Сэр Джордж Мартин несёт классику в массы

Beatles Producer Brings Classics to the Masses
Wed Sep 4, 8:04 PM ET
By Dean Goodman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The producer who turned the Beatles onto classical music now hopes to bring the joys of Beethoven and Mozart to the masses.



Sir George Martin, 76, whose studio prowess helped propel the Fab Four to fame and fortune, has compiled a series of six enhanced CDs, largely aimed at young people for whom classical music might mean a 1970s rock album in their parents' record collection.

The six titles in Compendia Music Group's "Sir George Martin Presents" series cover Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Ravel, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Holst and Vaughan-Williams. In addition to compositions performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the CDs feature a video segment with commentary from Martin.

"The idea was to offer what I call 'lollipops' -- the pop end of classical music," Martin told Reuters on Wednesday. Hopefully people will listen to Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 on the CD and then research his other works, he said.

To make things even easier, Martin offers Beatles-related tidbits, like describing Tchaikovsky as the Paul McCartney of his day since both were considered great tunesmiths.

Martin knows of what he speaks, having produced a diverse range of classical, jazz and comedy acts before stumbling onto the Beatles in 1962.

He would urge key Beatles songwriters McCartney and John Lennon to think like classical composers, to develop sonata and symphonic forms. For example, Martin brought in a string quartet for "Yesterday," and overdubbed trumpet, oboe and flute players on "Penny Lane," both McCartney tunes.

"John would shrug his shoulders and say, 'I'm a rock 'n' roller. I can't do that.' Paul on the other hand was willing to have a go," Martin recalled.

Yet, Lennon did have a stab at the genre. Martin said Lennon was inspired to write the "Abbey Road" track "Because" after hearing his wife Yoko Ono trying to play Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on the piano.

Martin has just finished writing a limited-edition autobiography and keeps busy with charity projects. But his days as a rock producer are long gone.

"I'm 76 for God's sake! You want me to start doing rock 'n' roll now? No, definitely not! I'm not making any more records."

Интересно, многих ли безнадежных битломанов, отродясь не слушавших Чайковского или Дебюсси, марка "George Martin presents" сподобит приобрести эти диски? :))

Интересно, много ли среди битломанов тех, кто действительно отродясь ничего классического не слушали и в принципе не собираются...

Каждый настоящий битломан должен хотя бы раз в месяц слушать перед сном "Ливерпульскую ораторию", "Standing Stone" (чередуя их), в крайнем случае - вторую сторону "Yellow Submarine" :)))
Потому что из всех искусств для нас важнейшим является "The Beatles"!
В.И.Ульянов(Леннон)

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