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  MAESTROS OF THE UNIVERSE is the 12th BCO album. Showcasing our classical learnings find within favourites and undiscovered scores by Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Greig, Rachmaninoff and many more Maestros. Complete with a sleeve note by Sir Roger Norrington.
  
  1. Ravel « Assez Vif - très rythmé
  2. Brahms « Symphony 1 (Intro)
  3. Brahms « Hungarian Dances
  4. Rachmaninoff « Squeezebox Concerto
  5. Khachaturian « Adagio For Spartacus
  6. Falla Danza « Ritual Del Fuego
  7. Mahler « Adagietto
  8. Greig « Squeezebox Concerto
  9. Rachmaninoff « 18th Variation On A Theme By Paganini
  10. Satie « Gnossienne No.1
  11. Tchaikovsky « Squeezebox Concerto
  12. Chopin « Minute Waltz
  13. Stravinsky « The Firebird (Intro)
  14. Ravel « Bolero
  15. Elgar « Nimrod
  
  time 48:47
  
  A couple of years ago the BCO burst upon our innocent Devon village like a gypsy whirlwind. We were stunned by their mix of humour and musical brilliance. We rocked in our seats and often sang along. We were intrigued by the combination of leader and arranger Christian on Violin, Adrian on Guitar and Balalaika, amazing Eddie on Button Accordion and Kelly on Double Bass and we loved the heady “Harringarian” music- making, and the exuberant fun of it all. We needed them back, and some months later they knocked us all out a second time.
  
  This time there were hints of the Classical. I’ll never forget the moment when, in the midst of all the popular numbers, I suddenly recognised the unmistakeable opening notes of Mahler’s Adagietto from his Fifth Symphony. Not many months before, I had conducted it with a large German symphony orchestra. Now here it was, equally touching, played by four dotty troubadours in our Parish Hall. Perfect!
  
  Anything less Classical than the BCO could not initially be imagined. The image came to my mind of a grand European salon just after a children’s party: chairs overturned, paper plates, cake, and soft drinks all over the carpets. But then came the sneaking suspicion that it had all been much more fun than the official reception the evening before! And of course that’s right: music should indeed be fun. It should make you laugh as well as cry. “Relaxing Classics” is much less than half the story. Good music should incite you not to rest, but to get up and leap about.
  
  And that’s what the BCO does in spades. Their arrangements are brilliant, their improvisations inspired. The group’s memory is amazing (just how many pieces do they actually know by heart?), and their humour and on occasion sheer silliness hides a real brilliance of execution. I especially like the Brahms, Mahler and Tchaikovsky; for me the Classicaller the merrier! But in every bit of the material the charming irony hides really serious and focussed music-making. Like the best Classical music, this is entertainment of a high order. Let the madness continue!
  
  Notes by Sir Roger Norrington.
  
  Produced by The Budapest Café Orchestra, March 2020 • Mastered at Literally Mental Mastering, Scotlandia • Music adapted, arranged & orchestrated by Christian Garrick • Photography by Jerome Michael • Sleeve conceived and designed by Roo Robinson • Special thanks to Kay and Roger Norrington ... more
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