McCartney: Liverpool Oratorio

It has taken me a couple of listenings to appreciate how good it really is. On the one hand, you have McCartney's beautifully simple melodies woven together with Carl Davis' classical structures to form a strong musical score and, on the other, a 'true-to-life' storyline about Shanty that obviously leans heavily on McCartney's own experience as a young lad growing up in post-war Liverpool. At just under 100 minutes in length, this at first seemed a daunting piece of work to listen to, having been used to McCartney's three/four minute pop songs, but the ever-evolving musical storyline over each of the eight movements held my attention right to the end.

Highly recommended for those taking their first steps into classical music as well as for those classical music lovers perhaps looking for something that little bit different!


The first and actually the best McCartney classical effort   November 28, 2002
R. S. Stanier (London)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

The consensus seems to be that this was a naive first try at classical music and superceded by his later stuff qv Standing Stone.
Actually, when I want some classical McCartney, this is invariably the one I turn to, and turn to with pleasure.
Yes, there are weak points, but there are some stand out moments: "Non nobis solum..." at the start, a genuinely powerful cri de coeur in "Father", the violin solo in "Work", "The World You are Coming Into", and the cheery "Let's Find Ourselves A Little Hostelry" sung by Willard White.
You also get the feeling that there is a lot of the real McCartney in the lyrics: the paean to "Family" at the end. And ultimately, I reckon that sums it up for quite a lot of English people.
This is the most performed McCartney classical work and I don't think that's coincidence: it has got a lot of sweet melodies and it tells a story that you can respond to, even if it isn't the deepest set of lyrics ever.
Carl Davis - at the poppier end of classical - did a really good job, I reckon, putting it all together.
Buy it, especially at £9.99 and enjoy.