George Martin (1926-2016)

Today, the world lost the essential component to the most essential rock group:

Photo from The Beatles Rarity.
Sir George Martin has passed away at the age of 90.  He was the visionary producer who'd signed The Beatles to Parlophone Records, and acted as the band's chief collaborator, arranger, and producer.  His remarkable ear and brilliance as a composer enabled him to act as The Beatles' guide through their well-documented evolution as artists and songwriters, the vast knowledge and understanding of the studio he possessed critical to the development of what are some of the greatest albums ever recorded.  To him, we owe many, many thanks.

Here's a clip of Sir Martin talking about the making of "Strawberry Fields Forever:"



As fascinating as he is when describing his process and how he and The Beatles were able to achieve what were, for their time, very innovative feats in sound through experimentation and educated trickery, the work itself remains breathtaking.  In the documentary film, All Together Now, which documents the genesis of Cirque Du Soleil's Beatles-themed show, LOVE, Sir Martin and his son, Giles, reworked the Beatles' catalogue into a mashup LP of the same name.  There's a moment in particular that I love in the film when Sir Martin is leading an orchestra over a demo version of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."  Once the music ends, he takes a moment, considers what he'd just heard, and quietly expresses his delight. 



R.I.P., Sir George Martin. 

Sincerely,
Letters From A Tapehead

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