Misplaced Pages

Symphonicities
Studio album by Sting
Released	14 July 2010 (2010-07-14)
Studio	Abbey Road Studios, London
Genre	Rock, classical
Length	55:39
Label	Deutsche Grammophon
Producer	Sting, Rob Mathes
Sting chronology
If on a Winter's Night... (2009) Symphonicities (2010) Live in Berlin (2010)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(62/100)
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Boston Globe	(positive)
Entertainment Weekly	D
Los Angeles Times
NOW
PopMatters
Rolling Stone

Symphonicities is the tenth studio album by English musician Sting, released on 14 July 2010 on Deutsche Grammophon. This is his first studio album featuring new recordings of existing songs drawn from both his solo career and from The Police (the second one to date being the 2019 studio album My Songs). The title of the album is a play on that of The Police' 1983 album Synchronicity.

Background

The album is a companion piece to the tour of the same name in which Sting, performing with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, reinterprets some of his songs as classical symphonic compositions. Symphonicities was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, and produced by Rob Mathes and Sting. Elliot Scheiner and Claudius Mittendorfer mixed the record, and it was mastered by Scott Hull. As of November 2010, the album had sold over one million copies worldwide.

Track listing

All songs composed by Sting.

1. "Next to You" – 2:30 (originally from Outlandos d'Amour, 1978)
2. "Englishman in New York" – 4:23 (originally from ...Nothing Like the Sun, 1987)
3. "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" – 4:56 (originally from Ghost in the Machine, 1981)
4. "I Hung My Head" – 5:31 (originally from Mercury Falling, 1996)
5. "You Will Be My Ain True Love" – 3:44 (originally from the Cold Mountain soundtrack, 2003)
6. "Roxanne" – 3:37 (originally from Outlandos d'Amour, 1978)
7. "When We Dance" – 5:26 (originally from Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994, 1994)
8. "The End of the Game" – 6:07 (originally a b-side to the song "Brand New Day" from Brand New Day, 1999)
9. "I Burn for You" – 4:03 (originally from the Brimstone & Treacle soundtrack, 1982)
10. "We Work the Black Seam" – 7:19 (originally from The Dream of the Blue Turtles, 1985)
11. "She's Too Good for Me" – 3:03 (originally from Ten Summoner's Tales, 1993)
12. "The Pirate's Bride" – 5:02 (feat. Jo Lawry - originally a b-side to the song "I Was Brought to My Senses" from Mercury Falling, 1996)

Bonus tracks

• "Straight to My Heart" (Best Buy, Napster, EU iTunes and Japanese bonus track) (originally from ...Nothing Like the Sun, 1987)
• "Why Should I Cry for You?" (iTunes and Japanese bonus track) (originally from The Soul Cages, 1991)
• "Whenever I Say Your Name" (Amazon and Japanese bonus track) (originally from Sacred Love, 2003)
• "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (Bronx Street Fair Mix) (Symphonicities vinyl LP bonus track)

Personnel

• Sting – vocals, acoustic guitar (tracks 9 and 11), harmonica (track 4), rabble rousers (track 11)
• The New York Chamber Consort – orchestra (tracks 1, 2, 9, 11 and 12)
• The London Players – orchestra (tracks 3 and 6)
• The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra – orchestra (tracks 4, 5, 7 and 8)
• Lisa Kim – concertmaster (tracks 1, 2, 9 and 12)
• Jackie Shave – concertmaster (tracks 3 and 6)
• Gerald Gregory – concertmaster (tracks 4, 7 and 8)
• Rob Mathes – arrangements (all tracks except 4, 5 and 7), conducting (tracks 1–3, 6, 9, 10 and 12)
• Steven Mercurio – arrangements (tracks 5 and 7), conducting (tracks 4, 7 and 8)
• David Hartley – arrangements (track 4)
• Jo Lawry – backing vocals (all tracks except 10), duet vocals (tracks 5 and 12)
• David Finck – double bass (tracks 1–3 and 6)
• Ira Coleman – double bass (tracks 4, 5, 7, 8 and 11)
• Dominic Miller – acoustic guitar (tracks 4, 5, 7, 8 and 12), electric guitar (track 11)
• Rob Mathes – piano (tracks 1–3, 6 and 12), acoustic guitar (tracks 3, 6 and 11), rabble rousers (track 11)
• David Cossin – percussion (tracks 1–9)
• Joe Bonadio – percussion (tracks 1, 2, 9–12 and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" (Bronx Street Fair Mix))
• Ben Wittman – programming (track 9)
• Aaron Heick – clarinet solo (track 2)
• Anthony Pleeth – cello (track 6)
• Shelley Woodworth – oboe (track 12)
• Barbara Allen – harp (track 12)
• Jeff Kievit – trumpet (track 10)
• Jim Hynes – trumpet (track 10)
• James Delagarza – trumpet (track 10)
• Dylan Schwab – trumpet (track 10)
• Larry DiBello – horn (track 10)
• Chad Yarborough – horn (track 10)
• David Peel – horn (track 10)
• Theo Primus – horn (track 10)
• Birch Johnson – trombone (track 10)
• Dick Clark – trombone (track 10)
• Jeff Nelson – bass trombone (track 10)
• Marcus Rojas – tuba (track 10)
• Chris Botti – rabble rousers (track 11)
• Ed Cherner – rabble rousers (track 11)
• Tracy Bufferd – rabble rousers (track 11)
• Kathryn Schenker – rabble rousers (track 11)

Charts

Certifications

References

1. ^ "New Sting album 'Symphonicities'". Decca Records. 16 June 2010. Archived from the original on 27 June 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
2. "Symphonicities Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
3. Symphonicities at AllMusic
4. Rodman, Sarah (12 July 2010). "Sting, 'Symphonicities'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
5. Collis, Clark (30 July 2010). "Symphonicities Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
6. Wood, Mikael (12 July 2010). "Album review: Sting's 'Symphonicities'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
7. Keller, Jason (22–29 July 2010). "Sting: Symphonicities". NOW. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
8. Garratt, John (15 July 2010). "Sting: Symphonicities". PopMatters. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
9. Kemp, Mark (2 August 2010). "Symphonicities". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
10. Sting interview for Symphonicities, 8 July 2010.
11. "Symphonicities > Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
12. "Austriancharts.at – Sting – Symphonicities" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
13. "Ultratop.be – Sting – Symphonicities" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
14. "Ultratop.be – Sting – Symphonicities" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
15. "Sting – Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
16. "Top Stranih [Top Foreign]" (in Croatian). Top Foreign Albums. Hrvatska diskografska udruga. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
17. "Dutchcharts.nl – Sting – Symphonicities" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
18. "Sting: Symphonicities" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
19. "Lescharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Sting – Symphonicities" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
21. "Greekcharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
22. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2010. 37. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
23. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 29, 2010". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
24. "Italiancharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
25. "Mexicancharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
26. "Charts.nz – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
27. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
28. "Portuguesecharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
29. ^ "Имеющие уши. Что слушали россияне в 2010 году". Lenta.ru. 5 February 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
30. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
31. "Spanishcharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
32. "Swedishcharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
33. "Swisscharts.com – Sting – Symphonicities". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
34. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
35. "Sting – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
36. "Rapports Annuels 2010". Ultratop. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
37. "Top de l'année Top Albums 2010" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
38. "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2010" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ.
39. "Italian album certifications – Sting – Symphonicities" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2010" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Symphonicities" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
40. "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2010 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.

External links

• Official site
• Fansite
• Symphonicities at Metacritic

• Sting (musician) albums
• 2010 albums
• 2010 classical albums
• Albums produced by Rob Mathes
• Royal Philharmonic Orchestra albums
• Deutsche Grammophon albums