Contact: Judy McDonough
Compendia Music Group
615-277-1824
jmcdonough@compendiamusic.com
Sir
George Martin Partners With Compendia Music Group to Release "Enhanced
CD" Classical Collection
Famous Producer, Writer, Arranger
Seeks to De-mystify Classical Music With This Collection; Delightful
Video Commentary a Bonus for New Classical Listeners and Beatle Fans
Alike
LONDON,
ENGLAND/NASHVILLE, TN - (April 8, 2002) Sir George Martin, the legendary
producer, composer and arranger best known for his work with The Beatles,
has collaborated with Compendia Music Group to release a classical
music series, enhanced with video commentary, entitled "Sir George
Martin Presents". All six enhanced compact disc titles will be
released in the U.S. on April 9, 2002.
The enhanced CD provides two ways for the consumer to enjoy the "Sir
George Martin Presents" series. When played in a compact disc
player, the CD contains classical compositions personally selected
by the famed producer, and performed by London’s Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra. When the CD is played in a computer, the consumer can listen
to the music while accessing video interviews with Sir George as he
gives details about the featured composers and compositions, personalizing
the commentary by relating it to his work and career. The video portion
of the enhanced CD also contains a section where consumers can view
a selection of artwork from that period, as well as an extensive biography
of Sir George Martin.
The six titles in the "Sir George Martin Presents" series
- Bach and the Baroque, Mozart, Beethoven, The Impressionists: Ravel
and Debussy, Tchiakovsky and Holst and Vaughan-Williams - will be
released on the Compendia label, and distributed through the Compendia
Distribution Group. Further details and a demonstration of the enhanced
CD features of this project are available at www.georgemartin.com.
"For me, music is music," said Martin. "I think there
are only two types of music – good and bad. Unfortunately, there
are some people in the classical music world who have done a great
disservice to that music, because they've made it intimidating. It
shouldn't be - it's music that should be enjoyed by everyone. I want
people to be aware of all these gems that are available to them. If
they delve in, there's tremendous enjoyment to be got out of it. So
this is my invitation to dig in, listen, and enjoy!"
"This collection gives people who aren't yet tuned into classical
music a taste of what there is in store," the producer continued.
"The selections range from the really classical composers like
Bach to the composers of the last century, and covers a huge span
of the rising curve of genius in music and human history. If you're
listening to this stuff for the first time, this is just a taste of
things to come because it points the way to where you can find enormous
enjoyment in a whole world of untapped classical music."
"We approached Sir George about this project because we knew
that he, maybe better than anyone else, could get people to listen
to classical music with fresh ears," said Martin Tudor, CEO of
Compendia Media Group. "I have been privileged to know George
for many years now; I was well aware of his deep passion for music,
all music, and that was a key element in Compendia attempting this
series."
Widely acclaimed as the most influential and prolific record producer
in history, Martin has produced more than 700 recordings in a career
spanning 50 years and genres as diverse as jazz, rock, classical,
comedy and film soundtracks, with an unprecedented and unmatched 31
Number 1 hits.
Beloved for his work with The Beatles, Martin is lesser known for
his training in and love for classic music. Classical influences are
prevalent throughout his work and among many of the Beatles’
most famous recordings including "Eleanor Rigby," "In
My Life" (with its baroque-style middle eight) and the classic
crescendo at the end of "A Day In The Life".
The famed producer, in fact, makes an occasional reference to the
Beatles in the video portion of the "Sir George Martin Presents"
series, including the following story about a well-known Beatles tune:
"One day Paul McCartney came to me and said, ‘I listened
to something last night; it was Bach, and it featured a very high
trumpet.’ I said, ‘That’s probably one of the Brandenburg
Concertos, Paul, probably a trumpet in D or a piccolo trumpet.’
He said, ‘That’s a really great sound – could we use
it?’ I said, ‘Sure we can – absolutely!’ The result
was the obbligato (the very distinctive horn accompaniment) on ‘Penny
Lane’ . . . so without Bach, ‘Penny Lane’ would not
be what it is today."
ABOUT SIR GEORGE MARTIN
Although frequently ascribed the title of the "Fifth Beatle,"
Sir George’s career is uniquely diverse. He grew up with no formal
musical training and taught himself to play piano by ear and by sixteen
had his own dance band. Beginning in 1947, he studied composition
and classical music orchestration while developing his talents in
the piano and the oboe at London's Guildhall School of Music. He entered
the music industry in 1950 at Parlophone Records and was responsible
for classical recordings while establishing himself as a jazz and
light music producer, working with such names as Cleo Laine, Stan
Getz, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and Judy Garland.
In 1963, records produced by George Martin held the number one position
on the British charts for an unprecedented 37 weeks of the year. In
1997, he produced "Candle In The Wind '97", Elton John's
tribute to the late Princess Diana, which became the best-selling
single of all time. In addition to his work with the Beatles, Martin
also produced numerous other artists, as well as producing memorable
and popular movie theme songs, including "Goldfinger," "From
Russia With Love" and "Live and Let Die" for the "James
Bond" box-office hit movies. A member of the Rock N’ Roll
Hall of Fame, Martin was named one of Britain's top 300 achievers
of the century in 1999.
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