Journey to the Centre of the Earth ( album ) - wikipedia Journey to the Centre of the Earth ( album ) Journey to the Centre of the Earth Live album by Rick Wakeman Released 3 May 1974 Recorded 18 January 1974 at the Royal Festival Hall, London Genre Progressive rock, symphonic rock Length 40 : 07 Label A&M Producer Rick Wakeman Rick Wakeman chronology The Six Wives of Henry VIII ( 1973 ) The Six Wives of Henry VIII 1973 Journey to the Centre of the Earth ( 1974 ) The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table ( 1975 ) The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table 1975 Journey to the Centre of the Earth is the second solo album from the English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released on 3 May 1974 by A&M Records. The album is a live recording of his second of two concerts on 18 January 1974 at the Royal Festival Hall in London. With its concept based on Jules Verne 's science fiction novel of the same name, the album tells the story of Professor Lidenbrok, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans, who follow a passage to the Earth 's centre originally discovered by Arne Saknussemm, an Icelandic alchemist. Wakeman performs with the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, and a group of hand - picked musicians for his rock band, which later became the English Rock Ensemble. Actor David Hemmings narrates the story. Journey to the Centre of the Earth was overall well received by music critics. It reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, the first album from A&M to do so, and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in October 1974 for 500,000 copies sold in the United States. The album earned Wakeman a nomination for an Ivor Novello Award and a Grammy Award. In 1999, Wakeman released a sequel, Return to the Centre of the Earth. He re-recorded the album with additional parts previously removed from the original score due to time constraints, in 2012. Contents 1 Background 2 Recording 3 Release 3.1 Reception 4 2012 re-recording 5 Track listing 6 Chart performance 6.1 Charts 7 Certifications 8 Accolades 9 Personnel 10 References Background Keyboardist Rick Wakeman had wanted to make an album that told a story with its music after his father took him to see Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev. In November 1971, he started work on a record based on the 1864 science fiction novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne. He put the project on hold until recording for his debut studio release, The Six Wives of Henry VIII, had finished in October 1972. He performed at the rock opera concerts of The Who 's Tommy that December which featured the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, conductor David Measham and arranger Will Malone. Producing the shows was Lou Reizner, who learned about Wakeman 's idea for Journey and put him in contact with Measham. Wakeman made a demo tape for Measham that contained a rough outline of the structure of the music using a Minimoog synthesiser, Mellotron, Rhodes piano and Clavinet while indicating where the orchestral parts would come in. After Measham agreed to take part, Wakeman met with his manager Brian Lane to pitch the idea of performing Journey in concert with an orchestra, choir, and a rock band. As the cost of producing the album in a studio was too high, A&M Records agreed to record the album live. To help finance the project, Wakeman sold a few of his cars and `` mortgaged himself up to the hilt to help finance the whole thing '', which had cost around £ 40,000. Wakeman received help with the score from Malone and arranger Danny Beckerman. The original version had a running time of 55 minutes but it had to be reduced because of the time constraints of long - playing phonograph records. In selecting the musicians for his band, Wakeman chose people he used to play with at a country pub in Buckinghamshire called the Valiant Trooper. Said Wakeman, `` I 'd played with them for fun quite a bit on Sunday evenings... I was playing keyboards with the lads when I thought, they could play Journey for me. I 'm sure they could do the concert and do it well ''. He picked vocalists Ashley Holt from the british band Warhorse and Gary Pickford - Hopkins from Wild Turkey, drummer Barney James, and bassist Roger Newell. Guitarist Mike Egan, who had played on Six Wives, rounded out the band. A&M Records had wanted Wakeman to pick more well - known musicians, but he intended to make the album known for its music rather than its performers. Richard Harris was the first choice to narrate the story, but he was unavailable. Actor David Hemmings was then chosen, and agreed to take part. Recording The Royal Festival Hall where Journey was recorded. Two sold - out concerts were held at 6 and 8 pm on 18 January 1974 at the Royal Festival Hall in London to 3,000 people each. Performing with Wakeman and his band was the London Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Choir conducted by Measham. The music was recorded with Ronnie Lane 's Mobile Studio which featured a 16 - track studio fitted inside an Airstream trailer. Wakeman had hoped to have both performances recorded, with the better of the two being used for the album release. However, as the London Symphony Orchestra requested double pay if both shows were to be recorded, Wakeman took `` the frightening decision of only recording the second performance and hoping there were n't too many mistakes ''. The shows opened with `` Catherine Parr '', `` Catherine Howard '' and `` Anne Boleyn '' from The Six Wives of Henry VIII, followed by a comical rendition of `` Twelfth Street Rag ''. Journey was performed in the second half. After permission was granted from 20th Century Fox, screens were installed to display excerpts from the 1959 adventure film of the same name to accompany some of the music, including footage of mountains and underground caves. The recordings were taken to Morgan Studios in London, where they were mixed by Wakeman and engineer Paul Tregurtha between 21 -- 29 January. The two encountered a number of problems. Wakeman explained, `` Someone in the street had accidentally kicked out the vocal mike cable just before we started recording. So we boosted up the vocals that were picked up on the other mikes ''. A snare drum and its microphone also broke during the performance, and Hemmings recorded more narration in the studio after it was found that a tape change occurred in the middle of one of his passages. Release Upon its arrival at A&M Records, the finished album was poorly received among management ; they refused to sell it. However, as Wakeman was under contract with A&M in the United States, a cassette was sent to co-founder Jerry Moss in California, who subsequently agreed to release the record. Released on 3 May 1974, Journey to the Centre of the Earth topped the UK Albums Chart for one week, the first album from A&M to do so. It peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart for two weeks in July during a stay of 27 weeks. The album became a multimillion - dollar seller in six weeks. Wakeman received an Ivor Novello Award for the album, and it earned him a Grammy Award nomination. The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in September 1974, and a year later in Brazil. It was subsequently released in the four - channel Quadradisc CD - 4 format. The album has sold 14 million copies worldwide. In 1999, marking the album 's 25th anniversary, Wakeman released a sequel titled Return to the Centre of the Earth. The story follows a group of adventurers who attempt to follow the previous expedition to the Earth 's centre as discovered by Saknussemm. Reception The album received some negative reaction upon its release, with music critics having described the record as a `` classical pastiche... genuinely appalling '' and `` brutal synthesiser overkill ''. Journey however, was well received by others. A journalist for The Sunday Times missed the Royal Festival Hall concert, but thought on record the music `` comes over magnificently... a striking work which only occasionally lapses into pretentiousness ''. Music journalist Chris Welch of Melody Maker thought the album was `` entertaining, fresh and disalarmingly unpretentious... This could be a score for a Hollywood musical -- tuneful, but with epic overtones ''. Welch noted Wakeman 's `` familiarity of the story '' and his `` close observance to detail engenders a warmth to the work, which made it a resounding success as a concert performance ''. In a retrospective review, Mike DeGange of Allmusic called the album `` one of progressive rock 's crowning achievements '' and noted `` interesting conglomerations of orchestral and synthesized music ''. 2012 re-recording Wakeman presumed that the original conductor 's score was lost when his management company MAM Records collapsed in the early 1980s. However, a `` huge cardboard packing case '' arrived at his house in 2008 which stayed in his garage for `` about five months '' before he found the score at the bottom which was damaged by water. A year was spent digitising and forming the complete score with conductor Guy Protheroe. Wakeman re-recorded the album with an orchestra, choir, and members of his English Rock Ensemble band as a studio album, incorporating 20 minutes that was previously cut. As Hemmings died in 2003, the narration is voiced by actor Peter Egan. Released on 20 November 2012, the new album is packaged with a one - off magazine published by Classic Rock and a copy of the 1974 Royal Festival Hall concert program. Track listing All tracks written by Wakeman. `` The Forest '' includes an excerpt of In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg, who is credited in the album 's liner notes with ' I would like to give thanks to Grieg for `` HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING ''. Because I stole a few bars. ' Side one `` The Journey '' / `` Recollection '' -- 21 : 20 Side two `` The Battle '' / `` The Forest '' -- 18 : 57 2012 re-recording show Track listing No. Title Length 1. `` Preface to the Journey '' 1 : 11 2. `` The Journey Overture '' 2 : 25 3. `` Journey 's Dawn '' 3 : 38 4. `` Crystals '' 0 : 33 5. `` The Gothic Cathedral '' 1 : 07 6. `` A Quest for Water '' 1 : 18 7. `` The Hansbach '' 2 : 54 8. `` Fervent Prayer '' 0 : 41 9. `` The Recollection '' 2 : 32 10. `` Lost & Found '' 0 : 43 11. `` Echoes '' 3 : 49 12. `` 4 Miles '' 0 : 18 13. `` The Reunion '' 2 : 40 14. `` A New Vista '' 0 : 50 15. `` A World Within a World '' 2 : 13 16. `` The Raft '' 1 : 06 17. `` The Battle '' 5 : 55 18. `` Cumulus Clouds '' 0 : 38 19. `` The Storm '' 2 : 01 20. `` The Cemetery '' 1 : 28 21. `` Quaternary Man '' 4 : 49 22. `` Mastodons '' 0 : 55 23. `` The Forest '' 2 : 30 24. `` Ages of Man '' 1 : 55 25. `` The Tunnel '' 1 : 53 26. `` Hall of the Mountain King '' 0 : 52 27. `` Mount Etna '' 3 : 12 Total length : 54 : 17 Chart performance Charts Chart Peak position UK Albums Chart ( 1974 ) Kent Music Report ( 1974 ) United States Billboard 200 ( 1974 ) Go - Set ( 1974 ) 6 New Zealand Albums Chart ( 1975 ) 17 Italian Albums Chart ( 1973 ) 18 Certifications Date Country Certification Certified units / Sales United States ( RIAA ) Gold 500,000 Brazil Gold 40,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Gold 100,000 Accolades Publication Country Accolade Year Rank Prog UK The 100 Greatest Prog Albums of All Time 2014 55 Personnel Wakeman 's equipment 3 Mellotrons 2 Minimoog synthesisers Grand piano Hammond organ Rhodes electric piano RMI electric piano Hohner clavinet Honky - tonk piano Additional musicians Gary Pickford - Hopkins -- vocals Ashley Holt -- vocals Mike Egan -- electric guitar Roger Newell -- bass guitar Barney James -- drums David Hemmings -- narration David Measham -- conductor London Symphony Orchestra English Chamber Choir Production Danny Beckerman -- arrangements Will Malone -- arrangements Pete Flanagan -- engineer Keith Grant -- production engineer Lou Reizner -- production co-ordination Paul Tregurtha -- engineer Michael Doud -- original art direction Michael Wade -- original design Chris Foster -- photographer Paul Wakefield -- photographer Peter Waldman -- photographer Nigel Messett -- photographer Ken Randall -- photographer References Citations ^ Jump up to : Collett - White, Mike ( 14 November 2012 ). `` Wakeman reworks rock epic Journey to Centre of Earth ''. Reuters. Retrieved 2 December 2012. ^ Jump up to : Concert programme for Rick Wakeman : Journey to the Centre of the Earth. 18 January 1974. Jump up ^ Wooding, p. 11 ^ Jump up to : Wooding, p. 12 Jump up ^ Wooding, p. 15 ^ Jump up to : Wooding, p. 13 ^ Jump up to : Wooding, p. 14 Jump up ^ Wakeman 1995, p. 120. ^ Jump up to : Wooding, p. 17. ^ Jump up to : Wooding, p. 18. ^ Jump up to : Welch, Chris ( 13 April 1974 ). `` Wakeman : British groups have gone over the top ''. Melody Maker. p. 34. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Wooding, pp. 16 -- 17. Jump up ^ Track listing from Treasure Chest Volume 3 -- The Missing Half, released by Voiceprint in 2002. Catalogue number VPTCCD3. Jump up ^ Welch, Chris ( 19 January 1974 ). `` Sentimental Journey ''. Melody Maker. pp. 9 -- 10. access - date = requires url = ( help ) Jump up ^ Journey to the Centre of the Earth album sleeve. A&M Records. 1974. Catalogue number AMLH 63621. Jump up ^ Wakeman 1995, p. 123. Jump up ^ Wakeman 1995, p. 124. ^ Jump up to : Snider, p. 172. Jump up ^ `` Music : Rock Goes to College ''. Time Magazine. 23 September 1974. Retrieved 21 June 2010. Jump up ^ Wooding, p. 22 ^ Jump up to : `` RIAA -- Gold and Platinum Search ''. RIAA. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2011. Jump up ^ `` Rick Wakeman, six wives and one hell of a party ''. The Times. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2010. Jump up ^ Shuker, p. 210. ^ Jump up to : Wooding, p. 21. Jump up ^ DeGange, Mike. `` Journey to the Centre of the Earth ''. Allmusic. Retrieved 10 April 2011. Jump up ^ http://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/journey%20to%20the%20centre%20of%20the%20earth/ Jump up ^ http://tsort.info/music/3rbt8v.htm Jump up ^ http://www.poparchives.com.au/gosetcharts/1974/19740824.html#albums Jump up ^ http://charts.org.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Rick+Wakeman&titel=Journey+To+The+Centre+Of+The+Earth&cat=a Jump up ^ http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yenda/lpe1974.htm Jump up ^ Wooding, picture inserts. Jump up ^ http://tsort.info/music/3rbt8v.htm Jump up ^ Kilroy, Hannah May ; Ewing, Jerry ( 6 August 2014 ). `` The 100 Greatest Prog Albums Of All Time : 60 - 41 ''. Retrieved 9 April 2016. Bibliography Wakeman, Rick ( 1995 ). Say Yes ! An Autobiography. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 978 - 0 - 340 - 62151 - 6. Wooding, Dan ( 1978 ). Rick Wakeman : The Caped Crusader. Granada Publishing Limited. ISBN 0 - 586 - 04853 - 7. Shuker, Roy ( 2005 ). Popular Music The Key Concepts ( 2nd ed. ). Routledge. ISBN 0 - 415 - 34769 - 6. Snider, Charles ( 2008 ). The Strawberry Bricks Guide to Progressive Rock ( 1st ed. ). Lulu.com. ISBN 061517566X. Preceded by The Singles : 1969 - 1973 by The Carpenters UK number - one album 19 -- 25 May 1974 Succeeded by The Singles : 1969 -- 1973 by The Carpenters Jules Verne 's Journey to the Center of the Earth Films 1959 film 1978 film 1989 film 2008 TV film 2008 Asylum film 2008 theatrical film Other 1967 series 1999 miniseries 1974 album 2008 video game Journey 2 : The Mysterious Island Journey Through the Impossible Rick Wakeman Studio albums Piano Vibrations The Six Wives of Henry VIII The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table No Earthly Connection Rick Wakeman 's Criminal Record Rhapsodies 1984 Rock ' n ' Roll Prophet Cost of Living Silent Nights Country Airs Time Machine Sea Airs Night Airs Classic Tracks Rick Wakeman 's Greatest Hits Light Up The Sky The Seven Wonders of the World Return to the Centre of the Earth Christmas Variations Out There Piano Portraits Soundtracks Lisztomania White Rock Phantom Power Live Journey to the Centre of the Earth Live at Hammersmith The Six Wives of Henry VIII : Live at Hampton Court Palace Related articles Discography Yes Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe Strawbs Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman Strawbs Dave Cousins Dave Lambert Chas Cronk Tony Fernandez Dave Bainbridge Tony Hooper Ron Chesterman Sandy Denny Rick Wakeman Richard Hudson John Ford Blue Weaver Rod Coombes John Hawken Andy Richards Brian Willoughby Oliver Wakeman Adam Wakeman Albums All Our Own Work ( with Sandy Denny ) Strawbs Strawberry Sampler Number 1 Dragonfly From the Witchwood Grave New World Bursting at the Seams Hero and Heroine Ghosts Nomadness Deep Cuts Burning for You Deadlines Do n't Say Goodbye Heartbreak Hill Ringing Down the Years Blue Angel Déjà Fou The Broken Hearted Bride Dancing to the Devil 's Beat The Ferryman 's Curse Live albums Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios Strawbs in Concert Greatest Hits Live Concert Classics The Complete Strawbs ( Chiswick ' 98 Live ) Live at Nearfest Recollection Lay Down with the Strawbs Compilation albums Strawbs by Choice The Best of Strawbs Preserves Uncanned A Choice Selection of Strawbs Halcyon Days Sandy Denny and the Strawbs The Collection Tears and Pavan Box sets A Taste of Strawbs DVDs The Complete Strawbs : The Chiswick House Concert Acoustic Strawbs albums Baroque & Roll Full Bloom Painted Sky Singles `` Oh How She Changed '' `` The Man Who Called Himself Jesus '' `` Forever '' `` Benedictus '' `` Here It Comes '' `` Lay Down '' `` Part of the Union '' `` Shine on Silver Sun '' `` Hero and Heroine '' `` Hold on to Me ( The Winter Long ) '' `` Grace Darling '' `` Lemon Pie '' `` I Only Want My Love to Grow in You '' `` Charmer '' Yes Steve Howe Alan White Geoff Downes Billy Sherwood Jon Davison Chris Squire Jon Anderson Peter Banks Bill Bruford Tony Kaye Rick Wakeman Patrick Moraz Trevor Horn Trevor Rabin Igor Khoroshev Benoît David Oliver Wakeman Studio albums Yes Time and a Word The Yes Album Fragile Close to the Edge Tales from Topographic Oceans Relayer Going for the One Tormato Drama 90125 Big Generator Union Talk Keys to Ascension Keys to Ascension 2 Open Your Eyes The Ladder Magnification Fly from Here Heaven & Earth Live albums Yessongs Yesshows 9012Live : The Solos Something 's Coming : The BBC Recordings 1969 -- 1970 House of Yes : Live from House of Blues Symphonic Live Live at Montreux 2003 Union Live In the Present -- Live from Lyon Songs from Tsongas Like It Is : Yes at the Bristol Hippodrome Like It Is : Yes at the Mesa Arts Center Progeny : Highlights from Seventy - Two Topographic Drama -- Live Across America Compilations Yesterdays Classic Yes Yesstory Highlights : The Very Best of Yes Keystudio Yes Remixes Yes, Friends and Relatives Greatest Hits Live Quintessential Yes Singles `` Your Move '' `` Roundabout '' `` America '' `` And You and I '' `` Soon '' `` Wonderous Stories '' `` Do n't Kill the Whale '' `` Into the Lens '' `` Owner of a Lonely Heart '' `` Leave It '' `` It Can Happen '' `` Hold On '' `` Love Will Find a Way '' `` Rhythm of Love '' `` Shoot High Aim Low '' `` Lift Me Up '' `` Saving My Heart '' `` Make It Easy '' `` The Calling '' `` Walls '' `` Open Your Eyes '' `` We Can Fly '' Other notable songs `` Yours Is No Disgrace '' `` Starship Trooper '' `` South Side of the Sky '' `` Long Distance Runaround '' `` Heart of the Sunrise '' `` Close to the Edge '' `` Siberian Khatru '' `` The Gates of Delirium '' `` Changes '' `` Cinema '' `` Our Song '' `` Big Generator '' `` The Solution '' `` Fly from Here '' Video releases Yessongs 9012Live YesYears Greatest Video Hits Yes : Live -- 1975 at Q.P.R. Live in Philadelphia Keys to Ascension Yesspeak Yes Acoustic : Guaranteed No Hiss Classic Artists : Yes Yesspeak Live : The Director 's Cut The Lost Broadcasts Rock of the ' 70s Box sets Yesyears In a Word : Yes ( 1969 -- ) The Ultimate Yes : 35th Anniversary Collection The Word Is Live Essentially Yes Progeny : Seven Shows from Seventy - Two Tours The Yes Album Tour Fragile Tour Close to the Edge Tour 1960s -- 70s 1980s -- 90s 2000s -- 10s Related bands Mabel Greer 's Toyshop XYZ Cinema Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe Yes Featuring Jon Anderson, Trevor Rabin, Rick Wakeman Related articles Discography Band members Yesoteric Roger Dean Brian Lane Symphonic Music of Yes Jimmy Haun Jay Schellen Dylan Howe Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Journey_to_the_Centre_of_the_Earth_(album)&oldid=843052919 '' Categories : Science fiction concept albums Rick Wakeman albums Adaptations of works by Jules Verne 1974 live albums A&M Records live albums David Hemmings albums Music based on novels Music based on science fiction works Travel to the Earth 's center Journey to the Center of the Earth Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from January 2018 Articles with permanently dead external links Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL EngvarB from September 2013 Use dmy dates from September 2013 Articles with hAudio microformats Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Talk Contents About Wikipedia Español Français Italiano Nederlands 日本 語 Português Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Edit links This page was last edited on 26 May 2018, at 14 : 57. 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Question: who narrates journey to the centre of the earth
Answer: David Hemmings