Banks: Seven

Featuring

Mike Dixon
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Tony Banks

Did you know?

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Composer Biography

Tony Banks, the composer of this suite, is a founder member and keyboard player for the progressive rock group Genesis.

Performer Biography

The London Philharmonic Orchestra, founded in 1932 by Sir Thomas Beecham, has been the resident symphony orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall since 1992 and at Glyndebourne Festival Opera for forty years.

Composition History

Five of the seven pieces in 'Seven: A Suite for Orchestra' were written specifically for this project, while two pieces were older ideas Tony Banks thought would suit an orchestra.

Recording & Production

Tony Banks recorded detailed demos of his pieces for orchestrator Simon Hale, with instructions to keep the structure, melodies, and chords faithful, but allow freedom in instrumentation.

Composition History

The idea for Tony Banks to write for an orchestra originated from his experience orchestrating a piano piece for the film soundtrack of 'The Wicked Lady' in the early 1980s.

Compositional Technique

The suite features three pieces with piano, with 'Spring Tide' being the most prominent, though the piano remains an integral part of the orchestra.

Recording & Production

The initial recording session for 'Seven: A Suite for Orchestra' was difficult, leading Tony Banks to restart the project with co-producer Nick Davis, who had worked on his previous studio projects.