Living with the Past [Live]

Amazon.com
This is a beautifully packaged and thoughtfully programmed compilation of recent live recordings of songs across the span of Jethro Tull's sizeable catalog. Their origins as a blues band with folk leanings made them a welcome alternative to the power trio back in the late '60s. That period is covered here on "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You," recorded by the original band when they reunited in 2002. Their commercial high-water mark was Aqualung, as brilliant and lasting a statement as any in classic rock. Here, in crystal-clear recordings of utterly respectful versions, the current lineup takes on "Locomotive Breath" and the title track. Elsewhere, Ian Anderson is joined by a string quartet for new takes on some early and obscure single sides. The band's penchant for long-form rock-operatic fare, which put them in a progressive cul-de-sac alongside Yes and Genesis, lost them critical support but not their legion of fans. The fans, who refer to them simply as "Tull," know that this band still has its chops. In particular, longstanding guitarist Martin Barre is among the most underrated of classic rock axmen, and this fine live album is as much his as it is Anderson's. --Rob Stewart

Living with the Past,Jethro Tull,Varese Records,Album Rock,Arena Rock,Blues-Rock,Flute,Hard Rock,Pop,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop

Living with the Past [Live]

Average customer rating:

Finally a Messiah with fervor!
Great recording!
Good and Bad
This is a great recording!

Handel: Messiah

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Christmas at Trinity

ASIN: B00002R16A
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Tracks:

Messiah: No. 1 Overture
Messiah: No. 2 Arioso For Tenor
Messiah: No. 3 Air For Tenor
Messiah: No. 4 Chorus
Messiah: No. 5 Recitative For Bass
Messiah: No. 6 Air For Bass
Messiah: No. 7 Chorus
Messiah: No. 8 Recitative For Alto
Messiah: No. 9 Air For Alto And Chorus
Messiah: No. 10 Arioso For Bass
Messiah: No. 11 Air For Bass
Messiah: No. 12 Chorus
Messiah: No. 13 Pifa (Pastoral Symphony)
Messiah: No. 14a Recitative And No. 14b Arioso For Soprano
Messiah: No. 15 Recitative For Soprano
Messiah: No. 16 Arioso For Soprano
Messiah: No. 17 Chorus
Messiah: No. 18 Air For Soprano
Messiah: No. 19 Recitative For Alto
Messiah: No. 20 Air For Alto And Soprano
Messiah: No. 21 Chorus
Messiah: No. 22 Chorus
Messiah: No. 23 Air For Alto
Messiah: No. 24 Chorus
Messiah: No. 25 Chorus
Messiah: No. 26 Chorus

Tracks:

Messiah: No. 27 Arioso For Tenor
Messiah: No. 28 Chorus
Messiah: No. 29 Recitative For Tenor
Messiah: No. 30 Air For Tenor
Messiah: No. 31 Recitative For Tenor
Messiah: No. 32 Air For Tenor
Messiah: No. 33 Chorus
Messiah: No. 34 Recitative For Tenor
Messiah: No. 35 Chorus
Messiah: No. 36 Air For Alto
Messiah: No. 37 Chorus
Messiah: No. 38 Aria For Soprano
Messiah: No. 39 Chorus
Messiah: No. 40 Air For Bass
Messiah: No. 41 Chorus
Messiah: No. 42 Recitative For Tenor
Messiah: No. 43 Air For Tenor
Messiah: No. 44 Chorus
Messiah: No. 45 Air For Soprano
Messiah: No. 46 Chorus
Messiah: No. 47 Recitative For Bass
Messiah: No. 48 Air For Bass
Messiah: No. 49 Recitative For Alto
Messiah: No. 50 Duet For Alto And Tenor
Messiah: No. 51 Chorus
Messiah: No. 52 Air For Soprano
Messiah: No. 53 Chorus
Messiah: Amen

Customer Reviews:

Finally a Messiah with fervor!.......2005-10-20

I've hunted a thrilling performance of The Messiah through 240 versions so far. This is the best I've found. Some are self-conscious, dutifully singing as instructed. Some are almost childish in their lilt. Some are overblown with so much bombast that you can barely hear the heart of the music. Some are concentrated on faithfulness to the original instruments. If you want a performance that will make you shiver with the power and joy of the music, this is the one. The singers are singing about GLORY. They sound as if they are ecstatic. The musicians are at one with the music and they create a virtual cathedral wherever this CD is played, just close your eyes. Or, let your own imagery, be it celestial, or of great oceans...carry you away.

Great recording!.......2003-09-22

There are so many performances of the Messiah out there that it is very difficult to point to a difinative one, but I'd put this in the catagory of the "very good" ones. As other reviewers have said, every performance is different and has its own character. Each has stronger and weaker points. Here the conductor and musicians have made good, solid musical choices. There is an amazing attention to detail which is not so obvious the first listen through but which makes the piece shine. The tempos seem to be right on, and there is no frivolous over-embellishment by the soloists. There is no attempt to be showey. The dramatic dynamics in the first section of the overture are interesting, but seem to work after you hear it a few times. This performance also includes sections which are often omitted (Second half of "He shall feed his flock," "Thou art gone up on high," "Great was the company of the preachers," and "Death where is thy sting"). I prefer the more intimate quality of a small ensemble of musicians to the mega-performances by the London Philharmonic, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, etc.. As with this performance, the smaller group lends a clarity to the music, where the larger ensembles can get a little "muddy" at times. Just my personal preference. Overall, this is a very good performance, and certainly the low price (being on the Naxos lable) makes this a clear choice.

Good and Bad.......2000-04-09

I was more interested in "The Messiah" for the religious content than as a music critic, but this was too much. The strings are tinny. The orchestra is plodding. The soloists and choir are thankfully very good and seem to understand the meaning of the words. It is a shame the sound mix is uneven. The male parts come across loud and clear, but the poor women. For instance, No. 9 Oh thou that tellest..., the soloist sounded like she was singing in an echo chamber far from the mike. This is one of the most disappointing versions of "The Messiah" I have heard in a long time.

This is a great recording!.......2000-02-11

I was really surprised with the new that the Messiah's New World premiere was held at Trinity Church in October 1770, twenty-eight years after it was written. This fact only will make one proud in having this CD among his collection.

Anyhow, this is nothing more than a historic detail and would not count if this recording had not an outstanding first-rate ensemble of singers. Without doubt there is no definitive version of Messiah. Each one has its own distinctive touch and feeling and exploring it is always a pleasant journey through imagination.

Tracks:

Overture
Lento, Ma Non Troppo
Gaily, But Not Quick
Cantilena
Vivace
Miss Melanie
Raf March Past
Very Slow
Maestoso; Alla Marcia Funebre
Fairly Slowly, But Evenly Flowing In Strict Time
Allegretto Rubato
Overture, Op.52
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves'
Country Dance: Allegretto E Leggiero
Burlesco: Allegro
Adagio
Sarabande: Maestoso
Bourree: Vivace
Rondo In A Flat
Allegro
Lento Moderato
Con Brio

Tracks:

March
Plymouth Hoe (A Nautical Overture)
Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square
Tower Hill
The Horse Guards, Whitehall
Rotten Row
Covent Garden
Westminster
Knightsbridge March
No.1 Wheatly Processional
No.2 Constant Billy
No.4 Jockie To The Fair
No.5 Ladies Of Pleasure
No.6 Princess Royal
Malltraeth (Pastorale)
Cemaes (Scherzo)
March Of The Bowmen
City Of Lincoln March
Overture, Op.3
Londonderry Air

Tracks:

The Devil's Galop
Sailing By
High Adventure
The Watermill
Loch Laggan
Psalm 23 - CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL CHOIR
Southern Rhapsody
Ecce Homo - CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL CHOIR
Girls In Grey
Halcyon Days
March Glorious
An English Overture
Spitfire Prelude And Fugue
Carry On Suite
Carry On Up The Khyber
Andante Expressivo
The Dam Busters March
Tarka The Otter
The African Queen

Tracks:

Caramba
Two Interlinked French Melodies
Kanikani
Preambule
Barcarolle
Provencale
By The Sleepy Lagoon
A L'ombre D'un Buissonet
Triste Est Le ciel
Allons Gay
A Mountain Tune
Tambourin
Passepied
Sarabande
Farandole
Petite Promenade
Andante/Medium Beguine
Song Dance
Fado
Kolo
In The French Countryside
Carpet Dance
Slow Waltz
End Titles

Tracks:

Miniature Overture (Help!)
March (When I'm 64)
Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy (Can't Buy Me Love)
Arabian Dance (It's For You)
Chinese Dance (Ticket To Ride)
Dance Of The Reed Flutes (She Loves You)
Waltz Of The Flowers (From Me To You)
Pas De Deux (All My Loving)
Sarabande
The Reception
The Orgy (Rondo)
Danza Gaya
Scene 1
Malaguena (Vivace)
Habanera (Moderato)
Tango (Vivace)
The Hiring Fair
Carousing
Round Dance
Pas De Deux
Hornpipe
March
Doll's Dance
Round Dance
Bobby Shaftoe
The Keel Row
The 98th Jacks Listed!

Average customer rating:

combine with "Bursting Out..."
A collection of songs from his entire career
Ya can't go wrong!
product for product's sake
fairly pointless

Living with the Past
Jethro Tull
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Heavy Horses
J-Tull Dot Com
Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970
Too Old to Rock: Too Young To Die
The Broadsword and the Beast

ASIN: B000065UKT
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Tracks:

Intro (Live-11/25/01)
My Sunday Feeling (Live-2001)
Roots To Branches (Live-2001)
Jack In The Green (Live-2001)
Sweet Dream (Live-2001)
The Habanero Reel (Live-2001)
In The Grip Of Stronger Stuff (Live-2001)
Aqualung (Live-2001)
Locomotive Breath (Live-2001)
Living In The Past (Live-2001)
Protect & Survive (Live-2001)
Cheerio (Live-2001)
Wond'ring Aloud (Acoustic)
Life Is A Long Song (Acoustic)
Some Day In The Sun (Live-1968)
Won't Shine For You (Live-1968)
Nothing Is Easy (Live-1999)
A Christmas Song (Live-1989)
Cheap Day Return (Live-1989)
Mother Goose (Live-1989)
Dot Com (Live-1999)

Amazon.com

This is a beautifully packaged and thoughtfully programmed compilation of recent live recordings of songs across the span of Jethro Tull's sizeable catalog. Their origins as a blues band with folk leanings made them a welcome alternative to the power trio back in the late '60s. That period is covered here on "Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You," recorded by the original band when they reunited in 2002. Their commercial high-water mark was Aqualung, as brilliant and lasting a statement as any in classic rock. Here, in crystal-clear recordings of utterly respectful versions, the current lineup takes on "Locomotive Breath" and the title track. Elsewhere, Ian Anderson is joined by a string quartet for new takes on some early and obscure single sides. The band's penchant for long-form rock-operatic fare, which put them in a progressive cul-de-sac alongside Yes and Genesis, lost them critical support but not their legion of fans. The fans, who refer to them simply as "Tull," know that this band still has its chops. In particular, longstanding guitarist Martin Barre is among the most underrated of classic rock axmen, and this fine live album is as much his as it is Anderson's. --Rob Stewart

Customer Reviews:

combine with "Bursting Out...".......2007-02-14

Jethro Tull's releases of concert performances are few when compared with the total volume of the band's product availability. However, due to the quality recording efforts of the Maison-Rouge Mobile Recording Studio, "Living With The Past" is a CD worthy of any music library. Just buy the studio versions of these tracks first. Then, savor the extended versions containing musicianship of astonishing quality.

A collection of songs from his entire career.......2005-12-02

Ian Anderson has always been the leader of Jethro Tull.
He has also done some recent solo albums.
Put them together and you get Living with the Past.
The highlights include, In the Grip of stronger Stuff, from his Divinites solo CD.
Wondering aloud and Life is a long Song with a small violin section is very effective.
You also get the Zurich dressing room tapes, just that alone is worth the price of the CD.
He does a great live version of Cheap Day Return and Mother Goose on his acoustic guitar, slightly different from the original.
The rest of the CD has very average recording of hit songs like Aqualung and Locomotive Breath.
It includes a live performance of Dot Com, and a very short but sweet version of Cheerio whic he uses to end his concerts.
Not his best CD but well worth the price

Ya can't go wrong!.......2004-06-17

The band Jethro Tull is named after the lead singer who happens to be a fan of a 15th century architect and part-time witch hunter named Ian Anderson. This cd is almost like the dvd concert but different. All the tracks are good. I can't say a bad thing about these guys except that they wont answer my calls.

product for product's sake.......2004-04-10

>The reviews on this site for the Living With The Past DVD seem to be quite polar. Either you love the DVD, or you hate it.

There are real reviews (and NO reviews that can fairly be described as "hating" this record) and there is--mostly--fan club propaganda. As for the DVD: you've got the wrong site; these are record reviews.

>From what I've read of the reviews that hate it, most complain of I.A.'s voice and the use of Aqualung and Locomotive Breath at every concert.

You obviously didn't read very carefully. The complaint, rather, is that there a too many Jethro Tull RECORDINGS of these songs.

>Ian didn't hang up his flute and guitar and call it quits when his voice broke

No reason to "hang up" his FLUTE or his GUITAR. PLENTY of reason to stop singing professionally: artistic conscience, for example.

>But because of Ian's perseverance, the band will be remembered as one that has toured the world for more than 30 years playing upwards of 3000 concerts and selling more than 60 million albums and producing an extensive "catalog" of excellent studio albums.

In fact, Jethro Tull IS remembered, to the extent it is remembered, as a group that was big in the early seventies. Relatively few people are even aware they are (in some sense) still together. As far as fond memories go, this is a lucky thing indeed for the group, considering that the last Jethro Tull record of any significant worth was 1977's "Songs From the Woods", itself something of a comeback after three dismal, disappointing albums in a row.

fairly pointless.......2003-12-28

Ian Anderson took rather a large chunk of "A Christmas Song" directly, intact, and UN-ATTRIBUTED from a song called "Once in Royal David's City" written by Cecil Frances Alexander and Henry John Gauntlett. "A Christmas Song"'s lyric begins: "Once in Royal David's City/Stood a lowly cattle shed/Where a mother laid her baby/You'd do well to remember the things He later said". Mrs. Alexander's 1848 lyric begins "Once in royal David's city/Stood a lowly cattle shed/Where a mother laid her baby/In a manger for his bed". In "A Christmas Song" Mr. Gauntlett's 1849 melody is played (without alteration) by Ian Anderson's flute. There is a word for this sort of practice, and that word is "plagiarism".

I wouldn't call "Locomotive Breath"'s melody plagiarism, but it does bear an uncanny resemblance, that I doubt very much is fortuitous (coincidental), to the tune of a very famous spiritual usually known as "Hold On" (but sometimes called "Gospel Plow"). If you are familiar with "Hold On" sing both to yourself and you'll see what I mean. Below I alternate lines from "Locomotive Breath" with parallel lines from "Hold On" (in brackets). Bits with no close parallel I put in parenthesis.

"In the shuffling madness [Mary wore three lengths of chain]/Of the locomotive breath [Everyone was Jesus's name (Keep your hand on that plow, hold on)]/Runs the all-time loser [Hold on]/Headlong to his death [Hold on]/He hears the pistons scraping [Keep your hand]/Steam breaking on his brow [On that plow]/(Old Charlie stole the handle and the train, it won't slow down) You know it can't slow down [Hold on]."