Paul McCartney's classical/operatic works

[Dissily Mordentroge]

I guess if anyone has an interest in classical it would be Dissily but anyone can comment

1: have you listened to his classical and operatic works?

2: does he know what he is doing in that genre or is he out of his depth?

here are his releases in that area of music:


Wiki:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean%27s_Kingdom



Wiki:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecce_Cor_Meum


Wiki:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_Stone_(album)


Wiki:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Classical  (an album of his regular tunes reworked classically)


Wiki:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCar...l_Oratorio

I’ve only heard the Liverpool Oratorio which I enjoyed even if I found some of the lyrics a bit naff . However, for this listener there was at times an obvious lack of formal classical composition training.
I’m not sure that’s actually a weakness. He received criticism the orchestration was given a helping hand by someone else. Joint authorship of most of McCartney’s classical output he’s freely acknowledged
But hey, a huge percentage of supposedly genuine classical compositions strike me as vapid, pot boiling, ear candy and the older I get the more fussy I get. However I certainly don’t think McCartney’s work deserves to have critics turn their noses up at it as some have. 

Anyway there’s a large chunk of ‘ genuine’ English symphonic writing up to about 1990 I find lacking any value whatever. As to McCartney being ‘out of his depth’ I think not given with a few years of formal classical training he’d have made a lot of classical music snobs sit up and take notice.