Melbourne Symphony - missed opportunity

[PenguinHead]

I've been listening carefully to a decent recording of Stevie's performance with the Melbourne Symphony (much thanks to whoever recorded and posted it!).

One of the major complaints was that the orchestra was under-utilized, ie. you couldn't hear them in many of the songs, especially the rockers. It seems that they really missed an opportunity to redefine and intergrate the orchestra with her songs. Instead the band just wailed away as usual, and the orchestra just provided a droned out backdrop.

I was listening to Elton John's album with the same orchestra. Granted, a lot of his early songs featured elaborate strings sections, so the orchestra was easy to intergrate. With Stevie's songs it proved a bit more challenging, but it doesn't seem they tried hard enough.

Certainly Beauty and the Beast and HAWAFY were obvious choices. And they did a good job with Landslide and Gold Dust Woman. Yet, weren't there other song choices that would have been better suited for an orchestra arrangement? Rooms on Fire comes to mind, especially the synth string intro that was used on the OSOTM live version.

What other songs of hers do you think might have worked well with the orchestra?

[ELIUD]

Any of them. They just needed a better person than Waddy or whomever was working with the orchestra to to arrange the music for each song.

What the USC Marching band conductor did with Don't Stop was brilliant.

[JazmenFlowers]

Originally Posted by ELIUD

Any of them. They just needed a better person than Waddy or whomever was working with the orchestra to to arrange the music for each song.

What the USC Marching band conductor did with Don't Stop was brilliant.

agreed. no offense to Mr. Wachtel.

[BlackWidow]

I'm just shocked that Stevie could not find any merit in the finished product!

[Sahara]

Elton's Live in Australia album is absolutely awesome.

I was pretty impressed with Stevie's outing with the orchestra, espesh on Gold Dust Woman. But yes, it could have been something more .... if only, if only they'd release it!

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by BlackWidow

I'm just shocked that Stevie could not find any merit in the finished product!

Agreed, Those "re-takes" of Outeside the rain and Dreams are MY FAVORITE VERSIONS OF THOSE TWO SONGS EVER ( whenever I would try to play 80's live outside the rain in front of anyone, I'd get laughed out of the park. ) This version sounds more modern,and cool and I love it. And on the youtube video of thiese two songs she is so animated, so The Melborne gig had some definite gems, but, oh well.

[BlackWidow]

Originally Posted by Phoenix

Agreed, Those "re-takes" of Outeside the rain and Dreams are MY FAVORITE VERSIONS OF THOSE TWO SONGS EVER ( whenever I would try to play 80's live outside the rain in front of anyone, I'd get laughed out of the park. ) This version sounds more modern,and cool and I love it. And on the youtube video of thiese two songs she is so animated, so The Melborne gig had some definite gems, but, oh well.

Hi Phoenix!
Good to hear from you.
I love Outside The Rain..You were just too progressive for the park people!
I agree the Re-Takes were terrific! The whole thing being shelved is just wrong!!!

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by BlackWidow

Hi Phoenix!
Good to hear from you.
I love Outside The Rain..You were just too progressive for the park people!
I agree the Re-Takes were terrific! The whole thing being shelved is just wrong!!!

Wow, hey , thanks for the warm welcome!,it has been alittle while. I know hugh, the people I was playin ball with, just werent stevies "peeps" funny enough though. they thought the recorded version was cool! just not the red rock one.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

What other songs of hers do you think might have worked well with the orchestra?

Kind Of Woman, How Still My Love, Love Is, Beautiful Child, Nightbird, Street Angel....all of these could be easily integrated with a full orchestra. Oh, and Gypsy, and Silver Springs, and The Highwayman.

[foxyluva]

I don't think anything has been confirmed about the DVD - it still may very well be released....

On another note - I think "Ghosts" would have worked brilliantly with an orchestra