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    • Dec 5, 2016

Jethro Tull The String Quartets

A massive treat for Jethro Tull fans and classical aficionados alike: Jethro Tull The String Quartets is an album of classic Jethro Tull repertoire, imaginatively arranged for Classical string quartet with the flute, guitar and vocals of songwriter and producer IAN ANDERSON, it will be released on 24th March 2017 by BMG.

The single “Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song)” is out now. This track will be an instant grat track with album pre-orders and can be downloaded. It’s available on streaming platforms including Spotify:

Jethro Tull The String Quartets have launched a Pledge Music campaign where fans can pre-order product, purchase signed CDs and Vinyl LPs.

For some time, Ian (Jethro Tull frontman and virtuoso flautist) and John O’Hara (keyboard player with Tull and Anderson) had discussed the prospect of a specially conceived album of classic Jethro Tull repertoire orchestrated for a string quartet. Ian & John first saw the Carducci Quartet at the London Symphony Orchestra’s LSO St Luke’s and, mesmerised by the group’s symbiotic relationship which results in their playing as one single musical organism, Ian invited them to take part in the recording. The Carducci Quartet are:

Matthew Denton Violin Michelle Fleming Violin Eoin Schmidt-Martin Viola Emma Denton Cello

Two violins, a viola and a cello make up that perfect combination of instruments that is the string quartet. Composers such as Beethoven, Bartók and Britten have written for it, and Anderson’s music is reborn in this format. With judicious additions of flute, acoustic guitar and mandolin along with a few vocal sections, this album offers Tull fans the opportunity to enjoy familiar melodies and songs within the styling and traditions of Classical Music.

Ian, who is no stranger to working with orchestras, says: “John and I have worked on various orchestrations and performed many orchestral concerts over the last fifteen years. So, a couple of years ago, I came up with the idea of recording a dedicated string quartet album in a contemporary but “Classical” setting with brief appearances from myself. I felt that there were some songs rather special to me which featured the string quartet such as A Christmas Song, Reasons For Waiting and Wond’ring Aloud. These were my first experiences of working with a quartet. John came up with a few suggestions of his own which presented challenges. All had an intimacy and presence which I looked forward to recapturing in the cosy and very personal space of my office desk where I did the overdubs.”

About his approach to the orchestration, John explains, “There seemed little point in transcribing the band parts and distributing them to the players. I felt a responsibility to delve deeper and offer a new imagining of each piece. An orchestrator’s job is to arrange and compose a new version of an existing work. However, I also felt a responsibility to the Jethro Tull listeners who cherish this material and may not welcome a radical rendition of a beloved song. My ambition was to create a thought-provoking album that remains true to Ian’s compositions.”

Ian concludes, “It has really been a lot of fun to work on this project. The Carducci Quartet provided a spirited and committed performance, without which all would have been futile. And, I only had to pay for lunch once as they brought sandwiches. Bless.”

After poring over the entire Tull catalogue, Ian & John decided on the following selection of songs. Different from the original recordings, Ian has given some new cryptic titles.

Available on CD and Vinyl (Gatefold) as well as Mp3/M4A and uncompressed hi-definition 24/96 WAV files.

CD – Tracklisting:

  1. In The Past (Living In The Past) Stand Up1969

  2. Sossity Waiting (Sossity: You’re a Woman/Reasons For Waiting) Stand Up/Benefit1969/70

  3. Bungle (Bungle (We Used to Know/Bach Prelude C Major) Stand Up1969

  4. We Used To Bach (We Used to Know/Bach Prelude C Major)Stand Up1969

  5. Farm, The Fourway (Farm On The Freeway) Crest of A Knave1987

  6. Songs and Horses (Songs From The Wood/Heavy Horses) (Album title tracks)1977/78

  7. Only The Giving (Wond’ring Aloud) Aqualung1971

  8. Loco (Locomotive Breath) Aqualung1971

  9. Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song) Living In The Past1971

  10. Velvet Gold (Velvet Green) Songs From The Wood1977

  11. Ring Out These Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells) Songs From The Wood1977

  12. Aquafugue (Aqualung) Aqualung1971

Vinyl Gatefold Release – Tracklisting:

Side 1

  1. In The Past (Living In The Past) Stand Up1969

  2. Sossity Waiting (Sossity: You’re a Woman/Reasons For Waiting) Stand Up/Benefit1969/70

  3. Bungle (Bungle In The Jungle) Warchild1974

  4. Ring Out These Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells) Songs From The Wood1977

Side 2

  1. Farm, The Fourway (Farm On The Freeway) Crest of A Knave1987

  2. We Used To Bach (We Used to Know/Bach Prelude C Major) Stand Up1969

  3. Velvet Gold (Velvet Green) Songs From The Wood1977

  4. Pass The Bottle (A Christmas Song) Living In The Past1971


Side 3

  1. Loco (Locomotive Breath) Aqualung1971

  2. Only The Giving (Wond’ring Aloud) Aqualung1971

  3. Songs and Horses (Songs From The Wood/Heavy Horses) (Album title tracks)1977/78

  4. Aquafugue (Aqualung) Aqualung1971

Side 4 Pictorial printed art.

Genre: Classical, Classical Cross-over – Album Formats: CD; 2LP, Digital

FORMAT CAT. NO. BARCODE CD 538257472 4050538257472 2LP 538257530 4050538257533

Notes to Editors:

The album was recorded in the crypt of Worcester Cathedral and in St Kenelm’s Church, Sapperton, Gloucestershire.

All tracks performed by The Carducci Quartet, with additional performances as follows:

Living In The Past Ian Anderson, flute.

Sossity, You’re A Woman/ Reasons For Waiting Ian Anderson, flute & vocals. John O’Hara Piano.

Bungle In The Jungle Ian Anderson, flute.

We Used To Know/ Bach Prelude Flute Ian Anderson, flute & vocals.

Farm On The Freeway Ian Anderson, flute.

Songs From The Wood/ Heavy Horses Carducci Quartet alone.

Wond’ring Aloud Ian Anderson, guitar & vocals.

Loco Breath Ian Anderson, flute.

A Christmas Song Ian Anderson, flute, mandolin & vocals.

Velvet Gold Carducci Quartet alone.

Ring Out, Solstice Bells Ian Anderson, flute and vocals.

Aquafugue Ian Anderson, flute & vocals. John O’Hara, Celeste & Piano.


Recording Engineer: John O’Hara. Mixed by John O’Hara and Ian Anderson. Produced by Ian Anderson for Calliandra Productions. Mastered By Nick Watson at Fluid Mastering, London All tracks* based on original songs written by Ian Anderson, with additional material composed and orchestrated by John O’Hara

*Aqualung lyrics by Jennie Franks. Prelude in C Major, J. S. Bach with development by Ian Anderson

THE CARDUCCI QUARTET http://www.carducciquartet.com

Winners of international competitions, including the Concert Artists Guild International Competition 2007 and Finland’s Kuhmo International Chamber Music Competition, this Anglo-Irish quartet has appeared at prestigious venues across the globe including the Wigmore Hall, London; National Concert Hall, Dublin; Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen; Carnegie Hall, New York and Library of Congress and John F Kennedy Center, Washington DC. Festival appearances include Cheltenham Music Festival, Festival Messiaen au pays Meije, West Cork Chamber Music festival, Kuhmo Festival and the Wratislavia Cantans Festival in Poland. The Carducci Quartet are highly celebrated for their interpretation of contemporary repertoire, the Carducci Quartet is regularly invited to perform new works.

Watch Ian Anderson talking about this project below:

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