Track by track 44f Hamburger Concerto Part 6 (One for the road)

Archive number: 44f

Title: Hamburger Concerto (Part 6 One for the road)

Main Album: Hamburger Concerto

Track number: 5f

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental (Symphonic)

Studio: Olympic Studios 'B', 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13 9HL

Length: 1' 20” (20' 15” the whole)

Composer: Jan Akkerman

Musicians: Jan Akkerman – Electric Guitars (Fenders); Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, ARP Synthesiser, Voices; Bert Ruiter - Bass; Colin Allen – Drums

Producer: Mike Vernon

Engineer: Bob Hall 

Label: Polydor, Atco, EMI, Red Bullet, JVC, JVC Victor Date of recording/release: January/March 1974; April 1974. CD – 1998, 2001, 2001, 2002, 2006

Alternative version: The briefest snatch of the main melody here can be heard on the Ramses Shaffy album Sunset Sunkiss.

Notes: The piece now comes to its climax first with the synthesiser-led crescendo backed by piano and the rest of the band (18:58-19:31) then a triple repetition of the original 13-note Akkerman riff heard at the beginning (19:32-20:15). On the last hearing, the mellotron choir is added for a triumphant ritartando ending that closes with cymbals, guitar and majestic piano chords in two groups of four.

Track by track 44e Hamburger Concerto Part 5 (Well done)

Archive number: 44e
Title: Hamburger Concerto (Part 5 Well done)
Main Album: Hamburger Concerto
Track number: 5c
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental (Symphonic)
Studio: Olympic Studios 'B', 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13 9HL
Length: 3' 26” (20' 15” the whole)
Composer: Thijs van Leer, Joost van den Vondel, Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck
Musicians: Jan Akkerman – Electric Guitars (Fenders); Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, ARP Synthesiser, Voices; Bert Ruiter - Bass; Colin Allen – Drums, Wood block
Producer: Mike Vernon
Engineer: Bob Hall
Label: Polydor, Atco, EMI, Red Bullet, JVC, JVC Victor
Date of recording/release: January/March 1974; April 1974. CD – 1998, 2001, 2001, 2002, 2006
Notes: Hands are clapped three times (15:31) before van Leer sings two verses of the traditional Dutch Christmas Hymn O, Kerstnacht schoner dan de dagen. It is from Joost Van Den Vondel's 1623 drama De Gijsbrecht van Aemstel. The music appears to be by Cornelis Padbrué and Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck though Jan van Biezen's 19th Century version is preferred today (15:33-16:50). The voice is multi-tracked (tenor and bass on verse 1 then tenor, bass and descant on the second verse) and is accompanied by organ. The words are

O, Kerstnacht schoner dan de dagen
Hoe kan Herodes het licht verdragen
Dat in Uw duisternisse blinkt
En wordt gevierd en aangebeden
Zijn hoogmoed luistert naar geen reden
Hoe schel die in zijn oren klinkt?

Hij tracht d' onnozelen te vernielen
Door doden van onnozele zielen
En wekt een stad en landgeschrei
In Bethlehem en op den akker
En maakt den geest van Rachel wakker
Die waren gaat door beemd en wei

[O, Christmas Eve more beautiful than the days
How can Herod bear the light
That blinks in your darkness
And is celebrated and worshipped.
His pride listens to no reason
How noisily it sounds to his ears.

He tries to destroy the untaught ones
By killing untaught souls
And raises a crying in town and country
In Bethlehem and in the field
And awakes the spirit of Rachel
So that it starts haunting field and meadow.]

A drum roll then announces the whole band - guitars, organ, piano, mellotron choir, synthesisers (16:51-18:57). This builds and builds along with a beautiful melody to prepare for a mighty climax.

Note on van den Vondel (from Wikipedia)

A writer and playwright born 1587 in Cologne to Mennonite parents from Antwerp. In 1595 they fled to Utrecht then Amsterdam in the newly formed Dutch Republic (probably because of religious conviction). He married at 23 and had 4 children (2 survived). After his father's death (1608) he managed the family silk shop. Meantime, he began to learn Latin and got to know famous poets such as Visscher. Around 1641 he became a Catholic - a shock to most of his fellow countrymen - it is unclear why, though love for a Catholic lady may have played a role (his wife had died 1635). In Calvinist Holland Catholicism, Anabaptism and Arminianism were officially forbidden though there was no direct persecution. In his lifetime he became a strong advocate for religious tolerance and wrote many satires criticising the Calvinists. This, with his new faith, made him unpopular with them. He died (1679) a bitter man - though honoured by many fellow poets. Amsterdam's biggest park, the Vondelpark, bears his name. There is a statue in the northern part of the park. The Dutch five guilder banknote bore his portrait 1950-1990.

Track by track 44d Hamburger Concerto Part 4 (Medium 2)

Archive number: 44d

Title: Hamburger Concerto (Part 4 Medium 2)

Main Album: Hamburger Concerto

Track number: 5d

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental (Symphonic)

Studio: Olympic Studios 'B', 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13 9HL

Length: 6' 03” (20' 15” the whole)

Composer: Jan Akkerman

Musicians: Jan Akkerman – Electric Guitars (Fenders); Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, ARP Synthesiser, Flute, Voices; Bert Ruiter - Bass; Colin Allen – Drums, Castanets, Percussion

Producer: Mike Vernon

Engineer: Bob Hall

Label: Polydor, Atco, EMI, Red Bullet, JVC, JVC Victor

Date of recording/release: January/March 1974; April 1974. CD – 1998, 2001, 2001, 2002, 2006

Notes: We begin with just Akkerman's guitar playing very simply, backed by organ and cymbals (09:29-09:56). Next comes a hauntingly beautiful continuation of that backed this time by synthesiser and rhythm section (09:57-10:22). This leads into a guitar-led section featuring horn-like 'violined' then plucked and sometimes very jazzy guitar (10:23-13:09). A second guitar is then overdubbed and the organ slowly becomes more prominent (13:10-14:13). The effects pedal is again depressed next and handclaps are heard as things slow a little (14:14-14:39). This gives way to guitar, keyboards and finger cymbals (14:40-14:53). This sequence is more or less repeated (14:54-15:05/15:06-15:30) until things slow down to a silence.

Track by track 44c Hamburger Concerto Part 3 (Medium 1)

Archive number: 44c

Title: Hamburger Concerto (Part 3 Medium 1)

Main Album: Hamburger Concerto

Track number: 5c

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental (Symphonic)

Studio: Olympic Studios 'B', 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13 9HL

Length: 4' 06” (20' 15” the whole)

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Jan Akkerman – Electric Guitars (Fenders); Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, ARP Synthesiser, Flute, Voices; Bert Ruiter - Bass; Colin Allen – Drums, Castanets, Percussion

Producer: Mike Vernon

Engineer: Bob Hall

Label: Polydor, Atco, EMI, Red Bullet, JVC, JVC Victor

Date of recording/release: January/March 1974; April 1974. CD – 1998, 2001, 2001, 2002, 2006

Notes: Next van Leer sings evoking an opera with female and male leads (05:23-06:18). No words are used but a form of scat. In 06:19-06:35 Akkerman's guitar with the effects pedal on leads, joined by various percussive instruments. Next comes a rather eastern section led by organ with castanets, other percussion then trumpet-like guitar (06:57) and rising and falling with more organ, guitar and percussion (06:36-08:04). A flute-led piece comes next with castanets, tambourine and drums backing (08:05-09:03). Akkerman then winds down with the guitar effects and heavy drums then cymbals (09:04-09:29).

Note on castanets (from Wikipedia)

A percussion instrument much used in Moorish, Ottoman, Ancient Roman, Italian, Iberian (especially flamenco) and Latin American music. A pair of concave shells joined on one edge by string are held in the hand and used to produce clicks for rhythmic accents or a ripping or rattling sound consisting of a rapid series of clicks. They are traditionally made of hardwood, though fibreglass is popular. In practice a player usually uses two pairs of castanets, one pair in each hand, with the string hooked over the thumb and the castanets resting on the palm with the fingers bent over to support the other side. Each pair will make a sound of a slightly different pitch. The higher pair (hembra - female), is usually held in the right hand, the larger (macho) in the left. They are sometimes attached to a handle, or mounted to a base to form a pair of machine castanets. This makes them easier to play, but also alters the sound, particularly for the machine castanets. The name (Spanish: castañuelas) is from the diminutive form of castaña, Spanish for chestnut, which they resemble. In Andalusia they are known as palillos (little sticks). The origins of the instrument are unknown. They feature in music by Bizet, Chabrier, Wagner, Rimsky-Korsakov, Ravel and others.

Track by track 44b Hamburger Concerto Part 2 (Rare)

Archive number: 44b

Title: Hamburger Concerto (Part 2 Rare)

Main Album: Hamburger Concerto

Track number: 5b Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental (Symphonic)

Studio: Olympic Studios 'B', 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13 9HL Length: 3' 24” (20' 15” the whole)

Composer: Jan Akkerman

Musicians: Jan Akkerman – Electric Guitars (Fenders); Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Electric piano, Mellotron, Vibes, ARP Synthesiser; Bert Ruiter - Bass, autoharp, triangles, Chinese finger cymbals, Swiss bells; Colin Allen – Drums, percussion

Producer: Mike Vernon

Engineer: Bob Hall

Label: Polydor, Atco, EMI, Red Bullet, JVC, JVC Victor Date of recording/release: January/March 1974; April 1974. CD – 1998, 2001, 2001, 2002, 2006

Notes: The piece carries on with the band in unison, alternating the 'rare' theme with the repeated riff (02:00-02:11; 02:12-02:22; 02:23-02:46; 02:47-02:59; 03:00-03:22; 03:23-03:34). Guitar and synthesiser led, the organ is more prominent on the second statement of the theme and extra percussion is heard the first and third time. In 03:35-04:21 we have the final statement of the theme, which now builds then takes off with a mellotron choir, a brief piano phrase and a rising synthesiser part, breaking only to, yet again, give the riff twice over (04:22-04:33). In the next section there is a slowing down as synthesisers, organ and mellotron meld with the vibes and percussion then the guitar with effects too (04:34-05:23) the section ending with the sound of the cymbals.

Note on the ARP 2600 (from Wikipedia)

Monophonic 49-key analogue subtractive audio synthesiser, designed by Alan R Pearlman and manufactured by his company 1971-1981. On initial release it was heavily marketed to educational facilities. Pearlman also provided synthesisers to famous musicians (eg Townshend, Stevie Wonder) for celebrity endorsements. Unlike other modular systems of the time, which required modules to be purchased individually and wired by the user, it was semi-modular with a fixed selection of basic synthesiser components internally pre-wired. Three basic versions were built. 1. "Blue Marvin" (after engineer Marvin Cohen) housed in a light blue/grey metal case, was assembled in a garage during ARP's infancy. 2. Later models were built in a vinyl covered wood case and contained an imitation of Bob Moog's infamous 4-pole "ladder" VCF (later subject of an infamous, threatened lawsuit). Mid-production grey models (the Van Leer era) featured many changes amongst themselves. Various panel lettering and circuitry changes provided at least three different grey panel models. 3. Later models had orange labels over a black aluminum panel. An ARP 2600 was used to create the voice of R2-D2 in the Star Wars movies.

Track by track 44a Hamburger Concerto Part 1 (Starter)

Archive number: 44a

Title: Hamburger Concerto (Part 1 Starter)

Main Album: Hamburger Concerto

Track number: 5a Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental (Symphonic)

Studio: Olympic Studios 'B', 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13 9HL

Length: 1' 59” (20' 15” the whole)

Composer: Thijs van Leer (Based on Brahms/Haydn)

Musicians: Jan Akkerman – Electric Guitars (Fenders), Timpani; Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Piano, ARP Synthesiser; Bert Ruiter - Bass; Colin Allen – Drums, Timpani

Producer: Mike Vernon

Engineer: Bob Hall

Label: Polydor, Atco, EMI, Red Bullet, JVC, JVC Victor Date of recording/release: January/March 1974; April 1974. CD – 1998, 2001, 2001, 2002, 2006

Alternative version: Van Leer first made use of the Haydn piece back in the Ramses Shaffy days. It can be heard twice on the album Sunset Sunkiss.

Notes: The opening part draws on the St Anthony Chorale by Haydn later taken up by Brahms who wrote variations on it. We begin with the organ, backed by the guitar acting as a drone and with a timpani roll (00:00-00:14). This leads into a statement of the Haydn theme by 'violined' guitar, backed by a meandering bass (00:15-00:29). The timpani come in again along with a jangling piano (00:30-00:36) before reverting to the guitar and bass alone with the organ in the background and distant timpani (00:37-00:55). The synthesiser then leads (from 00:56). A cymbal is tapped (01:01) and the synthesiser part is repeated, then a guitar with an effect pedal on (used often in the piece) comes in too. At 01:21 the guitar leads the band for the first dramatic statement of Akkerman's main 13-note riff, which is played twice. Next we revert to the earlier theme on 'violined' guitar and bass, first with jangling piano then a drum roll (01:34-01:46) and the riff is again played twice.

Note on Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn (from Wikipedia):

Consisting of a theme in B-flat major, eight variations and a finale, it was composed in summer 1873 by Johannes Brahms and published in two versions: variations for two pianos, written first (Op 56b) and the same piece for orchestra (Op 56a). The piece is usually about 18 minutes in length. The first performance of the orchestral version was given November 2, 1873 by the Vienna Philharmonic under Brahms's baton.

Origin of the theme Recent scholarship has revealed that, despite the title of the work, the theme is very unlikely to be by Haydn. In 1870, Brahms's friend Carl Ferdinand Pohl, librarian for the Vienna Philharmonic, was working on a Haydn biography and showed Brahms a transcription he had made of a piece attributed to Haydn (Divertimento No 1). The second movement bore the heading St Anthony Chorale. While current usage still prefers the original title, Variations on the St Anthony Chorale is the name favoured by those who object to perpetuating a misattribution. Even that name, however, tells us very little. To date, no other mention of the so-called "St Anthony Chorale" has been found.

Form The theme begins with a repeated ten-measure passage which itself consists of two intriguing five-measure phrases, a quirk that is likely to have caught Brahms's attention. Almost without exception, the eight variations follow the phrasal structure of the theme and, though less strictly, the harmonic structure as well. Each has a distinctive character.