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“A reminder of their singular magic that stemmed from Rick Wakeman-like piano flair along with an agile, crystalline voice”: Renaissance’s Running Hard – The Albums 1974-1976

Clamshell set illustrates a wondrous purple patch of symphonic prog-folk from Annie Haslam and co

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Renaissance – Running Hard – The Albums 1974-1976
(Image: © Esoteric)

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The Moody Blues and Deep Purple’s Jon Lord might have beaten them to it, but Renaissance’s Turn Of The Cards (1974), Scheherazade And Other Stories (1975) and Live At Carnegie Hall (1976) still stand as shining examples of the symphonic approach.

Reissued as a four-CD clamshell box set, these albums are a reminder of the singular Renaissance magic that largely stemmed from John Tout’s Rick Wakeman-like piano flair along with Annie Haslam’s agile, crystalline voice.

Spread over two discs, the Carnegie Hall show – recorded June 20-22, 1975 with the New York Philharmonic and choir – includes selections from the group’s early 70s albums, including the sublime Carpet Of The Sun from 1973’s Ashes Are Burning.

Renaissance - Live At Carnegie Hall - Disc 1 - Carpet Of The Sun - YouTube Renaissance - Live At Carnegie Hall - Disc 1 - Carpet Of The Sun - YouTube
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But the highlight is what was then a stunning preview of Scheherazade And Other Stories’ nine-section side-two, Song Of Scheherazade. It’s deliciously intricate stuff, right up there with ELP’s Pictures At An Exhibition in the prog-classical crossover stakes.

Turn Of The Cards was the group’s first LP to chart in the US, and saw Michael Dunford – who’d previously written songs for them – join on acoustic guitar. As on previous albums, their partnership with lyricist Betty Thatcher brought finesse to unusual subject matter; hence avowed classic Mother Russia, a filmic nod to Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s 1962 novel One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich.

Mother Russia (Remastered) - YouTube Mother Russia (Remastered) - YouTube
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Scheherazade And Other Stories is magnificent, too, its 11-minute piano-led opener Trip To The Fair initially sounding austere, but ultimately a sweet document of the first date which began Annie Haslam’s four-year relationship with Roy Wood (who was at that point fronting Wizzard).

The Vultures Fly High, meanwhile, is a scathing indictment of fickle music journos with superb chordal modulations, fine Jon Camp bass work and soaring Haslam vocal.

A great jumping off point for exploring the brilliance of Renaissance.

Running Hard – The Albums 1974-1976 is on sale now via Esoteric.

James McNair
James McNair

James McNair grew up in East Kilbride, Scotland, lived and worked in London for 30 years, and now resides in Whitley Bay, where life is less glamorous, but also cheaper and more breathable. He has written for Classic Rock, Prog, Mojo, Q, Planet Rock, The Independent, The Idler, The Times, and The Telegraph, among other outlets. His first foray into print was a review of Yum Yum Thai restaurant in Stoke Newington, and in many ways it’s been downhill ever since. His favourite Prog bands are Focus and Pavlov’s Dog and he only ever sits down to write atop a Persian rug gifted to him by a former ELP roadie.