Scheherazade and Other Stories

by Renaissance

Scheherazade and Other Stories cover art
  • Type: Album
  • Released: July 1975
  • Label: Sire, RCA, BTM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Length: 2:08:30
  • Community rating: 4.85/5 from 7 ratings

Artists on this release: Michael Dunford, Terence Sullivan, Jon Camp, Annie Haslam, John Tout

Album Notes & Community Reviews

Marking an ambitious peak for the band, 'Scheherazade and Other Stories' is defined by its side-long, nine-part title suite, which seamlessly integrates the London Symphony Orchestra with the group's signature sound. The album's first side presents individual narrative pieces, from the whimsical, lengthy tale of 'Trip to the Fair' to the melancholic folk of 'Ocean Gypsy'. Throughout the record, the songwriting is anchored by Annie Haslam's soaring five-octave vocals, John Tout's classically-inspired piano, and Michael Dunford's acoustic guitar, cementing the album's place as a definitive work of symphonic progressive rock.

Genres

Descriptors: orchestral, symphonic, progressive, conceptual, grandiose, folk, british, storytelling

Tracklist

  1. Trip To The Fair (10:51)
  2. The Vultures Fly High (3:09)
  3. Ocean Gypsy (7:08)
  4. Song Of Scheherazade: Fanfare / The Betrayal / The Sultan / Love Theme / The Young Prince And Princess As Told By Scheherazade / Festival Preparations / Fugue For The Sultan / The Festival / Finale (24:55)
  5. Ocean Gypsy (3:01)
  6. Can You Understand (10:52)
  7. Running Hard (9:29)
  8. Ocean Gypsy (7:30)
  9. Prologue (6:29)
  10. Song Of Scheherazade: Fanfare / The Betrayal / The Sultan / Love Theme / The Young Prince And Princess As Told By Scheherazade / Festival Preparations / Fugue For The Sultan / The Festival / Finale (24:53)
  11. Ashes Are Burning (20:13)

Credits

  • Annie Haslam - lead and backing vocals, Lead Vocals Vocal
  • Michael Dunford - acoustic guitars, backing vocals
  • John Tout - keyboards, backing vocals
  • Jon Camp - bass, bass pedals, lead vocals on track 4c, backing vocals, Lead Vocals Vocal
  • Terence Sullivan - drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Tony Cox - orchestral arrangements
  • London Symphony Orchestra - orchestrations
  • David Hitchcock - producer, Producer
  • John Kurlander - engineer, Engineer
  • Patrick Stapley - assistant engineer
  • Hipgnosis - cover design
  • W.T. (Terry) Penman - keyboards/stage manager
  • Renaissance - Arranger, Producer
  • Pat Stapley - Assistant Engineer

More from Renaissance: full discography