A highlight of the Boston Pops 125th season, which opens tonight (May 4) in that city, will be a medley of songs of the Beatles set to visuals from "The Beatles: Rock Band." "The Beatles: Rock Band" medley will be featured as a sing-along to close each Boston Pops concert this season.
Tonight's concert, led by conductor Keith Lockhart, will celebrate the career of Arthur Fieldler, founder and conductor of the Boston Pops from 1930 to 1979. The concert finale will add an interactive element with a fully orchestrated sing-along with songs of the Beatles synched to game graphics created by Harmonix for "The Beatles: Rock Band." The graphics will be projected above the orchestra on the Pops’ 44-foot-wide screen.
Tonight's concert will also include a special performance from Harmonix employees, who will lead the audience in the inaugural performance of "The Beatles: Rock Band" sing-along.
Pop conductor Arthur Fiedler was among the earliest supporters from the "Establishment" of the musical force the Beatles would become. After returning from a trip to Liverpool in 1964, he began creating popular orchestra arrangements of Beatles songs for the Boston Pops, many of which were recorded for 1969’s "Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Play The Beatles". The album is available on CD. (A clip of the Fiedler and the Orchestra performing "Yesterday" is in the clip below.)
Songs to be featured in "The Beatles: Rock Band Sing-Along" include “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band/With a Little Help From My Friends,” “Twist & Shout” and “Yellow Submarine.”
“We are honored to be a part of the Boston Pops historic 125th season,” said Eran Egozy, Harmonix co-founder and CTO. “This effort is bridging the past with the present by setting the iconic music of The Beatles, orchestrated by the Pops, to 'The Beatles: Rock Band' visuals in one of the most celebrated halls in the world.”
"The Beatles: Rock Band," published by MTV Games and distributed by Harmonix, was released in September 2009, and presented The Beatles’ music in an interactive video game format. Giles Martin, co-producer of the Beatles’ LOVE album project, served as music producer for the game.
The Boston Pops performing "Yesterday."
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Comments
A gorgeous version of "Yesterday" by the Boston Pops. And another well-deserved honor for The Beatles. Thank you Arthur Fiedler.
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