Pete Townshend's Classic Quadrophenia (LP)

Recorded with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in October 2014 at Londons legendary Air Studios, conducted by Robert Ziegler, and featuring popular Decca-signed British tenor Alfie Boe on vocals, with Townshend himself on electric guitar and performing cameo vocal roles along with special guest vocals from Billy Idol and Phil Daniels.

The new symphonised version of Quadrophenia, an album originally released by The Who in 1973, was orchestrated by Rachel Fuller, a professional composer, orchestrator and singer-songwriter in her own right and also the partner of Pete Townshend.

The project is the latest chapter in Petes lifelong mission to break the three-minute mold of the traditional pop song and take rock music to a higher artistic level. In the 1960s he defined the concept of the rock opera with Tommy, taking it a stage further with Quadrophenia.

Alfie Boe, who sings the parts originally sung by Roger Daltrey, was also born in 1973 but has been listening to Quadrophenia for years.

Its in my blood. I grew up on rock music and always had that fantasy of being a rock singer before I trained as an opera singer. Ive always thought the classical voice can lend itself to this type of repertoire. Its harder than opera, but thrilling to sing. The music is so full of excitement, positivity and strength I wouldn t separate it from a symphony by Beethoven or Mozart - Alfie Boe.

Pete hopes the new work will go on to become a regular part of the orchestral repertoire and boost attendance at classical concerts. A lot of the major symphony orchestras in America are in trouble because their audience is getting old and the younger audiences prefer softer stuff, such as film soundtrack music. I think that Quadrophenia would reinvigorate their audiences and bring in people who might not otherwise go to see a symphony orchestra perform without lights and fireworks and a movie screen - Pete Townshend.