Search - Lso, Way :: Fortress: The London Symphony Orchestra Performs the Music of Sting

Proof That Sting is a True Composer - Not to be Dismissed

J. C. Norris | Chicago, IL USA | 10/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Many think of Sting as a pop star from the 80's: the lead singer of the Police. To these people Every Breath You Take is the only Sting song they know. There are others, lovers of Classical music, who quickly dismiss Sting as fluff. If anything this album proves that, if he wanted to, Sting could make money as a strictly classical composer. However, that isn't what he wants. He doesn't want to be labeled. He's created his own genre. This album is just a piece of his great multitude of interests and the direction in which one can take his music. Listen to any of his personal albums and you will hear that he can arrange music as well. Classical music lovers: Give it a shot. You will be pleasantly suprised. Perhaps in the future you may not be so quick to judge music based on the composer's name but on his composition."

Masterpieces... All of them...

Chris Letempt | Marietta, GA United States | 03/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These orchestrations of Sting's work show the true beauty and genius of his music. It really makes me appreciate what an artist he is and how powerful his music has been in my life. Sometimes it feels like riding in a time machine, while other times it is like visiting with an old friend.The London Symphony Orchestra is excellent. Quiet and energetic when they need to be!Most excellent. I listen to this over and over again. Certainly not like some of the ripoff Police orchestrations I have heard."

I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit this CD grew on me

Adam Lasnik | San Francisco, CA USA and http://www.bladam.com/ | 09/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I don't remember how I ended up owning this CD, but I can tell you I nearly put it in the trash.



My first thoughts when hearing it the first time:

- "Sting makes brilliant music on his own... why mess with it?"

- "Sting and strings? Muzak? I wanna hurl!"



Okay, okay... I realize that this so far is hardly a ringing 4-star endorsement, and I hope you have both patience and a sense of humor in reading this ;)



Here's the clincher: As mysteriously as this CD ended up in my possession, I decided to also give it another chance or three.



I now find it, if not brilliant, at least a delightful, immerseful pleasure... a fine adjunct rather than replacement for Sting's excellent original music. The orchestrations deftly accentuate not only Sting's oft-unique melodic lines, but more importantly, they maintain much of the same neat chord progressions I've enjoyed with his original tunes.



Is some of it fluff? Sure, just as some of Sting's work is occasionally fluffy, too.



But the London Symphony does, unsurprisingly, a smashing job (I especially love the horns!) and so while I can't necessarily urge everyone to go out and buy this album... if you have Napster and can listen to it or have other legal methods of access, cue it up and give it a few chances to take hold in your brain :)"