--- product_id: 2941451 title: "A Passion Play" price: "343 zł" currency: PLN in_stock: true reviews_count: 7 url: https://www.desertcart.pl/products/2941451-a-passion-play store_origin: PL region: Poland --- # A Passion Play **Price:** 343 zł **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** A Passion Play - **How much does it cost?** 343 zł with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.pl](https://www.desertcart.pl/products/2941451-a-passion-play) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description In 1972 Jethro Tull were riding high on the crest of a popularity wave. They sold out huge arenas on the back of their critically acclaimed fifth album Thick As A Brick. The question was, how do you follow a concept album comprising a single 44-minute piece of music? The answer was, with a double album of separate songs of course.For the first time in their five year career Tull went into the studio with an unchanged line-up. Founder member and undisputed leader Ian Anderson was still writing songs on flute, acoustic guitar and now saxophone, and he was again joined by guitarist Martin Barre, bassist Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, drummer Barriemore Barlow and keyboard player John Evans. But which studio to use? The first criterion was that it had to be abroad. The second criterion was that the studio of choice had to have a good reputation. The 18th century Château d'Hérouville near Paris had previously been used by Elton John to record Honky Château and by Pink Floyd for Obscured By Clouds. It contained living accommodation as well as studio facilities, and so seemed the ideal choice. What could possibly go wrong? The choice was a disaster. First up, there were technical problems with the studio itself. Then there was the accommodation... the band all slept in a dormitory, it was very basic which might have been tolerable, had they been the sole occupants of the rooms. Unfortunately, they had unwelcome company, of a bed-bug variety. And then to make matters infinitely worse everybody got food poisoning from the in-house catering.Unsurprisingly the band decided to go home and the decision was made to ditch the hour or so s worth of music recorded in France. They decided to start from scratch and write a whole new album, instead of trying to somehow regenerate everybody s interest and commitment to something that had already struggled.And so to A Passion Play, an album that evolved into a 45-minute piece of quasi-prog rock, with complex time-signatures, complex lyrics and, well, complex everything, really. With a mere nine days left in the studio before the next tour, the pressure was on to produce something quickly. The concept explored the notion that choices might still be faced in the afterlife. It recognizes that age-old conflict between good and bad, God and the Devil.This beautifully packaged 2CD/2DVD case-bound book expanded edition of A Passion Play includes the original album and earlier Château d'Hérouville Sessions both of which have been mixed to 5.1 surround sound and new stereo mixes by Steven Wilson. Review: A Passion Play Revisited... and It's Great! - This review is for the new Steven Wilson remixed version of Tull's "A Passion Play." If you're a fan of the album to begin with, this edition trumps all previous CD releases/remasters etc. Wilson has become the go-to guy for remixing classic prog albums, and he does a fantastic job here. Does it sound different from the original mix? Yes, in places. Overall, it all sounds much better; he's tweaked dynamics here and there. The album really comes alive, especially on the DVD mixes. He's also remixed the 1972 so-called "Chateau D'Isaster Tapes," a portion of which first appeared on the "20 Years of Jethro Tull" box set (three tracks) and later on "Nightcap" (the three tracks plus what we thought was all of it). But there was more, around 10 minutes' worth! "The Chateau D'Isaster Tapes," for those of you unfamiliar with them, consist of tracks that Jethro Tull laid down after the release of "Thick as a Brick" in 1972, intended to be for the next album. The accompanying booklet goes into great detail about the recording of these tracks and subsequent abandonment. In short, Tull scrapped the recordings, went back into the studio, and created "A Passion Play" instead. There are motifs and bits from the Chateau recordings that made their way into "PP," as well as two tracks that made it onto "WarChild." When I heard the Chateau tapes on the "Nightcap" album, I was impressed and really liked comparing the genesis of "PP" with the final product. Now, with Wilson's remix, they sound better than ever. The tracks are re-sequenced, and, with the added 10 minutes we've never heard before, it really comes off as a complete, somewhat "new" Jethro Tull album from their most proggy period (1972-1973)! (The new remix is nearly 60 minutes long!) As for "Passion Play," I've always been a fan of the album. It's probably the most controversial Tull recording; it divided fans and the critics pretty much scoured it. Still, it reached #1 in the USA. It is a prog-rock concept album deluxe, released at a time when prog rock was still in vogue. It's easily Tull's most complex, intricate, obtuse, surreal, and literary work. Like "Thick as a Brick," it's one long piece interrupted by the Monty Python-esque "Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles (sniff)". For me it's one of Tull's better albums, certainly in the top ten. I can understand its detractors, for it does slip into pomposity in places, but, hey, that's what prog rock was all about in 1972-75 ("Tales from Topographic Oceans" anyone?). This deluxe package comes with two CDs and two DVDs, one of which contains remastered video of the "Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles" as well as the never-before released Opening and Closing videos used in the 1973 Passion Play tour. The booklet is terrific, which plenty of contemporary photos from the tour, several different essays, interviews, tour schedule, and lyrics (to PP *and* Chateau recordings). If you're a serious Tull fan, this is an essential purchase. Review: The Gold Standard For Deluxe Box Sets - To be honest, 'Passion Play' was perhaps my least favorite of the 1970's Tull albums. But this handsome deluxe box set - at a great price, giving real value for your money - made me appreciate the concept tremendous. Two things added to this; the fact that the music was separated into fifteen discrete sections and a wonderful remix by Steven Wilson. What sealed the deal for me, however, was the inclusion of nearly all the 'Château d'Hérouville Sessions' in a vastly improved mix and in proper sequencing. This suddenly becomes Jethro Tull heaven! The easiest way to see the difference between the 2000 release of the aborted 1973 album and the 2014 version is that it is no longer referred to as the 'Chateau D'Isaster Tapes'. The material now has the digital reverb stripped off, returning it to a classic Tull sound, and no unnecessary editing was done. Here we have the true Holy Grail of Jethro Tull, an unreleased major work by one of the most important bands on the planet at that moment. It sounds fantastic, and it still is IMHO better than the resultant 'Passion Play' album. But the 'Passion Play' album itself is improved. The remixing tends to downplay the relentless sax playing and synth work, two elements that always seemed foreign to the classic Tull sound. Plus you can compare the unreleased three album sides of discarded work and see how parts were reworked into the new conceptual piece, not to mentioned how some was recycled on the next album, 'War Child'. So a new context is in place for the listener to enjoy the work. Overall, well done Ian and Steven!!! This is the gold standard for deluxe box sets and everything that a Jethro Tull fan could ask for, including a full two discs of 5.1 material as well as the video to 'The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles' - classic! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | ASIN | B00J4A27B2 | | Best Sellers Rank | #4,660 in CDs & Vinyl ( See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl ) #96 in Progressive Rock #130 in Folk Rock (CDs & Vinyl) #432 in Classic Rock (CDs & Vinyl) | | Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (362) | | Date First Available | April 25, 2014 | | Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No | | Item model number | 29016964 | | Label | Rhino/Parlophone | | Language | English | | Manufacturer | Rhino/Parlophone | | Number of discs | 4 | | Original Release Date | 2024 | | Product Dimensions | 7.63 x 1.05 x 5.56 inches; 15.2 ounces | ## Images ![A Passion Play - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1nodgRGmoL.jpg) ![A Passion Play - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91nQsvxarFL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Passion Play Revisited... and It's Great! *by R***N on July 5, 2014* This review is for the new Steven Wilson remixed version of Tull's "A Passion Play." If you're a fan of the album to begin with, this edition trumps all previous CD releases/remasters etc. Wilson has become the go-to guy for remixing classic prog albums, and he does a fantastic job here. Does it sound different from the original mix? Yes, in places. Overall, it all sounds much better; he's tweaked dynamics here and there. The album really comes alive, especially on the DVD mixes. He's also remixed the 1972 so-called "Chateau D'Isaster Tapes," a portion of which first appeared on the "20 Years of Jethro Tull" box set (three tracks) and later on "Nightcap" (the three tracks plus what we thought was all of it). But there was more, around 10 minutes' worth! "The Chateau D'Isaster Tapes," for those of you unfamiliar with them, consist of tracks that Jethro Tull laid down after the release of "Thick as a Brick" in 1972, intended to be for the next album. The accompanying booklet goes into great detail about the recording of these tracks and subsequent abandonment. In short, Tull scrapped the recordings, went back into the studio, and created "A Passion Play" instead. There are motifs and bits from the Chateau recordings that made their way into "PP," as well as two tracks that made it onto "WarChild." When I heard the Chateau tapes on the "Nightcap" album, I was impressed and really liked comparing the genesis of "PP" with the final product. Now, with Wilson's remix, they sound better than ever. The tracks are re-sequenced, and, with the added 10 minutes we've never heard before, it really comes off as a complete, somewhat "new" Jethro Tull album from their most proggy period (1972-1973)! (The new remix is nearly 60 minutes long!) As for "Passion Play," I've always been a fan of the album. It's probably the most controversial Tull recording; it divided fans and the critics pretty much scoured it. Still, it reached #1 in the USA. It is a prog-rock concept album deluxe, released at a time when prog rock was still in vogue. It's easily Tull's most complex, intricate, obtuse, surreal, and literary work. Like "Thick as a Brick," it's one long piece interrupted by the Monty Python-esque "Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles (sniff)". For me it's one of Tull's better albums, certainly in the top ten. I can understand its detractors, for it does slip into pomposity in places, but, hey, that's what prog rock was all about in 1972-75 ("Tales from Topographic Oceans" anyone?). This deluxe package comes with two CDs and two DVDs, one of which contains remastered video of the "Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles" as well as the never-before released Opening and Closing videos used in the 1973 Passion Play tour. The booklet is terrific, which plenty of contemporary photos from the tour, several different essays, interviews, tour schedule, and lyrics (to PP *and* Chateau recordings). If you're a serious Tull fan, this is an essential purchase. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Gold Standard For Deluxe Box Sets *by B***R on July 9, 2015* To be honest, 'Passion Play' was perhaps my least favorite of the 1970's Tull albums. But this handsome deluxe box set - at a great price, giving real value for your money - made me appreciate the concept tremendous. Two things added to this; the fact that the music was separated into fifteen discrete sections and a wonderful remix by Steven Wilson. What sealed the deal for me, however, was the inclusion of nearly all the 'Château d'Hérouville Sessions' in a vastly improved mix and in proper sequencing. This suddenly becomes Jethro Tull heaven! The easiest way to see the difference between the 2000 release of the aborted 1973 album and the 2014 version is that it is no longer referred to as the 'Chateau D'Isaster Tapes'. The material now has the digital reverb stripped off, returning it to a classic Tull sound, and no unnecessary editing was done. Here we have the true Holy Grail of Jethro Tull, an unreleased major work by one of the most important bands on the planet at that moment. It sounds fantastic, and it still is IMHO better than the resultant 'Passion Play' album. But the 'Passion Play' album itself is improved. The remixing tends to downplay the relentless sax playing and synth work, two elements that always seemed foreign to the classic Tull sound. Plus you can compare the unreleased three album sides of discarded work and see how parts were reworked into the new conceptual piece, not to mentioned how some was recycled on the next album, 'War Child'. So a new context is in place for the listener to enjoy the work. Overall, well done Ian and Steven!!! This is the gold standard for deluxe box sets and everything that a Jethro Tull fan could ask for, including a full two discs of 5.1 material as well as the video to 'The Hare Who Lost His Spectacles' - classic! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review *by H***Y on June 17, 2025* Ein Klassiker --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.pl/products/2941451-a-passion-play](https://www.desertcart.pl/products/2941451-a-passion-play) --- *Product available on Desertcart Poland* *Store origin: PL* *Last updated: 2026-04-28*