Rob van Weelde on the World Premiere of ‘Another 7 Symphonies’ in Liverpool
“It’s a reconstruction of Beatles music in a totally different way.”
That’s how Rob van Weelde describes Another 7 Symphonies — a bold orchestral project he co-created with arranger Roeland Jacobs. Rather than offering straightforward covers or tributes, they reimagined 39 Beatles songs as full-scale symphonies, performed by the Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra. Each of the seven symphonies draws from different parts of the Beatles catalogue, with recurring motifs and structural developments familiar from the classical tradition.
“We don’t use the songs as such. We are not making covers,” Van Weelde explains. “We use parts of the songs and create a new symphony, whereby themes return — as is customary in classical music.”
Familiar melodies, unexpected twists
The result is surprising and transformative. Eleanor Rigby becomes a waltz in 3/4 time. In the final movement, titled Rigby’s Waltz, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds merges seamlessly into She’s Leaving Home — a pairing that feels so natural, one might wonder why the Beatles didn’t write it that way themselves.
“What we’re trying to do is play around with them in such a fashion that people are surprised — or even wrong-footed — and hopefully like what they hear.”
A Lennon and McCartney divide
As the composers deconstructed and reassembled the material, a striking pattern emerged:
“Symphony No. 1 is all Lennon songs, and Symphony No. 2 is virtually all McCartney.”
That split wasn’t planned — it arose from the way songs naturally grouped based on shared musical characteristics. Van Weelde’s personal favorite? Abbey Symphony, drawn almost entirely from McCartney’s contributions to the Abbey Roadalbum.
“Have a listen to ‘You Never Give Me Your Money’ — played by an orchestra of 70 musicians — and you’ll hear what I mean.”
Why Liverpool?
The world premiere took place at the Tung Auditorium, right in the heart of the Beatles’ hometown. For Van Weelde and his team, no other location would do.
“We’ll be landing at John Lennon Airport, then visiting the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre with the statue of John… It’s Beatles all over,” he laughs.
“That’s exactly why we wanted the world premiere in Liverpool — because it’s the only place that truly earns it.”
Listen to the full interview with Rob van Weelde
Location: Tung Auditorium, Liverpool
Performed by: Antwerp Philharmonic Orchestra