr. Dingle)
- Movement VII - Crises - Allegro Molto
- Movement VII - Crises - 'The World You're Coming Into' (Mary Dee)
- Movement VII - Crises - Tempo I
- Movement VII - Crises - 'Where's My Dinner ' (Shanty, Mary Dee)
- Movement VII - Crises - 'Let's Not Argue' (Shanty, Mary Dee)
- Movement VII - Crises - 'I'm Not A Slave' (Mary Dee, Shanty)
- Movement VII - Crises - 'Right! That's It!' (Mary Dee)
- Movement VII - Crises - 'Stop. Wait.'
- Movement VII - Crises - 'Do You Know Who You Are...' (Nurse)
- Movement VII - Crises - 'Ghosts Of The Past Left Behind' [Taken from Liverpool Oratorio Selections]
- Movement VII - Crises - 'Do We Live In A World...' (Mary Dee, Nurse, Shanty)
- Movement VIII - Peace - 'And So It Was That You Were Born' (Shanty)
- Movement VIII - Peace - 'God Is Good'
- Movement VIII - Peace - 'What People Want Is A Family Life' (Preacher)
- Movement VIII - Peace - 'Dad's In The Garden' (Nurse, Mary Dee, Preacher, Shanty)
- Movement VIII - Peace - 'So On And On The Story Goes' (Shanty, Mary Dee)
Album Notes
Paul’s first full-scale departure into classical music was unveiled with the live recording of Liverpool Oratorio. On the night itself, Paul explained: “I remember coming here to Liverpool Anglican Cathedral when I was 11 to audition for the choir. I failed the audition. I always hoped that one day I would be able to get my own back.” From a rough outline concept the project developed into an eight movements, a triumph that befits its two esteemed creators, Paul and his symphonic collaborator Carl Davis. Each of the movements has a theme – War, School, Crypt, Father, Wedding, Work, Crises and Peace, each of them loosely based on Paul's life, and entrancing in its own way. The album was a huge success on the classical charts upon release and even entered the mainstream US Top 200, almost unheard of for a classical piece of work.
Performed by:
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa: Soprano (Mary Dee)
Sally Burgess: Mezzo-sopraono (Miss Inkley / Chief Mourner / Nurse)
Jerry Hadley: Tenor (Shanty)
Willard White: Bass (Headmaster / Preacher / Mr Dingle)
Jeremy Budd: Boy Soloist
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir & Choristers of Liverpool Cathedral
Chorus Master & Master of the Choristers: Ian Tracey
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Leader: Malcolm Stewart
Conducted by Carl Davis
Malcolm Stewart: Solo Violin
Ian Balmain: Solo Trumpet
Timothy Walden: Solo Cello
Anna Cooper: Cor Anglais
All tracks composed by Paul McCartney
Executive Producer: Paul McCartney
Producer: John Fraser
Balance engineer: John Timperley
Additional Engeineers: Eddie Klein, Peter Mew, Martin Astle, Tom Leader
Editor: Peter Mew & Tom Leader
Assistant to Carl Davis: Nic Raine
Recorded live at Liverpool Cathedral, 18th & 29th June 1991
All tracks published by MPL Communications Ltd
Three years ago I was given the opportunity when Carl Davis approached me on behalf of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society to write a piece for their 150th Anniversary Celebrations. Carl and I started working then on what was to become the Oratorio for Liverpool. Finally, after hundreds of hours of scoring and re-scoring we finished it.Paul