Hamburger Concerto
1974 studio album by Focus
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Hamburger Concerto is the fourth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in May 1974.[3] It peaked at No. 20 on the UK charts.[4] The title track is based on Variations on a Theme by Haydn by Johannes Brahms. The composition also incorporates the first two verses of the Dutch Christmas carol O Kerstnacht, schoner dan de dagen at around 15 minutes, and the Third Quarter chime from the Westminster Quarters is quoted in the track's final seconds. The first track is based on a galliard of Joachim van den Hove, Delitiae Musicae.
| Hamburger Concerto | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 1974 | |||
| Recorded | January–March 1974 | |||
| Studio | Olympic Sound Studios | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 40:06 | |||
| Label | Polydor, Atco | |||
| Producer | Mike Vernon | |||
| Focus chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Hamburger Concerto | ||||
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Track listing
Vinyl release, 1974
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Delitiæ Musicæ" | Traditional; arranged by Jan Akkerman | 1:12 |
| 2. | "Harem Scarem" | Thijs van Leer | 5:51 |
| 3. | "La Cathédrale de Strasbourg" | van Leer | 4:59 |
| 4. | "Birth" | Akkerman | 7:46 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Hamburger Concerto
| 20:20 |
CD release, 1988
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Delitiæ Musicæ" | Jan Akkerman | 1:13 |
| 2. | "Harem Scarem" | Thijs van Leer | 5:52 |
| 3. | "La Cathédrale de Strasbourg" | van Leer | 4:59 |
| 4. | "Birth" | Akkerman | 7:46 |
| 5. | "Hamburger Concerto
| 20:19 | |
| 6. | "Early Birth" | Akkerman | 2:54 |
| Total length: | 43:08 | ||
Personnel
- Focus
- Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute, piano, harpsichord, moog, ARP synthesizer, recorder, mellotron, accordion, pipe organ, the organ of St.Mary the Virgin, Barnes, vocals
- Jan Akkerman – guitars, lute, timpani, handclaps
- Bert Ruiter – bass guitar, autoharp, triangles, finger cymbals, bells, handclaps
- Colin Allen – drums, congas, tambourine, castanets, cabasa, wood block, gong, timpani, handclaps, flexatone, cuica
Charts
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[5] | 14 |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[6] | 95 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[7] | 5 |
| Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[8] | 16 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[9] | 20 |
| US Billboard 200[10] | 66 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[11] | Silver | 60,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||