Rock & Roll Symphony 1 / Var

So what is a Rock & Roll Symphony anyway? Well, as David L. Miller, 50s pop orchestral producer-extraordinaire wrote, it's "Rock & Roll in the Sound of Magnificence!" This is the majesty of the symphony but with a solid beat and in spectacular concert-hall STEREO to demonstrate your high-end system with real speakers (remember those?).

When rock and roll came along in the 1950s, the older generation panicked. What was this crazy new music that teenagers were listening to, they wondered, with its pounding beat and wild vocalists? Where was the melody? And where was the appreciation for the classics and pop standards?

A handful of bandleaders decided to take matters into their own hands. Instead of sitting idly by and watching their album sales dwindle while unschooled and unruly musicians scored on the hit parade with "awful" rock and roll records, these bandleaders set out to make better rock and roll. Rock and roll with real melodies!

Rock & Roll Symphony No. 1 (A 1959 Stereo Concert) chronicles their orchestral effort to save rock and roll from itself. These 28 thoughtfully selected and carefully mastered recordings, some classical, some familiar standards ("Blueberry Hill" , "My Prayer", "Cry") combine gorgeous lush orchestral pop arrangements with a real old-school rock & roll back beat, all in audiophile fidelity and the kind of "wide" stereo you remember from the early days.

This unique CD includes performances from six different orchestral artists ranging from the 101 Strings in their only rock & roll outing (their entire "Back Beat Symphony" album is here) to the iconic hit single in this genre, "Only You" by Franck Pourcel (in its worldwide Stereo Debut) . Topped off by the highly sought-after "Soul Coaxing (Ame Caline)" by Raymond Lefevre, this collection of some of the greatest melodies ever written will have you wondering why this unique musical style lasted for only such a brief period in the late '50s and early '60s.

This special CD is produced by the same creative folks who lovingly compile and meticulously master those great Eric CDs in the States, so you can expect the same commitment to high-quality sound and attention to detail that is missing from so many reissue collections. Check out the sound samples available elsewhere (search for CD Title + Listen) and hear their impressive work for yourself.

If you love orchestral instrumentals or rock and roll then explore this short-lived chapter in orchestral instrumental pop music with us! It just doesn't get any grander than this!