Lord gets sentimental

Jon Lord's latest recording is a disjointed but enjoyable tribute to his late friend writer Sir John Mortimer

Composer: Lord
Repertoire: To Notice Such Things 
Artists: Cormac Henry (fl), RLPO/Clark Rundell
Rating:  3/5
Genre: Orchestral
Label: Avie Records AV 2192

The latest disc from Jon Lord, the former Deep Purple keyboardist-turned-composer, is inspired by and dedicated to his late friend Sir John Mortimer, the barrister, dramatist and screenwriter. The title work is a six-movement concerto suite with flute soloist. It’s composed around three pre-existing pieces Lord had written for Mortimer’s stage shows and, while such a compositional tactic must have seemed both appropriate and convenient, the resultant suite feels more like six individual pieces than a single cohesive work. However, it’s still an enjoyable listen, albeit highly sentimental-sounding, with the RLPO and Cormac Henry giving slick, warm performances.