Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio

Infobox Album | Name = Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio
Type = Live album
Artist = Paul McCartney and Carl Davis


Released = 11 October 1991
Recorded = 28 & 29 June 1991 | Genre = Classical
Length = 1:37:28
Label = EMI Classics
Producer = John Fraser
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:4dpsa9igb23h link]
Chronology = Paul McCartney
Last album = "Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)"
(1991)
This album = "Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio"
(1991)
Next album = "Off the Ground"
(1993) |

"Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio" is Paul McCartney's first official foray into classical music and was released in 1991. Composed in collaboration with Carl Davis to commemorate The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra's 150th anniversary, the project received a large amount of media attention upon its unveiling in June 1991.

Broken up into eight separate movements, the story of the oratorio loosely follows McCartney's own lifeline, with the main character, Shanty, who is born in 1942 in Liverpool, raised to believe that "being born where you are born carries with it certain responsibilities". After his school days where he often "sagged off" (Liverpool slang for skipping class), Shanty began working and meets his future bride, Mary Dee. Following the death of his father, Shanty and Mary Dee are married and are forced to deal with the rigors of balancing a happy marriage and their careers. Amid a quarrel, Mary Dee reveals that she is pregnant and after surviving a nearly fatal accident, gives birth to their son. Thus, the cycle of life in Liverpool carries on.

This recording was captured at the oratorio's premiere at the Liverpool Cathedral with McCartney in attendance and features noted professional classical singers Kiri Te Kanawa, Jerry Hadley, Sally Burgess and Willard White re-enacting the roles in the oratorio.

"Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio" was generally well-received, though a sampling of traditionalist critics took exception to a "pop star" composing classical music. The commercial reaction, predictably, was strong, with the oratorio spending many weeks atop the classical charts worldwide, and even charting at #177 in regular album chart in the US.

Track listing

All pieces by Paul McCartney and Carl Davis. The first four movements are on disc one, the second four on disc two.

Movement I: WAR

#Track 1 – 2:02
#Track 2 – 2:35
#Track 3 – 2:09
#Track 4 – 1:36
#Track 5 – 1:16

Movement II: SCHOOL

#Track 6 – 2:10
#Track 7 – 1:02
#Track 8 – 0:40
#Track 9 – 2:35
#Track 10 – 1:35
#Track 11 – 1:23
#Track 12 – 1:50
#Track 13 – 0:55

Movement III: CRYPT

#Track 14 – 0:48
#Track 15 – 1:44
#Track 16 – 1:58
#Track 17 – 0:46
#Track 18 – 2:24
#Track 19 – 2:21

Movement IV: FATHER

#Track 20 – 2:59
#Track 21 – 1:05
#Track 22 – 1:13
#Track 23 – 1:44
#Track 24 – 4:12

Movement V: WEDDING

#Track 1 – 5:42
#Track 2 – 1:13
#Track 3 – 1:40

Movement VI: WORK

#Track 4 – 1:20
#Track 5 – 2:52
#Track 6 – 5:05
#Track 7 – 1:34
#Track 8 – 0:30
#Track 9 – 1:34
#Track 10 – 2:04

Movement VII: CRISES

#Track 11 – 0:54
#Track 12 – 2:28
#Track 13 – 0:45
#Track 14 – 2:40
#Track 15 – 0:31
#Track 16 – 0:52
#Track 17 – 0:49
#Track 18 – 2:03
#Track 19 – 3:36
#Track 20 – 3:08
#Track 21 – 3:18

Movement VIII: PEACE

#Track 22 – 1:22
#Track 23 – 1:26
#Track 24 – 2:17
#Track 25 – 3:13
#Track 26 – 1:06

Personnel

*Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, orchestra
*Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, chorus
*Liverpool Cathedral Choiristers, chorus
*Carl Davis, conductor
*Ian Tracey, conductor
*Kiri Te Kanawa, soprano
*Jerry Hadley, tenor
*Sally Burgess, mezzo-soprano
*Willard White, bass