I was sent a Czech newspaper article about this... Vladimír Vlašak warbled
on about Orbit's antecedents for a couple of paragraphs (Rick Wakeman!),
then this:
'Orbit, real name William Wainright, didn't want to take classical pieces
apart, destroy them with unnatural sounds or turn them into some kind of
avant garde creations. On the album Pieces in a Modern Style, Orbit's
approach is in fact very conservative and delicate - especially in view of
the possibilities open to him through modern technology ... Orbit used
classical strings for the 10 minute Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber,
which was issued as a single at the end of last year to fit with the
Christmas mood and as a trailer for the album. The music engenders the
feeling of a space filled with an elevating and all-embracing mood which
strengthens progressively into a sense almost of longing, which could almost
be kitsch-like, but is kept from sentimentality by Orbit's skilful
handling.'
Rubbish. I heard the trancy 'Adagio for Strings' on Radio 1... Barber is
rotating in his grave fast enough to power a generator. It was extremely
competent trance, yes, but bombastically inappropriate to the original. The
contrast between energetic synths and elegiac strings is just too much, and
worryingly populist at that. Now, a minimal version in the same vein as
SAWII CD2 track2... that would be good. Anyone want to do one?
Actually, I admit I haven't heard the album, so this might be unfair; but if
this is what he chooses as his example...
James Roberts
www.listen.to/isds
'Like a toaster each month we hand him over'
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