A Classic Case"
One of the most peculiar Tull-albums is "A Classic Case". The album started out as one of the projects of David Palmer, who during the seventies wrote many beautiful orchestral arrangements for many of the bands' songs since "Stand Up" (1969) and had been a member of Jethro Tull until 1980.
"A Classic Case" would have been the first of a series of classic/rock albums, planned by EMI. The idea was that David Palmer, who was considered to be experienced both in classical music and in rock music as well, would be the ideal conductor and musical leader to realise these plans. Similar initiatives had been undertaken in the seventies by bands like Procol Harum and Deep Purple and though these had been a commercial success, artisically they were not.
David was expected to re-arrange some of the famous Tull songs into pieces that could be played by a symphony orchestra - all in an original, creative and totally different context. The project however failed, as David called on the band to assist him. I tend to agree with Rees, who states that "Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Dave Pegg and Paul Burgess were all drafted in, obviously to enhance sales to Tull fans, but ironically it was their presence which proved to be the artistic downfall of the album". (David Rees: "Minstrels In The Gallery", Wembley, UK, 1998; p. 115).
What was intended to become a set of truly orchestral arrangement of Tull songs turned out to be a rock band playing with an orchestra! Most pieces sound "as dead as a door": they lack originality and adventure and don't appeal to any creative listening. The fact that music from this album was so often heard in shopping malls in the eighties seems in my opinion a questionable compliment.....
Davids later projects, like the orchestration of music of Genesis and Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band and Coronach, the theme to the television series "The Blood Of The British", proved to be more successful.