This album is billed as "a Penguin Café Primer" , everyone else has a best of or, greatest hits. This is taken a step further, all greatest hits albums have a few "exclusive" tracks not available on any other of their albums , just so you have to buy it, so does this. In true PCO style the ... Read review
to 1976. A great primer for beginners, this includes marvels of wit and construction like "Telephone & Rubber Band" and "Music for a Found Harmonium" (which is als...
band Dirt Giles Farnaby's dream Oscar Tango Rosasolis Air a danser Music for a found harmonium Yodel 3 White mischief Prelude and yodel Harmonic necklace Steady s...
to 1976. A great primer for beginners, this includes marvels of wit and construction like "Telephone&Rubber Band" and "Music for a Found Harmonium" (which is also heard here in a version by Celtic group Patrick Street).--Jeff Bateman
A review by mikeydred on Preludes, Airs And Yodels (A Penguin Cafe Primer) - Penguin Cafe Orchestra (The) February 6th, 2001
Author's product rating:
Originality
Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics
Not applicable
Quality and consistency of tracks
Flawless
Value for Money
Advantages:
A Well put together Best of
Disadvantages:
No Beanfields
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
This album is billed as "a Penguin Café Primer" , everyone else has a best of or, greatest hits. This is taken a step further, all greatest hits albums have a few "exclusive" tracks not available on any other of their albums , just so you have to buy it, so does this. In true PCO style the exclusive tracks are by other artists. So what do you get?
Nineteen pieces from their first album in 1976 up to 1996. There are three versions of "Music For A Found Harmonium", the opener by PCO , one by folk instrumentalist Patrick Street, and one an ambient remix by the Orb from 1996 called Pandaharmonium (these are the "exclusive extras"). ALl are brilliant. The liner notes also tell the story of how the tune came about, and there's a transcription of the music in there. The album also contains "Perpetuum Mobile" and "Telephone and a Rubber Band" that have appeared on TV adverts for Oxo and One To One respectively.
The album contains a wide selection of the PCO's work and is available for arounf £7 in most good record shops.
The only sad note is that Simon Jeffes the leader of the PCO died a few yeras ago of a brain tumour, so the PCO are no more. Their music is acoustic / chamber orchestra based but very listenable and I'd recommend them and this album (in fact all their albums) to everybody.
They also have a live album "When in Rome" that I like better than this one, but is a bit harder, but not impossible , to track down.
Album Notes: Penguin Cafe Orchestra includes: Simon Jeffes (various instruments); Geoffrey Richardson (steel string guitar, viola); Gavyn Wright (violin); Helen Liebmann (cello); Giles Leaman (oboe); Danny Cummins (percussion). Producers: Simon Jeffes, Steve Nye, Patrick Street. Recorded between 1976 & 1993. Includes liner notes by Simon Jeffes. Digitally remastered by Tony Cousins (Metropolis).
Titles on disc 1
1.: Music For A Found Harmonium
2.: Perpetuum Mobile
3.: Penguin Cafe Single
4.: Air
5.: Telephone And Rubber Band
6.: Dirt
7.: Giles Farnaby's Dream
8.: Oscar Tango
9.: Rosasolis
10.: Air A Danser
11.: Music For A Found Harmonium
12.: Yodel 3
13.: White Mischief
14.: Prelude And Yodel
15.: Harmonic Necklace
16.: Steady State
17.: Nothing Really Blue
18.: Pandaharmonium
19.: Piano Music
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Listed on Ciao since : 06/02/2001
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