In this 45-minute documentary interview, conductor Paul Mann talks about the history of JON LORD's Concerto For Group And Orchestra and recording it in 2011/2012 with the ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA and guests.

The expanded edition of late DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord's Concerto For Group And Orchestra will be released on December 7th.

Officially known as the Mediabook Edition, it comes with the standard CD of the Concerto plus a 72-page book and a documentary DVD. Along with unseen photographs from the recording sessions, the book also contains Paul Mann‘s elaborate complete essay on the life and recording of the Concerto.

The book also contains Marco de Goeij‘s essay on how he struggled with his recreation of the Concerto and his initial meeting with Jon while he was on tour with Deep Purple. Marco de Goeij caught him outside his hotel in Rotterdam and remembers the crucial moment, when Jon first heard about the reconstructed score: "Jon decided to have a look at my work right away. For the next two hours we sat in the lobby of the hotel discussing the score. With every turn of a page new thoughts and memories surfaced and at some points Jon could see his own handwriting coming through the printed score, remembering what the manuscript had looked like when he wrote it, complete with the stains caused by erasing mistakes. As he studied the work, it slowly dawned on him that it would now be possible to play the piece again. He grabbed my arm, asking “Are you real? Am I dreaming?”‘

The DVD contains The Making Of Concerto for Group and Orchestra, complete with unseen footage from the recording sessions in Liverpool and at Abbey Road Studios, along with filmed interviews with Paul Mann and Marco de Goeij.

The Mediabook will ship from December 7th. Pre-order at this location.

Lord assembled guest musicians such as IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson, JOE BONAMASSA (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) and Deep Purple guitarist Steve Morse in the Abbey Road Studios, to work with his trusted partner, director Paul Mann, on the 2012 version of the legendary concert.

“Over these last years since leaving Deep Purple, I’ve played it over 30 times with different orchestras and conductors all over the world, and, of course, in 2000 I did it well over 30 times with Purple on the Concerto tour, so I’ve been honing the piece live on stage, and I’ve had the opportunity to change things in the score that weren’t sounding quite right. It is therefore a marvelous and exciting prospect to have the definitive recording of the definitive version of the score.” (Jon Lord May 2011)

On July 16, 2012, Jon Lord passed away in London at 71 years old. This album is a joyful testament of a great musician and fantastic man.

“His dignity and graciousness touched us all. His music was an inspiration and took us to places beyond our imagination… A truly great man. We humbly express our eternal love and great respect.” – Tribute from Deep Purple upon the passing of Jon Lord.

Jon Lord's Concerto For Group And Orchestra features the following tracklisting:

'Movement One'

'Movement Two'

'Movement Three'