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Music Inspired by The Snow Goose

 
Album Review: The Snow Goose

  • Artist: Camel
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1975
  • Total Time: 43:05
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Camel's classic period started with The Snow Goose, an instrumental concept album based on a novella by Paul Gallico. Although there are no lyrics on the album -- two songs feature wordless vocals -- the music follows the emotional arc of the novella's story, which is about a lonely man named Rhayader who helps nurse a wounded snow goose back to health with the help of a young girl called Fritha he recently befriended. Once the goose is healed, it is set free, but Fritha no longer visits the man because the goose is gone. Later, Rhayader is killed in battle during the evacuation of Dunkirk. The goose returned during the battle, and it is then named La Princesse Perdue, symbolizing the hopes that can still survive even during the evils of war. With such a complex fable to tell, it is no surprise that Camel keep their improvisational tendencies reigned in, deciding to concentrate on surging, intricate soundscapes that telegraph the emotion of the piece without a single word. And even though The Snow Goose is an instrumental album, it is far more accessible than some of Camel's later work, since it relies on beautiful sonic textures instead of musical experimentation. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
The Great Marsh Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (2:02)
Rhayader Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (3:01)
Rhayader Goes to Town Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (5:20)
Sanctuary Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (1:05)
Fritha Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (1:19)
The Snow Goose Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (3:12)
Friendship Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (1:43)
Migration Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (2:01)
Rhayader Alone Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (1:50)
Flight of the Snow Goose Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (2:40)
Preparation Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (3:53)
Dunkirk Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (5:25)
Epitaph Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (2:07)
Fritha Alone Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (1:39)
La Princesse Perdue Andy Latimer, Pete Bardens Camel (4:45)
The Great Marsh Pete Bardens, Andy Latimer Camel (1:19)

Credits

Dave Bryson (Equipment Technician), David Hitchcock (Producer), Camel (Producer), Pete Bardens (Pipe Organ), Andy Latimer (Guitar (Electric)), Andy Latimer (Flute), Modula (Cover Design), Andy Latimer (Guitar), Andy Ward (Vibraphone), Robert Ash (Assistant Engineer), Pete Bardens (Organ), Rhett Davies (Engineer), Andy Latimer (Slide Guitar), Andy Ward (Drums), Pete Bardens (Piano), David Bedford (Orchestral Arrangements), Doug Ferguson (Group Member), Pete Bardens (Mini Moog), John Anunziato (Photography), Doug Ferguson (Bass), Andy Ward (Group Member), Andy Latimer (Vocals), Pete Bardens (Piano (Electric)), John Tracy (Research), Andy Ward (Vocals (Background)), Andy Latimer (Guitar (Acoustic)), John Tracy (Coordination), Pete Bardens (Group Member), John Burns (Engineer), Andy Latimer (Group Member), Pete Bardens (Keyboards), Graham Meek (Assistant Engineer), Pete Bardens (Arp Odyssey), Geoff Jukes (Coordination), Masaru Konishi (Liner Notes), Rod Thear (Assistant Engineer), Rhett Davies (Remixing), Andy Ward (Percussion), Paul Cooper (Assistant Engineer), Skin Bryson (Equipment Technician)
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Wikipedia: Music Inspired by The Snow Goose (album)
Top
Music Inspired by The Snow Goose
Studio album by Camel
Released April 1975
Recorded at Island Studios
Genre Progressive rock
Length 43:05
Label Decca Records
Producer David Hitchcock
Professional reviews
Camel chronology
Mirage
(1974)
Music Inspired by The Snow Goose
(1975)
Moonmadness
(1976)

Music Inspired by The Snow Goose is the third album released by the band Camel in 1975. The success of the White Rider suite (based on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and appearing on the band's previous album, Mirage), inspired the group to write more novel-inspired conceptual suites. The band considered several novels on which to base their next album. For a time they settled on Siddhartha, by Hermann Hesse, and some songs were written before the idea was abandoned in favor of Paul Gallico's novel The Snow Goose. The album's name, originally simply "The Snow Goose", was altered to accommodate legal protests by Gallico.

The album reached silver status in 1981, and is considered by many to be their most accessible work. It is remarkable for having no lyrics and orchestral (plus rock) instrumentation.

Contents

Track listing

All songs by Peter Bardens and Andrew Latimer.

Side One

  1. "The Great Marsh" – 2:02
  2. "Rhayader" – 3:01
  3. "Rhayader Goes to Town" – 5:19
  4. "Sanctuary" – 1:05
  5. "Fritha" – 1:19
  6. "The Snow Goose" – 3:11
  7. "Friendship" – 1:43
  8. "Migration" – 2:01
  9. "Rhayader Alone" – 1:50

Side Two

  1. "Flight of the Snow Goose" – 2:40
  2. "Preparation" – 3:58
  3. "Dunkirk" – 5:19
  4. "Epitaph" – 2:07
  5. "Fritha Alone" – 1:40
  6. "La Princesse Perdue" – 4:43
  7. "The Great Marsh (Reprise)" – 1:20

Bonus Tracks on 2002 Remaster

  1. "Flight of The Snow Goose" (Single Edit) – 2:05
  2. "Rhayader" (Single Edit) – 3:09
  3. "Flight of the Snow Goose" (Alternate Single Edit) – 2:49
  4. "Rhayader Goes to Town" (Recorded Live at The Marquee Club) – 5:07
  5. "The Snow Goose / Freefall" (Recorded Live at The Marquee Club) – 11:01

Personnel

Release details

  • 1975, UK, Decca Records 291 034, Release Date April 1975, LP
  • 2002, UK, London 8829292, Release Date 3 June 2002, CD (remastered edition)

 
 

 

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Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Music Inspired by The Snow Goose (album)" Read more