All covers have a minor corner bend. Discs inside are undamaged.
Ocean's Kingdom is the legendary Sir Paul McCartney's highly anticipated original orchestral score recorded early in 2011 with the London Classical Orchestra. The haunting and beautiful score was written for the New York City Ballet and is his first-ever orchestral piece written specifically for the world of dance. Ocean's Kingdom is a collaboration between McCartney and the New York City Ballet's Master in Chief Peter Martins.
Though the work is Paul's first ballet, he approached the project in the same way he writes all other music, driven by his heart rather than his head and inspired by feeling rather than specific technical knowledge. While this may have been another new turn for his staggeringly varied career to take, Paul knew it had to be influenced by his own personal experience and that he needed to create a story the audience would find equally compelling and moving.
Paul's first step was to visit the Royal Opera House to see Adolphe Adam's 'Giselle', danced by the Royal Ballet. Afterwards, Paul met the dancers and discussed the work with them, realizing as he did so that he was still without a central theme to his work. Keen to tell a story through his music, Paul decided to focus on the purity of the ocean and within just two months, the first draft had been completed. He then went through the music again thinking specifically of the ballet itself, thereby creating a world featuring distinctive characters and a vibrant underworld kingdom. Finally, Paul spent many more weeks working alongside Peter Martins to refine the work, before Peter created the choreography.
An hour long score featuring four stunning movements - Ocean's Kingdom, Hall of Dance, Imprisonment and Moonrise the ballet tells of a love story within the story of an underwater world whose people are threatened by the humans of Earth. A potently expressive and richly varied work, the score is Paul's most challenging and emotionally complex yet. As he explains: What was interesting was writing music that meant something expressively rather than just writing a song. Trying to write something that expressed an emotion so you have fear, love, anger, sadness to play with and I found that exciting and challenging.
Although this is his first orchestral score for dance, Paul is already quite at home in the world of classical music. His back catalogue already carries four classical albums including the Classical BRIT Award winning Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart) from 2006.
Features:
• 180g Audiophile Double Vinyl Edition
• Includes Digital Download including a Bonus Live Recording of The New York Gala Premiere
• Gatefold jacket
Musicians:
London Classial Orchestra
John Wilson, conductor
Selections:
LP1 - Side 1:
1. Movement 1: Ocean's Kingdom
LP1 - Side 2:
1. Movement 2: Hall of Dance
LP2 - Side 3:
1. Movement 3: Imprisonment
LP2 - Side 4:
1. Movement 4: Moonrise
