George Martin

George Martin

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FAB CLASSICS
An Interview with Sir George Martin
George Martin made history when he signed the Beatles to EMI in 1962 and went on to produce all the group's albums until they broke up in 1970. Trained as a classical oboist in London, in the 1950s, Sir George -- he was knighted in 1996 -- began producing recordings, specializing in baroque music. He later branched out to rock and jazz, working with artists like Stan Getz, Cleo Laine, Jeff Beck, and Gary Brooker of Procol Harum. Martin composed soundtracks for "Yellow Submarine," "Live and Let Die," and the Oscar-nominated film, "Hard Day's Night." Today, Sir George criss-crosses the world lecturing and getting involved in new music projects. In late 1999, he produced WOMEN WRITE MUSIC, is a disc of contemporary compositions by noted female composers. He told bn.com's Benjamin Ivry about the project, his other classical doings, and revealed his favorite Fab Four record.

barnesandnoble.com: How did you get involved in producing the Foundation Philharmonic recording, WOMEN WRITE MUSIC?

George Martin: I am a fervent supporter of the Young Person's Concert Foundation in England and frequently conduct the Foundation Orchestra in concerts throughout the land. I'm passionately interested in these musical works and was delighted to help to make them better known.

bn.com: Some of the works on WOMEN WRITE MUSIC are close to crossover music. You've been involved in many crossover albums. Do you have a favorite?

GM: I suppose my favourite crossover album that I produced is the Mahavishnu Orchestra album APOCALYPSE. Probably the most difficult record I have ever attempted to produce, it featured a heavy rock band with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by a brilliant -- and very young -- Michael Tilson Thomas. The conception and design of the music by John McLaughlin was intricate and complicated, but marvelous, and his guitar work is stunning. The highlight of it for me was the slow movement on Side Two, 'Smile of the Beyond' sung beautifully by John's keyboard player, Gayle Moran (now married to Chick Corea). It is completely haunting.

bn.com: How did you first get into classical music?

GM: The first classical work to grab me by the throat was Debussy's L'APRÈS-MIDI D'UN FAUNE. I was a child when I heard it played live -- by the BBC Symphony under Sir Adrian Boult -- I could not believe the sounds I heard being formed by people blowing into tubes of wood or metal or scraping bits of horsehair against strings of gut. I was amazed, and determined there and then to learn how an orchestra worked. It was a major turning point in my life.

bn.com: Are there any classical works you return to over and over again?

GM: Bach's music has been a constant source of inspiration. I used to love playing the Sinfonia from the EASTER ORATORIO in which the oboe emerges through the strings and lifts the spirits every time it is heard.

bn.com: If you had to pick a favorite Beatles recording, which would it be?

GM: ABBEY ROAD, the last album we made together is a favorite and showed the way I wanted to go on -- if only the band had remained together. PEPPER is special, but RUBBER SOUL and REVOLVER remain close to it in my affection.

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