Hamburger Concerto
Hamburger Concerto is the fourth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, which was released in April 1974. It was in May and June 1974 for five weeks in the UK charts and reached there as peak position number 20 in the same period was seven weeks with a Bestplatzierung 16 in the Norwegian charts. In the American charts, the album reached number 66
Background
After extensive tours throughout the UK and the USA in the years 1972 and 1973, the popularity of the band was international greatly increased, which was reflected in corresponding chart positions. The Singles Hocus Pocus, Sylvia and Hocus Pocus 2 were placed successfully in the UK. In the U.S., even were the same two singles and three LPs in the sales charts. With this background, in early 1974, work began on the fourth album. It is, even though the title might suggest, not a live album of the band. The choice of the album title will be based on the banal fact that Jan Akkerman has eaten in the composition of the main themes of the album at the New York Hilton Hotel Hamburg.
Content
The Hamburger Concerto contains mostly instrumental pieces. The short intro piece Delitiae Musicae is stylistically supported by guitar and flute, similar to a medieval way. This is followed by the rocking piece Harem Scarem. La Cathedrale de Strasbourg is a more complex piece with symphonic organ passages and vocal inserts by Thijs Van Leer. The last part of the first panel page Birth begins with a brief harpsichord passage, but quickly goes over to a carried of many solo instruments rock tracks. The central piece of the publication on the second Platttenseite is about 20-minute, six-part title track Hamburger Concerto. Overall, the album stands out because of its rather extensive instrumentation.
Title list
Side A
Side B
- Starter - 1:59
- Rare - 3:24
- Medium I - 4:06
- Medium II - 6:03
- Well Done - 3:27
- One for the Road - 1:20
The CD edition includes a bonus track yet the piece Early Birth ( Vanleer - 2:54 )
Occupation
- Jan Akkerman - guitar, percussion, sounds, clapping, Timpani
- Thijs Van Leer - organ, synthesizer, flute, alto flute, piano, accordion, harpsichord, keyboards, electric piano, recorder, voice, voices, whistling, clapping, Mellotron, vibraphone,
- Colin Allen - Percussion, Castanets, conga, drums, tambourine, Chinese Gong
- Hans Eric Cleuver - drums
- Martin Dresden - Bass
- Bert Ruiter - Bass, Percussion, Harp Zither, Bass guitar, triangle, clapping, hand basin, Swiss hand bells
- Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Other
- Mike Vernon - producer
- Bob Hall - sound engineer
- David Hamilton -Smith - sound engineer, production assistant
- Rod Thear - sound engineer
- Ian Murray - Art Direction
- Graham Hughes - photograph
- Harrison Fisher - Mastering
Publications
- LP 1974 Germany Polydor 2383 284
- LP 1974 USA ATCO Records SD 36-100
- LP 1974 UK Polydor 2442 124 DELUXE
- LP Netherlands 1977 EMI Bovema 5C 064.25693X
- CD 1988 Netherlands EMI CDM 7 48860 2 Bovema
- CD 2006 Japan Victor Entertainment Japan VICP - 63667