Biography
John Christopher Williams is an Australian virtuosic classical guitarist renowned for his ensemble playing as well as his interpretation and promotion of the modern classical guitar repertoire. In 1973, he shared a Grammy Award in the Best Chamber Music Performance category with fellow guitarist Julian Bream for Julian and John (Works by Lawes, Carulli, Albéniz, Granados).Guitar historian Graham Wade has said: “John is perhaps the most technically accomplished guitarist the world has seen.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_(guitarist)
Album & Cover
Changes (aka Cavatina) is an album by John Williams issued on Fly Records in 1971. In 1979 Cube Records reissued the album under the title “Cavatina”. Like the CD with the same title (different artwork), this is simply the 1971 album “Changes” with the first and third tracks swapping places so that the title tracks are track 1. The track, “Cavatina”, originally included only the first few measures but, at Williams’ request, it was rewritten for guitar and expanded by Stanley Myers. After this transformation it was used for a film, The Walking Stick(1970). In 1973, Cleo Laine wrote lyrics and recorded it as the song “He Was Beautiful” accompanied by Williams. The guitar version became a worldwide hit single when it was used as the theme tune to the Oscar-winning film The Deer Hunter (1978). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changes_(John_Williams_album)
This cover is an actual photograph of John William’s hand, to signify chord changes on a guitar, and was shot on infra-red film. Aubrey Powell thought it a mistake and would have been better on black & white film, an argument he lost with Storm Thorgerson
Cover Location: Hipgnosis Studio, London, UK
Who Did What: Photography – A. Powell/S. Thorgerson
Label: CBC C31092(US), Fly FLY5(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
Tracklist
| Side One Bach Changes (J. S. Bach, Adapted & Arranged by Stanley Myers) Theme From Z (Mikis Theodorakis) Cavatina (Theme from The Deer Hunter) Spanish Trip (Canarios)” (Stanley Myers) Because (John Lennon/Paul McCartney) Raga Vilasakhani Todi (Stanley Myers) |
Side 2 Woodstock (Joni Mitchell) Good Morning Freedom (Greenaway/Cook/Hammond/Hazelwood) Nuages (Django Reinhardt/Jacques Larne) Sarabande (Stanley Myers) “New Sun Rising (House of the Rising Sun) |
Credits
Violins: Alan Loveday, Henry Datyner, David Katz, Jeff Wakefield, Desmond Bradley, Laurie Clay, Geoffrey Grey, Cyril Reuben, Basil Smart, Godfrey Salmon, Michael Jones, Michael Rennie, Homi Kanga, Bela Dekany.
Violas: Ken Essex, Stephen Shingles, Brian Hawkins, John Graham, Terry Hilton, Henry Myerscough.
Basses: Chris Lawrence, Danny Thompson, Joe Mudele.
Keyboards: Rick Wakeman.
Harp: David Snell.
Woodwind (Doubling Saxes): Christopher Taylor, Roy Willcox, Tony Coe, Ronnie Chamberlain.
Trumpets: Kenny Wheeler, Stanley Roderick, Ralph Izen, Derek Watkins.
Trombones: Nat Peck, Don Lusher, Peter Harcey, Ray Premru.
Drums: Barry Morgan.
Percussion: Ronnie Verrall, Terry Cox, Tristan Fry, Jim Lawless, Ray Cooper, Barry Guard.
Guitars: Alan Parker, Chris Spedding, Herbie Flowers.
Engineer: Keith Grant.
