Personnel: Jon Lord (piano, Clavinet, Hammond B-3 organ, synthesizer);
Andy Summers (guitar); Paul Karass (bass); Pete York (drums, gong, sleigh bells, shaker); Philharmonica Hungarica Orchestra.
Recorded at the Stadt Halle Oererckenschwick, Dusseldorf, Germany on September 3-6, 1975.
As Lord wrote in the liner notes, on this classical-rock fusion album, recorded in Deep Purple's dying days, "The theme behind the music on this album is that of a baroque dance suite; a form of music which was brought to its highest level by Bach. The title of each track is the name of a dance used in one of these dance suites, and I have tried to use the same tempo and feel as an original Sarabande, Gigue etc." The wholly instrumental work includes both some purely orchestral/symphonic passages and some fusiony rock chunks, as well as parts where the two forms merge to some extent. Among the rock section, Lord's keyboards are supported by ex-Spencer Davis Group drummer Pete York and a pre-Police Andy Summers on guitar. German composer and conductor Eberhard Schoener conducts the Philharmonica Hungarica Orchestra. The 1999 CD reissue (Purple 305) has extensive historical liner notes. ~ Richie Unterberger
