[2011-10-04] Paul McCartney "Ocean's Kingdom" ballet composition (Hear Music/MPL/Telarc)

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:15 am

Product Description
Marking his first foray into the world of dance, Paul McCartney has announced the general release of Ocean's Kingdom, commissioned by the New York City Ballet. The recording will be released by Hear Music/Telarc and is conducted by John Wilson, produced by John Fraser and performed by The London Classical Orchestra.

Ocean's Kingdom is the first time Paul has written an original orchestral score or any kind of music for dance and is the result of a collaboration between Paul and Peter Martins, the Ballet Master in Chief of the New York City Ballet, who have worked together to present the world premiere of a new ballet for the company's 2011/2012 season this September.

Though the work is Paul's first ballet, he approached the project in the same way he writes all other music, driven by his heart rather than his head and inspired by feeling rather than specific technical knowledge. While this may have been another new turn for his staggeringly varied career to take, Paul knew it had to be influenced by his own personal experience and that he needed to create a story the audience would find equally compelling and moving.

Paul's first step was to visit the Royal Opera House to see Adolphe Adam's Giselle, danced by the Royal Ballet. Afterwards, Paul met the dancers and discussed the work with them, realising as he did so that he was still without a central theme to his work. Keen to tell a story through his music, Paul decided to focus on the purity of the ocean and within just two months, the first draft had been completed. He then went through the music again thinking specifically of the ballet itself, thereby creating a world featuring distinctive characters and a vibrant underworld kingdom. Finally Paul spent many more weeks working alongside Peter Martins to refine the work, before Peter created the choreography with the NYCB dancers.

An hour long score featuring four stunning movements - "Ocean's Kingdom," "Hall of Dance," "Imprisonment" and "Moonrise" - the ballet tells of a love story within the story of an underwater world whose people are threatened by the humans of Earth. A potently expressive and richly varied work, the score is Paul's most challenging and emotionally complex yet. As he explains: "What was interesting was writing music that meant something expressively rather than just writing a song. Trying to write something that expressed an emotion - so you have fear, love, anger, sadness to play with and I found that exciting and challenging."

The premiere of the ballet Ocean's Kingdom will take place at NYCB's Fall Gala on Thursday 22nd September 2011 while the release of the orchestral score will follow on October 4th, available digitally, on CD and on vinyl. It was recorded in June in London.

The artwork that accompanies the release is equally striking and inventive. Though it seems to suggest a city skyline, it is actually a digital readout of the notes from the ballet score.

Although this is his first orchestral score for dance, Paul is already quite at home in the world of classical music. His back catalogue already carries four classical albums, the most recent of which was the Classical BRIT Award winning Ecce Cor Meum (Behold My Heart); a work for chorus and orchestra in four movements that was released in 2006.

1. Movement 1: Ocean’s Kingdom
2. Movement 2: Hall Of Dance
3. Movement 3: Imprisonment
4. Movement 4: Moonrise

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005H1IQ6M/?tag=imwan-20

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Feb 25, 2011 3:15 am

Quote:

Paul McCartney's 'Ocean's Kingdom' ballet to debut in September

Paul McCartney's forthcoming ballet production is set to debut in New York in September.

The former Beatle has collaborated with the New York City Ballet for the production, entitled Ocean's Kingdom. It will open in the city on September 22, at the company's fall gala, reports the New York Times.

McCartney cas composed the score for the production, while composer John Wilson has helped with the final orchestration.

The ballet's plot will be a love story, and lasts around 45-50 minutes. It is divided into four acts, with a cast of 40-45 including four or five main roles.

The singer has said that the plot sees the daughter of an Ocean King character falling in love with the brother of an Earth King character. "You’ll have to see whether the couple make it," he said.

The show is expected to come to London after it debuts in New York.

http://www.nme.com/news/paul-mccartney/55151

Linda · **Posted:** Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:19 am

Quote:

Paul McCartney’s ballet composition to get October album release

Paul McCartney’s ballet composition, ‘Ocean’s Kingdom’, will be released by Decca on October 3 in the UK (by Hear Music/MPL/Telarc on October 4 in the US).

The ballet itself will open on September 22 at New York City Ballet. There will be four more performances of the piece in September and then five additional shows in January 2012. The show is 90 minutes long and takes the form of a love story set underwater, during which the peace of the ocean comes under attack from humans, reports Billboard.

‘Ocean’s Kingdom’ is made up of four movements and is conducted by John Wilson and performed by the London Classical Orchestra. Of the music, the former Beatle has said that he was: "trying to write something that expressed an emotion - so you have fear, love, anger, sadness to play with, and I found that exciting and challenging."

There is an irony in the fact that it is Decca who are releasing ‘Ocean’s Kingdom’, as they were the label to reject The Beatles in the early 1960s, apparently saying that the band had "no future in showbusiness."

http://www.nme.com/news/paul-mccartney/58809

Linda · **Posted:** Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:18 pm

Quote:

Paul McCartney's posts clip of ballet composition 'Ocean's Kingdom' online - video

Paul McCartney has posted a clip of his ballet composition 'Ocean's Kingdom' ahead of the show's opening night in New York tomorrow (September 22).

The video, which you can watch by scrolling down and clicking below, shows rehearsal footage of the Beatle working with the performers and talking about the piece set to debut at New York City Ballet. There will be four more performances of the composition this month and then five additional shows in January 2012.

The show is 90 minutes long and takes the form of a love story set underwater, during which the peace of the ocean comes under attack from humans.

As well as recording the music for the show, McCartney also came up with some of the movements.

Quote:

At the beginning of the third movement, I said, 'OK one of the characters is in prison she should be like this [puts his hands over his head and leans forward]'.

'Ocean's Kingdom' is made up of four movements, is conducted by John Wilson and performed by the London Classical Orchestra.

An album of the composition is set to be released in the UK on October 3 through Decca, who once rejected The Beatles in the early '60s, apparently saying that the band had "no future in showbusiness".

http://www.nme.com/news/paul-mccartney/59350

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Sep 22, 2011 1:01 pm

Quote:

Paul McCartney discusses new ballet project, 'Ocean's Kingdom' – video

Video: Paul McCartney On His New Ballet - 'I Had No Idea About Dance'

Paul McCartney has spoken about his upcoming foray into ballet, composing the work for Ocean's Kingdom, which premières in New York tonight (September 22).

Sat alongside the New York City Ballet's master in chief, Peter Martins, the former Beatle spoke of the origins of the project, stating:

Quote:

I'd started a piece of music on another project that didn't work out. When Peter (Martins) asked me if I'd consider (the ballet) I immediately thought of that. So I had tailored it to what I thought would make a good ballet.

You can watch the full interview in the video above.

In the video Peter and Paul discuss the varying roles McCartney helped with, including the costumes for Ocean's Kingdom which came courtesy of his designer daughter Stella.

Paul McCartney also explains how he suggested various moves for the dancers.

The ballet tells the tale of two lovers in an enchanted sea. If successful, it is believed the production will head to London next year.

http://www.nme.com/news/paul-mccartney/59373

[2011-10-04] Paul McCartney "Ocean's Kingdom" ballet composition (Hear Music/MPL/Telarc)

Who is WANline