Indeed, in fact I'm reading Geoff Emerick's book and if weren't for UA-cam I would never heard David Mason talking about his experience recording with the Beatles.
@@vibraphonics There's the production guys and delivery guys. Sometimes they're one and the same, sometimes not. No need to make it zero-sum. In this case, as a Yank, I'd likely never have seen it if not for UA-cam.
I was told by a trumpet player that played this solo on concert that this man could be multi millionaire if he chosed to get 1 quid per sold CD, but he chosed 1.000 quid or something for playing it in at the studio.
@@g4m1ng4life true enough, but no one would ever get that much. He'd be lucky to get as much as a pence. But even if he got a fraction of a pence that would be pretty good money. He'd never get that deal.
When we think of the Beatles, we don't usually think of the supporting musicians that helped them make their records. A deserving tribute to David Mason and his great solo.
Yes. Many of their songs could ever could be replicated on a stage except with a full orchestra. This guy's solo would have been a killer!!! Ok, now, who's the Harpsichordist?
macsnafu: you're right. That happens a lot, too. I'm sure you're aware of thatbgrewt group of backing musicians called " the wrecking crew". They played on every great song and album. Who knew?
@@elizabethlinsay9193 The Wrecking Crew played on a lot of songs in the 60s and early 70s, but I don't think they were ever on a Beatles song. But there's always been plenty of session musicians that play for various artists. When Steely Dan stopped touring and focused on making albums, for example, they didn't have a band, but lots of studio musicians to help complete their songs.
I'm also 73 and what makes the Beatles so special to us is that we heard this music in context to what was popular at the time. Before Hendrix, before Zeppelin, before all the music that was inspired by them. Each album was revolutionary and pushed the boundaries.
@@buddyrichable1 You took the words out of my mouth!!! By the way, I like your screen name, Buddy Rich is my drum hero, we saw him every time he came to the UK, he and his band were never less than awesome.
The genius and serendipity of the Beatles. Paul listening to the concerto on the television; then George Martin contacting Mr. Mason. The lads had a knack for spontaneous creativity, and then perfecting it in the studio. And it often was great.
I think that single, Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane is the absolute peak of the Beatles career. Recorded in late 1966/early 1967, right between Revolver and Sgt.Pepper. I mean if Revolver and Pepper were both 10s, this single would be like 11. Their very best as songwriters, recording studio technique pioneers,...You name it, it's there. That period between late summer 66 when they quit touring and just when they began recording Pepper is the most important and intriguing one. In august they were screaming "Rock and Roll music", a mere 3 months later they had re-invented themselves and their music.
The "worst" album they made,Let it Be, when they were at the nadir (said by themselves) of their relationship and musicianship is still full of classics.
27 pounds for one of the most beautiful brass solos of all time. Can't wrap my head around that. Penny Lane is a wonderful song but can anyone imagine it without that piccolo?
Musician's union scale for a session at the time, I assume, and not bad money in them days for 3 hours work! ;-) (Actually, maybe more than the basic session fee, since it was a solo. Session fee probably higher for a solo)
Otto Clave - "27 pounds for one of the most beautiful brass solos of all time" But that DID represent more than a week's work for a skilled electrician at the time. And who knew that this was to become a Classic of Classics ?
I just did the math, and in 2017, that would be worth 478£ or $613-as previously mentioned for three hours work. Not what it was truly worth, since it truly is a classic, but all in all a good morning's work.
That was the brilliance of those guys they were always innovating their music by incorporating different sounds and Instruments. I have to include and thank George Martin in that as well.
I was a DJ when this came out. A fellow DJ and I rushed to a control room at WACO and auditioned both sides. Then we listened to Penny Lane repeatedly for at least an hour. Gob-smacked.
There are so many tremendous musicians on these tracks. So many of them, amidst a 40+ year classical career, have a story about spending three or four hours one evening at Abbey Road, and recording thirty or forty seconds of music that immortalized them and their talents for generations to come. I just found out that Sheila Bromberg, the extraordinary harpist who played on "She's Leaving Home" one night for nine quid, just passed away in 2021. What a treasure it is to have a few moments of greatness from these artists stitched into the fabric of popular music. Even if we don't always know them by name, these records have truly made them immortal.
There's a wonderful performance of this by Elvis Costello honoring McCartney at an event at the White House. They keep the piccolo trumpet player in the shadows until the solo and it's a magical effect when he appears and belts it out perfectly. The crowd roars its approval then and there. That solo alone is an absolutely perfect bit of music - honestly, Mozart or Bach would've been pleased with it. Now that I'm older, the song seems like perfection. It's so effortlessly conceived and executed it's easy to overlook how very fine it is on so many levels. The lyrics seem quotidian, even trivial, but they are, in fact, superb. They work indirectly, they put you into this magical time and emotional experience. There is so much affection and depth hidden in there. I can't hear that verse about the pretty nurse selling poppies from a tray without getting a lump in my throat.
@@robbleackley1619 Exactly! He wouldn't have done. Memory playing tricks. Funny, Macca played an acetate of the single to Joe Orton, who also thought Penny Lane was the obvious hit, and Strawberry Fields an also-ran.
David Mason was the product of the great North Country brass bands. He was also principal trumpet of The London Philamonic Orchestra. Also he was professor of trumpet/cornet at Kneller Hall, Royal School of Military Music where I was priviledged to have a master class with him as an army cadet. I have always cherished that 45 minutes with a highly modest man and hero of any aspiring trumpeter. His obituary in the London Times newspaper was only one of many. Sadly, Kneller Hall was closed after 150 years and its school has been amalgamated with that of The Royal Marines near Portsmouth.
That David played this so perfectly is magical. That Paul McCartney wrote the entire song and mapped out what he wanted of the trumpet solo is Divine talent and inspiration!
They were able to source the best, George Martin picks up the phone, no musician is likely to have been ' unavailable' for that gig...What a lovely gentleman and what a great part in a great song.
Sheila Bromberg as Sgt Pepper's harpist, David Mason as Penny Lane's trumpet. I want to know more musicians that played for the Beatles! What a pleasure to see and to listen these wonderful musicians that played for the best band in the world. Is there any other videos about more musicians that played for the Bottles?
Alan Civil played the French Horn part in For No One. I haven't seen any video of him talking about it, but I think, having spent a lifetime in classical music he found the only thing people wanted to ask him about was playing on that track. I'm pretty sure he played on a couple of other Beatles tracks as part of an orchestra, including Day In The Life. My sister and his sister shared a flat in West London around that time but I never met him.
I just love the ending we're David congratulates the younger trumpeter after he's played David's piece, as if handing the solo on to the next generation to play.....a timeless melody in a timeless song.
While true, swing is certainly less popular now than in the 40's, the boogie woogie of the 20's even less, and the ragtime popular music of the 1890's even less popular again in the present day. Musical styles certainly seem to go out of fashion, and drum/bass guitar/electric guitar music is rarely played on commercial pop radio now; whereas of course these electric guitars were avant garde new release instruments in the 1950's and 1960's at the time of the Beatles. Nowadays, electronic music is of course predominant in pop (a genre only invented in the 1950's & 60's, popularised with transistor electronics in the 1970's and 1980's up to present day where programmable computers are more powerful than ever and can be easily used to make music).
@@TassieLorenzo The difference being however...is 50 years on...The Beatles sound is still not antiquated. It is relevant today...whereas swing, big band, boogie woogie, and ragtime...are ALL outdated. The Beatles sound...may never go out of style.
Great taste that girl , buy her a guitar as soon as she asks for one . And The Beatles Complete , that's how to learn everything you need about guitar , bass & songwriting .
Wouldn't we all love to play just a small part in History like David. ? And how brilliant to see him recognised so many years later. God bless you David..
What a nice fella David Mason was. Looked him up he died of cancer in 2011 aged 85. So in 1966/67 that would have made him about 40. So he was a good bit older than the Beatles lads. Understandable he did not know who they were!
There is a BBC film from 1987 "20 Years ago today" (20 years Sgt. Pepper) and you can see David Mason plays again the Penny Lane solo. It sounds so powerful, absolutely awesome!
As a 'boomer' who grew up with the Beatles, having watched their debut on the Ed Sullivan show, I would say that the trumpet absolutely made that song. I still listen to it, usually several times in a row, just to hear that part. BRAVO David!
Geoff Emerick's book "Here, There, And Everywhere" has a great description of that session. Nice to see someone interview Mason in person. Great solo, gave the song a lot of class, and I'm sure it gave Mason a well-deserved career boost. Definite thumbs-up on this one!
David Mason, thank you so very much for having played that magical trumpet part on Penny Lane. It is YOUR playing in that part of the song which always brings tears in my eyes from sheer emotion, no matter what mood I'm in. Thanks you on behalf of millions of Beatles fans.
One of the many things I love about music from this time is that almost all songs have a story. A personal impression. Someone lived that song. Wonderful.
4:01 - You can see the passion still in David's eyes - These passions never die. They're an integral part of his life. I love to hear about these sharply honed skills.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful segment, I just acquired a copy of an original US promo just for this trumpet solo, and of course for the extra 7 notes at the end, not heard on the LP.
Wow!! I remember listening to my radio daily as the era of the greatest pop (popular) music 1964-74 delivered incredible music with the Beatles leading it. What a privilege to grow up with it as the backdrop to our youth. Sadly, many millennials have never heard this music.
On the (2021) 6 part McCartney series on Hulu, (which is just great btw) Paul talks about exactly this. Paul mentions that Mr. Mason commented that the last note of the solo technically exceeded the range of the instrument but Paul convinced him to give it a shot anyway. Very cool. If you're a Beatles fan, it's worth getting Hulu for a month for only this wonderful series.
The serie is in the Netherlands on disney+, and it's great to watch... So nice to see the man who did this majestic performance on his piccolo trumpet! I love it♡
OMG!!! How did I miss this? I've (stupidly) had HULU for years and just never got around to cxl. This is worth _finally_ setting up my 5.1 rig. Well, maybe. We'll see. 😄 Kidding aside, thx for writing about it. I'm jazzed.
Well some of it was but not all, 'A Day In the Life' for instance was I beleive recorded on two Studer J37 four track tape machines synchronised together using one track to carry a 50Hz tone amplified up to drive the capstan motor of the other machine giving 7 useable tracks, the biggest problem was starting the two machines together after a recording which entailed marking up the two tapes and starting them manually together. Abbey Road technical engineer Ken Townsend ( Inventor of ADT Automatic double tracking) was the person given this task at the request of producer George Martin.
True, but they were not 4 tracks like those of a 24 track 2 inch tape. These were 4 tracks on a 1 inch tape, so on each track they could and would record much more stuff, and then submix, keeping a pristine sound. Taking tape width into account, Sgt. Pepper would equivalent to a 12 track recording in the 24 track analogue days, depending on the song.
@@ferabra8939 Once you have filled up 4 tracks with carefull mixing you can bounce these four onto the other machine as one track ,but then can not remix these four again so it has to be the final mix you are sending across .Of course you are still able to mix the four as one track ..
Fantastic - so humble yet such a fantastic musician with a inbuilt understanding of what music sounds best £27 and 10 shillings! A very small price for a priceless piece of musical history
"In Penny Lane, there is a fireman with an hourglass, and in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen. He likes to keep his fire engine clean, it's a clean machine..." I have ALWAYS loved that particular lyric!! Pure happiness!! :)
"Father McKenzie, wiping his hands as he walks from the grave.............No one was saved"..........I think is the greatest ever line in a Pop Single.
Wow... it's incredible to me that David Mason played it so beautifully in the original but that the student (?) nailed it at the end is a testament to his teacher!! This is probably the most impressive trumpet solo I've ever heard and it leaves me in awe every time I hear Penny Lane.
It's stuff like this that makes UA-cam so wonderful.
Indeed, in fact I'm reading Geoff Emerick's book and if weren't for UA-cam I would never heard David Mason talking about his experience recording with the Beatles.
@@Fl0yd Agreed. UA-cam is glorious.. Thank you.
Actually I'd say stuff like this makes the BBC so terrific (as they made this clip)
@@vibraphonics There's the production guys and delivery guys. Sometimes they're one and the same, sometimes not. No need to make it zero-sum. In this case, as a Yank, I'd likely never have seen it if not for UA-cam.
Yes, from the BBC
That solo is a crown jewel on an absolutely majestic song.
I love it as much as you do!
Yes!
I was told by a trumpet player that played this solo on concert that this man could be multi millionaire if he chosed to get 1 quid per sold CD, but he chosed 1.000 quid or something for playing it in at the studio.
HUZZAR!!! 🤩🤩🤩🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼❤️👏👏👏
@@g4m1ng4life true enough, but no one would ever get that much. He'd be lucky to get as much as a pence. But even if he got a fraction of a pence that would be pretty good money. He'd never get that deal.
When we think of the Beatles, we don't usually think of the supporting musicians that helped them make their records. A deserving tribute to David Mason and his great solo.
Yes. Many of their songs could ever could be replicated on a stage except with a full orchestra. This guy's solo would have been a killer!!! Ok, now, who's the Harpsichordist?
macsnafu: you're right. That happens a lot, too. I'm sure you're aware of thatbgrewt group of backing musicians called " the wrecking crew". They played on every great song and album. Who knew?
I meant to say : that great group...
@@elizabethlinsay9193 The Wrecking Crew played on a lot of songs in the 60s and early 70s, but I don't think they were ever on a Beatles song. But there's always been plenty of session musicians that play for various artists. When Steely Dan stopped touring and focused on making albums, for example, they didn't have a band, but lots of studio musicians to help complete their songs.
I didn't mean they played on each and every great song and album, but on many.
My misstep.
I’m 73 and still get goosebumps when I hear Penny Lane.
... and I shed a tear as well. ❤️
So do I (71)! Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱.
I'm also 73 and what makes the Beatles so special to us is that we heard this music in context to what was popular at the time. Before Hendrix, before Zeppelin, before all the music that was inspired by them. Each album was revolutionary and pushed the boundaries.
@@buddyrichable1 You took the words out of my mouth!!! By the way, I like your screen name, Buddy Rich is my drum hero, we saw him every time he came to the UK, he and his band were never less than awesome.
Same
"Spot on" is probably one of the best compliment one could get 😉👍🎉
With that great trumpet solo Mr Mason will be remembered for ever.RIP
The genius and serendipity of the Beatles. Paul listening to the concerto on the television; then George Martin contacting Mr. Mason. The lads had a knack for spontaneous creativity, and then perfecting it in the studio. And it often was great.
Superb!
He said..."George Lennon". Hahahaha. Hats off to David Mason for hitting that high note. May he rest in peace.
I think that single, Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane is the absolute peak of the Beatles career. Recorded in late 1966/early 1967, right between Revolver and Sgt.Pepper. I mean if Revolver and Pepper were both 10s, this single would be like 11. Their very best as songwriters, recording studio technique pioneers,...You name it, it's there. That period between late summer 66 when they quit touring and just when they began recording Pepper is the most important and intriguing one. In august they were screaming "Rock and Roll music", a mere 3 months later they had re-invented themselves and their music.
I always say We Can Work it Out c/w Day Tripper was the "perfect" single. Their powers were limitless then.
Marvellous single, but still they weren't into inventing new sounds, structures,...That's a 9.5 out of 10 for me ;-)
Ha! :)
The "worst" album they made,Let it Be, when they were at the nadir (said by themselves) of their relationship and musicianship is still full of classics.
The double A side, Something/Come Together, isn't too shabby.
RIP David Mason (1926-2011).
Aw he must have passed shortly after this was recorded. What a lovely gentleman.
That trumpet piece, and the song are such a joyful high energy moment in history.
The world was a different place. Everything seemed possible. This music said so.
David Mason was my brass ensemble coach at the RCM. A beautiful person with such amazing stories....inspirational in every way, really miss him
27 pounds for one of the most beautiful brass solos of all time. Can't wrap my head around that. Penny Lane is a wonderful song but can anyone imagine it without that piccolo?
Musician's union scale for a session at the time, I assume, and not bad money in them days for 3 hours work! ;-) (Actually, maybe more than the basic session fee, since it was a solo. Session fee probably higher for a solo)
Otto Clave -
"27 pounds for one of the most beautiful brass solos of all time"
But that DID represent more than a week's work for a skilled electrician at the time.
And who knew that this was to become a Classic of Classics ?
I just did the math, and in 2017, that would be worth 478£ or $613-as previously mentioned for three hours work. Not what it was truly worth, since it truly is a classic, but all in all a good morning's work.
27 pound was a lot back then
That was the brilliance of those guys they were always innovating their music by incorporating different sounds and Instruments. I have to include and thank George Martin in that as well.
I was a DJ when this came out. A fellow DJ and I rushed to a control room at WACO and auditioned both sides. Then we listened to Penny Lane repeatedly for at least an hour. Gob-smacked.
David Mason gave a lecture at our school back in the 70's. One of the best I attended. And yes - he brought his piccolo trumpet along.
This left me surprisingly moved. Bless you, Mr. Mason.
Noticed something over the years, the greats are so humble and eager to share to others and don't boast about themselves.
There are so many tremendous musicians on these tracks. So many of them, amidst a 40+ year classical career, have a story about spending three or four hours one evening at Abbey Road, and recording thirty or forty seconds of music that immortalized them and their talents for generations to come. I just found out that Sheila Bromberg, the extraordinary harpist who played on "She's Leaving Home" one night for nine quid, just passed away in 2021. What a treasure it is to have a few moments of greatness from these artists stitched into the fabric of popular music. Even if we don't always know them by name, these records have truly made them immortal.
👍👍👍👍👏👏
There's a wonderful performance of this by Elvis Costello honoring McCartney at an event at the White House. They keep the piccolo trumpet player in the shadows until the solo and it's a magical effect when he appears and belts it out perfectly. The crowd roars its approval then and there. That solo alone is an absolutely perfect bit of music - honestly, Mozart or Bach would've been pleased with it. Now that I'm older, the song seems like perfection. It's so effortlessly conceived and executed it's easy to overlook how very fine it is on so many levels. The lyrics seem quotidian, even trivial, but they are, in fact, superb. They work indirectly, they put you into this magical time and emotional experience. There is so much affection and depth hidden in there. I can't hear that verse about the pretty nurse selling poppies from a tray without getting a lump in my throat.
Yes, it is very good. The trumpeter is in military uniform. Well worth watching its on YT.
Master Sergeant Matthew Harding! He's brilliant.
Was it written by George Martin?
You sent me to that video quite some time ago. Thank you.
Agree, I liked it when I was younger, but *appreciate* it all the more as I got older. Combines complexity and simplicity w great melody. 🎶
Seeing an artist watch another musician play a musical phrase they crated, and spot on, was wonderful beyond words! So glad I found this video :)
This is the kind of stuff I watch and have a hard time not tearing up from happiness.
YES!
David mason , not to be confused with dave mason of traffic,great playing sir , it did make the record.
That piccolo trumpet is iconic!!
Great tune, great solo, great player, great interview!
Great Scott!
Mr. Mason: " This is better than Strawberry Fields" John Lennon: "Thanks mate, I wrote that" Wow, would have loved to have been there for that!!
Me too!
I personally likes strawberry fields more
My question would be...When did he hear Strawberry Fields?
@@robbleackley1619 Exactly! He wouldn't have done. Memory playing tricks. Funny, Macca played an acetate of the single to Joe Orton, who also thought Penny Lane was the obvious hit, and Strawberry Fields an also-ran.
They are both classic
What a lovely guy. I bet he was a great teacher too. 👍👍👍🎶🎶🎶
David Mason was the product of the great North Country brass bands. He was also principal trumpet of The London Philamonic Orchestra. Also he was professor of trumpet/cornet at Kneller Hall, Royal School of Military Music where I was priviledged to have a master class with him as an army cadet. I have always cherished that 45 minutes with a highly modest man and hero of any aspiring trumpeter. His obituary in the London Times newspaper was only one of many. Sadly, Kneller Hall was closed after 150 years and its school has been amalgamated with that of The Royal Marines near Portsmouth.
Love these back stories
Dave Mason was such a CLASS act, as well as being a wonderful trumpet player- RIP.
Wow, what a nice and talented man who played probably the best and most popular trumpet part ever in this world.
Brilliant trumpet solo!!
That David played this so perfectly is magical. That Paul McCartney wrote the entire song and mapped out what he wanted of the trumpet solo is Divine talent and inspiration!
john wrote it
@@kencollins9602 yes dear, back to sleep for you and let's not forget your meds
Paul wrote PL, John wrote SF...
They were able to source the best, George Martin picks up the phone, no musician is likely to have been ' unavailable' for that gig...What a lovely gentleman and what a great part in a great song.
One of the most beautiful parts I've ever heard. I used to play this song over and over just for that trumpet!
Sheila Bromberg as Sgt Pepper's harpist, David Mason as Penny Lane's trumpet. I want to know more musicians that played for the Beatles! What a pleasure to see and to listen these wonderful musicians that played for the best band in the world. Is there any other videos about more musicians that played for the Bottles?
Alan Civil played the French Horn part in For No One. I haven't seen any video of him talking about it, but I think, having spent a lifetime in classical music he found the only thing people wanted to ask him about was playing on that track. I'm pretty sure he played on a couple of other Beatles tracks as part of an orchestra, including Day In The Life. My sister and his sister shared a flat in West London around that time but I never met him.
I just love the ending we're David congratulates the younger trumpeter after he's played David's piece, as if handing the solo on to the next generation to play.....a timeless melody in a timeless song.
My 6 yr old daughter is a fan of the Beatles, and I predict her children will be too.
To quote an old Levi's ad, 'Quality never goes out of style".
While true, swing is certainly less popular now than in the 40's, the boogie woogie of the 20's even less, and the ragtime popular music of the 1890's even less popular again in the present day. Musical styles certainly seem to go out of fashion, and drum/bass guitar/electric guitar music is rarely played on commercial pop radio now; whereas of course these electric guitars were avant garde new release instruments in the 1950's and 1960's at the time of the Beatles. Nowadays, electronic music is of course predominant in pop (a genre only invented in the 1950's & 60's, popularised with transistor electronics in the 1970's and 1980's up to present day where programmable computers are more powerful than ever and can be easily used to make music).
@@TassieLorenzo The difference being however...is 50 years on...The Beatles sound is still not antiquated. It is relevant today...whereas swing, big band, boogie woogie, and ragtime...are ALL outdated. The Beatles sound...may never go out of style.
Great taste that girl , buy her a guitar as soon as she asks for one . And The Beatles Complete , that's how to learn everything you need about guitar , bass & songwriting .
My son, and grandson both fans 😊
Perfectly said.
Wouldn't we all love to play just a small part in History like
David. ? And how brilliant to see him recognised so many years later. God bless you David..
I always marveled at that "sound". Perfection! I could not imagine anything else in its place.
What a nice fella David Mason was. Looked him up he died of cancer in 2011 aged 85. So in 1966/67 that would have made him about 40. So he was a good bit older than the Beatles lads. Understandable he did not know who they were!
Yes he was. I imagine he was a super teacher.
BTW I like the word _fella_ but you don't hear it much any more. We need to keep these words.
Wonderful sound… eternal masterpiece. Hugs from Brazil.
Stumbled across this....and it's one of the things I've come to love about UA-cam. Ya just never know what's coming up next!
It's amazing that Dave Mason had the time to be away from Traffic.
😀😁😂
Lol...yes
Fantastic to stumble onto this clip just as my choir starts learning to sing Penny Lane. Great story, great solo, great tone!
There is a BBC film from 1987 "20 Years ago today" (20 years Sgt. Pepper) and you can see David Mason plays again the Penny Lane solo. It sounds so powerful, absolutely awesome!
Yes , I did originally put the David Mason section on You Tube, but because his playing goes into the Penny Lane song itself it was taken down.
One of the best solos on pop record. Glad to see this back; it was blocked for a while and David Mason deserves the recognition.
Yes but McCartney wrote it.
This is fantastic! What a nice and humble man!
RIP David Mason 2 April 1926 - 29 April 2011. Herald in the angels glory David.
As a 'boomer' who grew up with the Beatles, having watched their debut on the Ed Sullivan show, I would say that the trumpet absolutely made that song. I still listen to it, usually several times in a row, just to hear that part. BRAVO David!
"Penny Lane" a love song? Anyway David's solo is one of the greatest solos ever recorded. Thank you David & rest in peace.
"One of Beatles most loved songs"
It is a love song, its a song and I love it.
Nostalgic love for a place rather than romantic love towards a person, mind you.
Penny Lane is NOT a love song. I am amazed no one noticed this in the narrator's copy before this production.
I thought they both were about Liverpool.
It would have been amazing to be there watching those young beatles record their legendary songs.
This man deserves an MBE for this iconic solo
Thanks David. It's an amazing piece of music history.
Geoff Emerick's book "Here, There, And Everywhere" has a great description of that session. Nice to see someone interview Mason in person. Great solo, gave the song a lot of class, and I'm sure it gave Mason a well-deserved career boost.
Definite thumbs-up on this one!
Imagine having to play that bit in front of the original artist, must be terrifying.
David Mason, thank you so very much for having played that magical trumpet part on Penny Lane. It is YOUR playing in that part of the song which always brings tears in my eyes from sheer emotion, no matter what mood I'm in. Thanks you on behalf of millions of Beatles fans.
How Cool for the young man at the end to get a David Mason "Atta-Boy" BRILLIANT
What a thoroughly lovely man.
This video should be in The National Archives :-)
One of the many things I love about music from this time is that almost all songs have a story. A personal impression. Someone lived that song. Wonderful.
4:01 - You can see the passion still in David's eyes - These passions never die. They're an integral part of his life. I love to hear about these sharply honed skills.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful segment, I just acquired a copy of an original US promo just for this trumpet solo, and of course for the extra 7 notes at the end, not heard on the LP.
For me, the one with the 7 notes at the end is the most worthwhile version.
This is incredible. I was always lead to believe that Gordon Webb was the trumpeter on Penny Lane.
I like when he smiled when the student got it right.
I've always admired that trumpet solo
Great story; loved the piece. Thanks for posting. Beatle fan for decades.
Just another piece of the genuis work the beatles produced.
Wow!! I remember listening to my radio daily as the era of the greatest pop (popular) music 1964-74 delivered incredible music with the Beatles leading it. What a privilege to grow up with it as the backdrop to our youth. Sadly, many millennials have never heard this music.
There was quite a lot of commentary amongst the classical crowd of young musicians at the time, about that note.......it was remarkable!!
This is what I call a gem.
Favorite Beatles song. Thank you Mr. Mason for your contribution.
I’ve always felt like the Fabs started with the the trumpet part and built the rest of the song around it! Pure nostalgic joy…perfection!
On the (2021) 6 part McCartney series on Hulu, (which is just great btw) Paul talks about exactly this. Paul mentions that Mr. Mason commented that the last note of the solo technically exceeded the range of the instrument but Paul convinced him to give it a shot anyway. Very cool. If you're a Beatles fan, it's worth getting Hulu for a month for only this wonderful series.
Hulu: unavailable outside of the USA.
@@mattheweyre7054 It is available on disney + in most parts of EU I believe. It is worth checking it there to see if your country has it. Sweden does
The serie is in the Netherlands on disney+, and it's great to watch...
So nice to see the man who did this majestic performance on his piccolo trumpet! I love it♡
OMG!!! How did I miss this? I've (stupidly) had HULU for years and just never got around to cxl. This is worth _finally_ setting up my 5.1 rig. Well, maybe. We'll see. 😄
Kidding aside, thx for writing about it. I'm jazzed.
Message me for the link. I have it. 😉
Wow love hearing back stories like this !
Brilliant! Can't believe that all of Sgt Pepper was recorded on a 4-track.
Well some of it was but not all, 'A Day In the Life' for instance was I beleive recorded on two Studer J37 four track tape machines synchronised together using one track to carry a 50Hz tone amplified up to drive the capstan motor of the other machine giving 7 useable tracks, the biggest problem was starting the two machines together after a recording which entailed marking up the two tapes and starting them manually together. Abbey Road technical engineer Ken Townsend ( Inventor of ADT Automatic double tracking) was the person given this task at the request of producer George Martin.
Two 4 tracks linked together and probably some track mixing and bouncing as well ...
True, but they were not 4 tracks like those of a 24 track 2 inch tape. These were 4 tracks on a 1 inch tape, so on each track they could and would record much more stuff, and then submix, keeping a pristine sound. Taking tape width into account, Sgt. Pepper would equivalent to a 12 track recording in the 24 track analogue days, depending on the song.
@@ferabra8939 Once you have filled up 4 tracks with carefull mixing you can bounce these four onto the other machine as one track ,but then can not remix these four again so it has to be the final mix you are sending across .Of course you are still able to mix the four as one track ..
Glad David Mason lived long enough to talk about his involvement in one of the Beatles' most memorable recordings.
In the 1997 30th anniversary documentary of Sgt Pepper, Mr. Mason played the part himself for the filmmakers.
Yes
Beatle music will never die off , it will last for eternity !
Fantastic - so humble yet such a fantastic musician with a inbuilt understanding of what music sounds best £27 and 10 shillings! A very small price for a priceless piece of musical history
My respects to the man. God bless you, sir.
I always wondered about the sidemen who played iconic parts on Beatles recordings. Now I know.
"In Penny Lane, there is a fireman with an hourglass,
and in his pocket is a portrait of the Queen.
He likes to keep his fire engine clean,
it's a clean machine..."
I have ALWAYS loved that particular lyric!! Pure happiness!! :)
"Father McKenzie, wiping his hands as he walks from the grave.............No one was saved"..........I think is the greatest ever line in a Pop Single.
Me too. 🚒
Penny Lane was the first normal crowded street out of middle class suburb Paul was living during his childhood.
"He likes to keep his fire engine clean,
it's a clean machine..."
These are amongst Paul's favourite lines - that he's written.
So do I
It’s so beautiful. Thank you, Mr. Mason!
That trumpet solois the best part of Penny Lane. Bravo David Mason! 👏
Wow... it's incredible to me that David Mason played it so beautifully in the original but that the student (?) nailed it at the end is a testament to his teacher!!
This is probably the most impressive trumpet solo I've ever heard and it leaves me in awe every time I hear Penny Lane.
He nailed it but not in tune with the original! The higher the note, the less leeway to match the pitch.
"george lennon oh john lennon, i dont even know their name" bless you Mr mason 🙏
Ha, brilliant! What a fantastic little story and what an experience! 👍👏
Thank you! I cherished every second, of this fabulously informative video.
Absolutely love the trumpet in the song.
To me the trumpet in this song reminds me of the British Empire. It's got a touch to the old British Empire and Victorian Age.
I can’t imagine that song without the trumpet solo. One of the Beatles very best songs.
What a great story. I always loved that trumpet piece.
Another wonderful piece of Beetle history!
Fascinating👍 Thanks for reminding us of hidden treasures.
Spot on ! George Lennon ;)
27 quid and a lifetime of invitations for dinner parties.
And the occasional paid interview, to tell the story again :)
I literally met David at a dinner party 15 or so years ago. He was charming.
@@tobystarbuck3546 How much did he charge ?
@@priesty4783 lol - it was a freebie - I think he was the host's friend and neighbour.
Love that sound. Genius.
Yes I bought Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane all those years ago. What a delightful interview!
Man, what a treat this was. Thanks for posting!
Masterful is the only way to describe it.
People sometimes forget that first and foremost Producer, George Martin, was a classically trained musician.