Jon Lord - Sarabande (Remastered) (1976/2019) [Hi-Res]

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. AllMusic Review by Richie Unterberger