📣 News Carpenters With The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

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I just read about this on The Carpenters: History & News Facebook page: "similar series that has already seen Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and The Beach Boys. The concept is that classic tracks and hits are taken and rerecorded with one of the worlds greatest orchestra's. This will sound very special hearing Karen Carpenters voice with a grand orchestra"

The Facebook page has 2 photos of Richard conducting an orchestra.

I am so excited!
 
I’ve just seen this announced by Richard on his official Instagram page:

Excited to announce that I will be working with @universalmusicgroup and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on a compilation album of Carpenters music. Stay tuned for updates!”

A few people guessed on another thread that this was what he was up to and I didn’t think it was something he’d go for but I’m delighted to have been proven wrong. Exciting times!

I’m hoping at this early stage that it sees a Christmas release, especially here in the UK. These collaborations with the RPO have proven to be hugely successful in the UK and some of the results - most notably American Trilogy on the Elvis compilation and I Say A Little Prayer on the Aretha Franklin compilation (all complete with re-recorded rhythm sections and backing choirs) - are simply stunning.
 
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^^ Stunning News! Could it be possible that there is a hidden Karen gem that exists?! It will give us all something to talk about thru the holidays and beyond!!:) Hoping this will also snowball him into the 50th celebration to be a part of it. BTW, tickets for the Carps 50th celebration officially go on sale tomorrow at 12 noon EST. Exciting times indeed!!!

Carpenters 50th - Home
 
I just read about this on The Carpenters: History & News Facebook page: "similar series that has already seen Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and The Beach Boys. The concept is that classic tracks and hits are taken and rerecorded with one of the worlds greatest orchestra's. This will sound very special hearing Karen Carpenters voice with a grand orchestra"

The Facebook page has 2 photos of Richard conducting an orchestra.

I am so excited!

I'm glad you like my page :)
 
All I can say is WOW !
To hear Karen in a new way, over 30 years since she passed away, will probably make me cry.

Just think... Karen's voice, Richard's Arrangements with a great British grand orchestra. It's a match made in heaven. It will sound so special. These albums all get tv ads here in the UK and I think they've all been Top 10 hits.
Here's the ad for one of the Elvis albums... It'll give you a taste of what it will be like..
 
Here’s a question I know many of you reading this will already be thinking:

What will the tracklist look like? The previous RPO albums have been known to delve into the back catalogue of artists. What if he chooses to showcase the odd rarity like Eve? What if he gives I Need To Be In Love the RPO treatment and what would that sound like?!
 
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How do we know this will have Karen vocals and not just be instrumentals? Will this contain all the original vocals by both Karen and Richard or will this be orchestra instrumentals with Karen and Richard’s backing vocals only? Is this a video performance or just an audio Cd? Is this the 50th release?

If there using all the original vocals how will they sped up or slow down the original vocals to fit appropriately against the orchestra?
 
Wow, good things do come to those who wait. I love the Presley recordings they did in the past. They really re-imagined the music.What a perfect way to celebrate the 50th anniversary. And with new arrangements, RC could tour the pops orchestra circuit next summer. Again, WOW!
 
How do we know this will have Karen vocals and not just be instrumentals? Will this contain all the original vocals by both Karen and Richard or will this be orchestra instrumentals with Karen and Richard’s backing vocals only? Is this a video performance or just an audio Cd? Is this the 50th release?

If there using all the original vocals how will they sped up or slow down the original vocals to fit appropriately against the orchestra?
I can't imagine that it would only be instrumentals ... Non of the other albums in this series have done that plus considering how successful these albums are in the UK it wouldn't be very commercially successful. I doubt it will be a video. Most likily just on digital, CD and Vinyl like all the others.
 
I can't imagine that it would only be instrumentals ... Non of the other albums in this series have done that plus considering how successful these albums are in the UK it wouldn't be very commercially successful. I doubt it will be a video. Most likily just on digital, CD and Vinyl like all the others.
Yeah I’m not familiar with the other collections which is why I wondered. So this is going to be a U.K. release?
 
Yeah I’m not familiar with the other collections which is why I wondered. So this is going to be a U.K. release?
Well it will definitely be released in the UK. I'm not sure about anywhere else... Were the other albums like Elvis released outside the UK? If not surly it will be easier for fans to get their hands on compared to if it were only a Japan release.
 
It is very exciting news. Maybe it’s being mixed now. It would be great to have the Bruce Forseyth live version of I Need To Be In Love as the vocal on this song. But if not, any version would be nice. Maybe there are work leads to all of the songs we have not yet heard. Can the possibilities be endless? As long as it’s Karen singing I will be happy!!
 
I too am happy with the news!
I sampled the Beach Boys symphonic album. Perhaps it's just me but I can barely decipher any differences from the originals! The songs sound in tact; but with a different orchestra playing. (I'm only a casual fan of their music; this might explain why I'm not hearing anything vastly different.) I do feel (as I said earlier in the 50th anniversary thread) the Carpenters' repertoire is far better suited to this concept than someone like the Beach Boys and hope Richard pushes the concept further as only he can. Perhaps it was Richard's admiration for the Beach Boys music that intrigued him to jump on the London Philharmonic band wagon.
I do hope he removes some of the wonderful but dated layers of the original arrangements. I'm imagining more of a "symphonic" Carpenters songbook; as if you went to see them perform with a "Pops" orchestra. For example, some of their songs might benefit by losing the rhythm section completely; allowing Karen's voice to "float" over the strings. (We got a taste of this in the "For All We Know" reprise.) If a different "take" exists that might blend more naturally with an orchestral arrangement (as someone mentioned earlier in this thread), that would be incredible to hear. Even a new line (or word!) here or there.
 
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