Ofray Harnoy's Imagine : Beatles' Classics on Cello
Written: Oct 15 '02 (Updated Oct 16 '02)
Product Rating:
Pros: Beatles' classic done exceptionally well and suited to the cello
Cons: None
The Bottom Line: A personal favorite of Beatles' cover albums.. Harnoy plays with great technical skill and illuminates the songs with various shadings and an exceptional tone throughout.
The Beatles. Mention their name and one thinks of melodies as good as gold and lyrical insight that informed and soothed the baby boom generation (if you’re my age anyway). They are possibly the most covered band in history of rock and roll. They’ve been “done to death” some might think. Their music has even become muzak, available at a grocery store, doctor’s office or elevator near you.
It’s not surprising, however, that within the range of “covers” some stand out more than others do. Due to the great arrangements and music behind their lyrics, the Beatles have been embraced by other musical genres, specifically jazz and classical. One such classical album devoted to the music of John, Paul, George, and Ringo is Imagine by Canadian cellist Ofra Harnoy [b. 1965-].
Released in 1996, Imagine includes older selections from earlier in her career and a stirring cover of Free as a Bird, the “lost” John Lennon composition that was included on Beatles: Anthology 1 as a new song finished by the rest of the surviving group, courtesy of modern technology.
Tracks [all Lennon/McCartney except where noted]
1. Free As a Bird (Lennon) [performed by Harnoy with Jeremy Wall (piano, arranger) and Doug Riley (synth) ] (1995)
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. Here, There and Everywhere
4. In My Life
5. And I Love Her
6. When I'm Sixty-Four [performed by Harnoy and the Orford String Quartet]
7. Michelle [performed by Harnoy with Andrew Dawes (violin)]
8. Nowhere Man
9. Yesterday
10. Girl [performed by Harnoy and the Orford String Quartet]
11. Across the Universe
12. Here Comes the Sun (Harrison)
13. Norwegian Wood/For No One
14. She's Leaving Home
15. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
16. Octopus's Garden (Starkey/Starr)
17. Imagine (Lennon) [performed by Harnoy and the Armin String Quartet ]
18. Hey Jude [performed by Harnoy with Adele Armin (violin)]
19. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End [performed by Harnoy and the Armin String Quartet ]
Total: 63:05. Tracks 2-11 recorded in 1984 (previously released); tracks 12-19 recorded in 1985 (previously released). Produced by Jacob Harnoy.
Highlights:
Harnoy’s version of Free as a Bird is superb: beautiful, soothing and with (perhaps) a tone of melancholy. Throughout Imagine, her solo pieces are especially notable as simple and elegant renditions of Beatles greats. Her cello is breathtaking in spots and the arrangements inventive. Harrison's Here Comes the Sun and Starr's Octopus Garden are especially well done in this context as solo classical pieces.
Where she is reverent (Nowhere Man) the attention to detail is the listener’s reward. Norwegian Wood/For No One is another album standout. Imagine has been covered by everyone but the Harnoy’s cello brings out Lennon’s classic melody with added warmth and aural delight.
Of all the cover albums of Beatles' tracks that I have, this is perhaps my favorite. Harnoy not only plays with great technical skill, she is also able to illuminate the songs with various shadings and an exceptional tone throughout. She manages just the right balance between reverence and personalization. Not that these will ever be considered “her songs” but as a classical interpreter of Beatles' material, she is at the top of the list in my book.
Cello Ideally Suited for the Beatles
Part of the allure is her instrument: the cello is uniquely suited to the Beatles' arrangements. Outside of the guitar, which remains THE instrument for Beatles' tunes, I do find that the cello’s warmth brings the texture, undertone, and romanticism of the music out more to my ears than say the violin or another classical instrument.
Ofra Harnoy’s Imagine is highly recommended to Beatles' fans and those looking for something different in the classical meets pop field. It works as background music yes, but also as a great accompaniment to morning coffee or an evening’s relaxation. I found it to be a great relaxer for both parent and child at the end of the day.
Cat Rating Scale
Two paws way up in the feline relaxation genre. Freddie and Chester never knew what hit them. Relaxation unfolds for the whole household.
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