Dead Symphony No. 6

Lee Johnson/Russian National Orchestra - Dead Symphony No. 6

Dead Symphony No. 6
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CD Details

Artist: Lee Johnson/Russian National Orchestra
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Single
CD Release Date: 2007-07-24
Music Label: OMI Records
Soundtracks:
  1. Dead Overture
  2. Saint Stephen
  3. Here Comes Sunshine
  4. Mountains of the Moon
  5. Blues for Allah
  6. Sugar Magnolia
  7. To Lay Me Down
  8. If I Had the World to Give
  9. Stella Blue
  10. Bird Song
  11. China Doll
  12. Dead Finale

Music reviews of Dead Symphony No. 6

Music Review: well executed but uncompelling
Rating: 3 Stars

Starting with the release of "Deadicated" (1991), I've picked up just about every Grateful Dead tribute. I have the tributes in bluegrass, rock, reggae, a capella and jazz ("Blues for Allah Project" "Dark Star" "Swingin'"). Being an enthusiast for orchestral music, I was surprised to discover that this is the only philharmonic Dead tribute. In a day when most bands seem to have a string quartet or symphony orchestra tribute, it's odd that it took so long for the Grateful Dead. In any case, here it is and I'm not sure if it was worth the wait. "Dead Symphony" makes the opposite mistake that spoils most of these tributes. Most of these projects are money grubbing schemes that hire mediocre studio musicians to pump out simplistic and soulless renditions. As if conscious of this pitfall, "Dead Symphony" steered too hard in the other direction. It sounds as if Lee Johnson took this project too seriously and overcompensated. The essential melodies are often elusive. As a result, many of the compositions are difficult to recognize. The sound is often too large and busy as a result of over intellectualization. The benefits of this reworking are negligible while it suggests that Johnson thought the music needed help. The upbeat tunes often sound like they belong on the soundtrack to a vintage Western film. This bombastic style has merit, but it doesn't fit the Dead. The slower, softer tunes are the ones that work best. Indeed, highlights include 'Mountains of the Moon' and 'Blues for Allah.' The drawbacks to this project are not from a lack of effort or authentic dedication. As with Amazon reviewer Robin Russell, I can easily understand how some listeners may fully appreciate this project. In the end, I found "Dead Symphony" to be enjoyable background music that probably won't get more than a few additional spins before collecting dust. While "Dead Symphony" makes a meaningful contribution, let's hope that it serves to open the gates for similarly minded Dead tributes.
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Description of Dead Symphony No. 6

From Reuters Life: THE GRATEFUL DEAD made their name playing improvisational music born anew with every performance, and now an American composer has sought to capture their psychedelic spirit in a classical symphony. 'DEAD SYMPHONY NO. 6' by LEE JOHNSON encompasses some of the band's most familiar melodies and its most otherworldly jams in a work in 12 movements. The symphony is 'a musical embrace of American culture' and a natural outgrowth of the band's spirit. Highlights include movements based on the Dead's psychedelic classic 'St. Stephen' and the rarely played 'Mountains of the Moon.' There is even an improvised portion, in the lament 'Stella Blue.' Johnson chose songs based on their melodic potential and overall fit. A movement based on the song 'Here Comes Sunshine,' for example, stretches the original melody in time so it is almost unrecognizable amid the harmonies. One ambitious movement was based on 'Blues for Allah,' which was played live only three times by the Grateful Dead. In Johnson's version, a clarinet's jaunty refrain evokes American composer George Gershwin, while deep cellos envelop the movement in its powerful Middle Eastern theme. The symphony's overture and finale include strains of 'Funiculi Funicula,' the much-parodied Italian song the Dead used often as a playful tune-up riff. Track List: 1 Dead Overture mvt I (Johnson)(1:53) 2 Saint Stephen mvt II (Hunter, Garcia, Lesh)(4:12) 3 Here Comes Sunshine mvt III (Hunter, Garcia) (6:38) 4 Mountains of The Moon mvt IV (Hunter, Garcia) (3:34) 5 Blues For Allah mvt V (Hunter, Garcia) (4:21) 6 Sugar Magnolia mvt VI (Hunter, Weir) (2:57) 7 To Lay Me Down mvt VII (Hunter, Garcia) (6:12) 8 If I Had The World To Give mvt VIII (Hunter, Garcia) (3:59) 9 Stella Blue mvt IX (Hunter, Garcia) (4:54) 10 Bird Song mvt X (Hunter, Garcia) (2:42) 11 China Doll mvt XI (Hunter, Garcia) (5:12) 12 Dead Finale mvt XII (Johnson) (1:51)

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