Us & Them: Symphonic Pink Floyd

There are people who don't like this disc, and I feel a lot of them don't, because they won't allow themselves to like it. I am a long-time die-hard fan, Pink Floyd is probably my all-time favorite band, but there are some things Floyd that don't gel with me. "The Wall" is probably my least-favorite by them, but I appreciate the work that went into it all: the record, the live show when they toured it, and the film, incoherent, rambling, wallowing-in-self pity-boohoo-war sucks-my father's dead-Syd-Barrett was mentally ill-everybody dumps on me-downer that it was. But it was the height of their popularity, along with "The Dark Side Of The Moon." This record ("Dark Side") has been played into the ground and beyond, but listening to it, one can understand why-it's THE masterpiece of its kind. And these are the two works featured on the symphonic "Us And Them."Floyd's music has always been somewhat dark and brooding, and the treatment given it here, is just that. The painting on the cover is a good visual representation of what's within, the pomp of a large orchestra, and while listening, one can almost see the fog, the trees, the dragon, and so on. The sound and pictures work as one. There is SO MUCH more in the Floyd canon which could've been used with just as much effect as the material used here, but good is good. I am one of "The Wall's" more vocal critics, but the orchestrations given the Wall's exerpts here, really do them justice. "The Wall" is a major Floysd success, as "Dark Side." "Dark Side" is to Pink Floyd, as "Tommy" is to The Who. But as Pete Townshend has said, one can't really distance their self from their best work.This set starts with "Time," one of this disc's stand-outs. The orchestra comes at you on all cylinders, a note-perfect recital which rocks as much as the original. Don't let the "one-stars" fool you. Their ears, as well as their minds, are closed."Brain Damage" is the same melody as the Floyd version, but instead, it's a wall of strings and woodwinds. Gentle and dark, like most of the disc."Another Brick" is given a whole new life here. The version everybody know, is sort of funky, with a bunch of kids singing "We don't need no education..." Given the grammar of that line, I'd say, "Oh yes you do. Here, it's overwrought, dramatic, an extreme permutation, and, this is a matter of personal taste, superior in every way to the record...Sorry Roger, you've been one-upped."Comfortably Numb" is always good, no matter who plays it, or how. It's a little shorter than the popular version, but still, nice."Breathe" is given the "Another Brick" treatment, histrionic and frantic. It translates well in this format."Money," same thing. A VERY overplayed song. There was a time where I thought if I heard it one more time, I'd confess to some crime, just to not hear it again. But I outgrew that phase. It's a good song, interpreted for orchestra and delivered flawlessly."The Great Gig In The Sky' is the same melody and chord progression as Floyd's record, but an alternate arrangement is playing simultaneously, a slightly schizophrenic experience, but pleasant, nonetheless."Nobody Home" is a good song about loneliness, and that mood is conveyed here just as the original, even if it IS on "The Wall." (I'm sure there are some Wall fans who want to pummel me by now. Sorry.)"Us And Them" goes on seemingly forever, but allowing the rhythm of the strings to take you "there," it doesn't have to be a bad thing. And if one listens carefully, they will hear the opening strands of "Any Colour You Like" in the fade-out.The set closes with an alternate version of "Time," with a digital sound processor and so forth, very little orchestration, and oddly enough, despite it being monotonous, stripped-down, repetitive, and seemingly never-ending, it is the one I find myself listening to more than the others. It has a certain mood to it, something just gets inside my head, and stays there.As I have said earlier, the bad reviews here of this disc, just don't "get it." They never will.

I had this in DVD, lost it and just had to re-purchase this absolute masterpiece.Pink FLoyd, with their amazing guitars does not truly translate to an orchestra. But rest assured that they did a superb job with it.You recognize the music, you can even sing the lyrics with the orchestra.IMHO It is a must for any Pink Floyd fan's collection!

Really enjoying this album.The Symphony has done great justice to this brilliant music.

This has been my go to study soundtrack for about 20 years. It is well paired with the behavior of “staying on task” so it really helps me study and write productively. So glad I was able to replace my original cd which I lost. Wish it was available as a digital download though.

THIS CD IS THE FINEST ORCHESTRAL INTERPRETATION OF P.F. MUSIC I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE TO HEAR. IT IS NOT THE USUAL 'MUZAK' VERSION SO OFTEN PRODUCED. THE ORCHESTRATIONS ARE SENSITIVE AND CAPTURE THE EMOION OF THE BAND'S ORIGINAL WITH BEAUTIFUL SYMPHONIC COLOUR. IF YOU ENJOY PINK FLOYD AND YOU ENJOY CLASSICAL MUSIC, THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU…FORSAKE ALL OTHERS. A CLASSIC!

This album was recently dropped from spotify. A wonderful listen all the way thru

Back in the 90's when music stores still existed, I accidentally happened upon this glorious album. I was in search of some Pink Floyd and ended up purchasing it due almost solely to the wonderful cover art. It wasn't until I got home and started listening to it that I looked and saw the "Symphonic" label on the front and came to realize what I had inadvertently bought.This wonderful compilation of songs I was very familiar with re-composed and then performed by a symphony orchestra simply blew my mind. This performance alone led me to go in search of other popular music that had been reimagined by a composer and performed by a symphony. So far I've only found some Symphonic Led Zeppelin and Metallica, but I want more!This truly shows that musical notes are a language while instruments are different dialects and accents that can be used to express the same language with different style and flare. While it is amazing what a 4 piece band can do especially in a studio with multiple layered tracks , a symphony can do this live. I'm not the biggest classical fan but this truly makes me want to hear all of my favorite music performed by a symphony orchestra.Last but not least this is fairly mellow music to space out to. Great for background music when concentrating on something else. Though if you close your eyes, the melodies will transport you somewhere special while telling a story based only in sound. The crash of the cymbals sounds like ocean waves attacking a sea fairing vessel on a voyage in your mind.Love it, would give more than 5 stars if allowed. Anyone who didn't enjoy this album has too strict an interpretation on what good music is (studio mastered recordings). I imagine that Pink Floyd would be very proud of this lovely interpretation of some of their greatest work.

This album was recommended to me by a professor of mine, as he knows I am a big fan of Pink Floyd. This collection of finely composed and perfectly performed versions of Floyd classics form one of the most engaging albums I've EVER heard.... If Time (version 1) and Breathe don't give you chills you may want to check your pulse!

どんなアレンジか期待したけど、あんまりにも情緒に流されている感じ、掴みが静かに始まって、盛り上がって来るのかと思ってたら、ずっと、綺麗綺麗なまま。ピンクフロイドを期待してはいけない。あくまでも、ロンドンシンフォニーの曲として、心穏やかにしたい時に聞いてください。

I've been a Floyd fan a long time, and I first heard DSotM performed live in 1972. So I bought this record with some considerable trepidation, not sure whether it was possible to transfer the spirit and not just the notes of the music to an orchestral setting. But my doubts were completely dispelled on first listening.The reason for the success is that arrangements on this record are not just orchestral facsimiles of the Floyd originals, but they also bring something new and substantial to the music. But also the arrangements made me realize anew just how many great tunes that there are in the Floyd's music, tunes that I had been taking for granted all these years.I found the two takes on "Time" (at the beginning and end of the record) the least successful adaptations, in particular version at the end, which has extremely annoying the phasing of the music from one side to the other and back again. However, the other tracks on the record more than make up for these two tracks.So if you love the music of the Floyd, and you're still sad that there won't be any more, this at least brings a new perspective to one of the Floyd greatest classics. And it has me hoping that orchestral versions of "Meddle" or "Wish You Were Here" are in the pipeline somewhere...

I like it , gets a little busy in places , you don't have to be a fan of pink Floyd to like it as in places its just very well written music ... however i do catch myself thinking it sounds like a movie score or a cheap over blown musical at odd times and expect cheesy operatic type singing to pop up at any second , but over all its good ... and if you leave it on low in the background your guests will at some point say ... what's that .. recognise it .. cant put my finger on it !

What to expect It's orchestral it's Pink Floyd I'm 65 and I'll listen to the original Pink Floyd all day longSo this orchestral offering is a bit tame -amazing that all those musicians cannot compare to the sound of pink FloydWhy bother ? Its background music - some used to say elevator muzac .

Youth as producer creates an innovative approach to the iconic repertoire. , he's worked with Crowded House, Killing Joke, McCartney, U2 and many others. He's imaginative in creating a unique soundscape that adds to the Floyd originals. Jaz Coleman, also Killing Joke, brings unified yet surreal orchestrations to the studio and the result deserves its Roger Dean artwork and presentation. This album has been imitated since but never replicated. The LPO are seriously rocking in Abbey Road where the Floyd did the original recordings and the post-production was at (the now closed) Olympic Studios, home to The Who and Clapton. This is high budget top line stuff, not elevator music. The dragon comes alive in the last extra special mix of Time where it starts to Breathe. It all sounds as good as it looks and has not dated one minute since is release. It is arguably a better listen now, twenty years on. Top tip - Play Loud.