This live version is as wonderful as the studio one. This band is perfect!

Powerful band, at their peak. Was lucky to see them repeatedly during those years, and always came away thrilled. Sad that three main members have died, but Annie still carries on the tradition, and still has her voice-and laugh!

Rest in peace, Michael Dunford, who is the sole composer of this song, "Prologue". He co-wrote many more greats like this one, for which we need express our gratitude.

What an incredible band.

Annie Haslam is incredible. Saw them three years ago and she had not lost a bit of her vocal range. What a highly talented but underrated band Renaissance was!

My favorite vocal warmup ever…and I’m a mezzo…Haslam is amazing!

Absolutely unbelievable...to find them on KZfaq. First heard them, um...over 40 years ago on an FM station. Bought the album, have loved them ever since. I could not believe this lady could sing like an angel and, apparently still does.

Don't believe all the stuff about young people only liking punk in 1977. I was 16 and there were many like me who loved music like this, played by supremely talented musicians with a singer who had the voice of a goddess.

This was the very first song by Renaissance I ever heard and from the moment I heard Annie enter I was hooked. One incredible band.

Its 2018, and Annie is still performing live!! You Go Girl!!

I've been in love with her and her voice since the early 70's

One of my five favorite sopranos.

Chopin? Revolutionary etude. Love it. Michael Dunford was a genious.

Discovered Renaissance back in about 73, they were playing my home town of Middlesbrough as part of a 3 band package tour (with Audience and Stackridge...anyone remember them?). Loved them from the first notes and have been a major fan since then. But it was Annie's voice that really did it. A bit reminiscent of Jacqui McShee at times, but what power and range. I wonder if she's ever tried singing an operatic aria?

I first heard Renaissance in a record shop in Cincinnati. I asked what was playing and bought the album on the spot! I have loved listening to them ever since! Anne has a voice of an angel! How beautiful! This music will last forever! Timeless, like The Beatles, BUT, so different! I’ll listen to them both for my final days! Peace and Love! Steve

Never too old to rock. Thanks MUCH for sharing this with us. As a Renaissance fan, it's a wonderful way to spend seven minutes.

I remember the first time I heard this song on WNEW-FM in New York. I was only 15, but I found the sound and the music that I always wanted. I was hooked!

beatuful

First time I see Renaissance perform, great band, freat progressive sound.

Magnificent! No English language lyrics, yet outstanding vocals and arrangement! This lineup of Renaissance really took off with this song!

She could sing the McDonalds menu and make it sound good

The prologue album is 1st rate. Oh the 70s. Where exeptionalizm was common place what a wonderful time. Never to be repeated. 😀

Jon Camp never really received the recognition that he deserves for his bass playing. I certain ways he reminds me of Chris Squire who has that recognition.

One of the best progressive music group...wanderful...!!!...

Top of the Best Bands ever

Absolutely amazing. Annie is really an angel singing. Wish my girlfriend had such a sweet voice to sing like that for me.

From Keith Jones Christian drummer Barnstaple, Devon now retired to Bude. My friend and guitarist Mike (Mick) Parsons who I formed Devon band Flying Fortress with joined this group but sadly passed on because of a car accident. He was due to go into the studio to play on this album. He was a great player and would have added so much to it. Thanks to Annie and the band at the time who dedicated the album to Mike (Mick) Parsons.. There is a season to laugh, a season to cry. God Bless Psalm 23. More info on Keith Google Keith Jones drummer Bude.

By the IPU and the FSM, what a VOICE! Annie was one of a kind.

Saw them at the venerable Academy of Music in Philadelphia in 1980, same venue as the Philadelphia Orchestra. The setting, the music, Annie's voice all made for a magical evening.

And thank you Annie for singing "Ashes are Burning" took me back to memories of my first Renaissance concert 1975 Bailey Hall, Cornell university. :-)

Loved them back in the day and now, too. Annie typically used to sing barefoot while on stage and she seems so also in this wonderful performance .

Just saw Renaissance at the Egg in Albany, NY 10/31/2014...really miss Micheal Dunford, but Annie and the band put on a heavenly performance...her vocals rocked! Luv you Renaissance!

I saw them at the Tower in Philly, think it was early '77. Annie's voice is amazing! She's now living in Bucks County, PA, where I grew up.

It's so awesome to actually see them play and sing! AHhhhhhhhhh!

Nossa!!! Essa introdução com o Concerto Revolucionário, de Chopin, ficou sensacional!!!

Marvellous! memories of hearing/seeing this when it was broadcast by the Beeb and memories of seeing them in 1975 at the Rainbow Theatre London with Caravan. So glad to have been around in those times. Would love to have this concert on DVD!

Radio City Music Hall, the great Capitol theatre in my hometown of Passaic NJ, or a little place in Dover NJ I cannot remember the name of, Renaissance nailed every show, and of course there is Annie, what a voice, what a woman

Very underated!

thank you ! was playing this on the way home in my car today & had to look for it... some of the very best concerts I ever went to!

So artsy! 🙂🙃♥️

So awesome

Still shine and bright, and will never rust.

Brilliant!

R.I.P. John Tout

Wow, just wow!

Preciosa voz e imagen. What a band!

A great performance but the one that made it to last year's DVD remains the best I have heard her nail that last high note. B5 for those who would be interested. Capitol, NJ, 1976, 2old2rock might have attended that show? ;) She was unbelievably flawless on that show, even by HER standards! Pity we only have a black and white archive of that one.

One wonders if Keith Relf or Jim McCarty had any idea their band would morph into THIS!

Excelente música !!!

Patrimony of humanity...

It was. Annie is an angel. When Yes was closing with Roundabout, almost half the room hit the floor. Security just said 'screw it' and didn't try to stop us. haha. Great memories.

@RenaissancePrologue So it is, in fact that whole fabulous concert seems to be on youtube now. Great! That version of Prologue, Touching Once off the Albert Hall album, Ashes are Burning, Chicago, 1983 (THAT one!) and Carpet of the Sun off Midnight Special, 76...that's the best live Annie that at least I have heard.

The slow section is really cool; they giged two years ago in Sherbrooke Qc and this sounded huge.

The slow part is so cool!

Sempre lindoa

The voice of progressive! I believe I saw the same concert at Minneapolis. Good Times!

@Yogizuna I am not from America, so I wouldn't know if it was Lincoln Park. It says Park West and anyway, yes, it's the one that made it to TV and eventually to youtube. :)

can't wait for Rio!

que Rico!!!!!!!! !!

The slow section sounds really cool

@oldfatbubba It's an ARP Solina String Ensemble

Recuerdo haber comprado el Disco en el ABC Music Store de Laredo Tx....ya paso tiempo

imagine what zappa could have done if he and annie worked together with her vocal range

And here everybody thought that Silver Convention had the song with the least number of words in their lyrics !!!!

Wonder if Chopin ever envisioned this.

@Yogizuna Ah, how I envy you old timers, I was born after the original formation broke up in the 80s. :D THAT moment I speak of sends shivers down my spine just watching it on DVD, wonder what it would have been like to be there!

@Yogizuna I can imagine...Ashes takes the cake. :) I am sure you have seen the video of that unbelievable performance from Chicago,1983? Oh, you might have been there too, ha ha!

Absolute genius and skill.

She still does listen to the new album.

It's my birthday tomorrow! Annie & I BOTH Gemini!!!!

eu gosto do trabalho prologue.

Say she shakes those Maracas like a Margarita mixer?

strtospheric! there's something in common with MORRICONE/DELL'ORSO movie soundtracks from the 70s

A BANDA É UM ESPETÁCULO, SOU FÃ DELES HÁ MUITO! AGORA VER ESSA MULHER COM ESSE CABELÃO E ESSE VESTIDÃO MOSTRANDO O BELÍSSIMO CORPO, É UMA SUÍTE, OBRA COMPLETA.

Essa banda não teve o sucesso que merecia.

I can't believe the quiet and reserved applause from the audience at the end. Are they deaf? This is just an incredible performance. Maybe it's too good for the Brits and they don't understand it.

Seriously, opening for YES? What a *&!!#$ dream show!

BBC Sight and sound 1977, Where can I get a dvd of this?

does anyone if this was used as the theme song for an older tv show?

That's beacuse in those days, the crowds listened.

Can you believe the light clapping from the audience? Was the audience drugged or something? That was great!!!

Though the lads in Renaissance were nice enough blokes, musically they were lightweights in comparison to Annie Haslam, who was, and remains, a consummate musician possessed of an extraordinary, KILLER DILLER voice.

omg. Where did you find this? I only saw them once, opening for Yes in Phoenix Az on the GFTO tour. They were touring Scheherazade with the orchestra and it was magic. I love this woman, this band. Thank you for posting.

by the way, wasn't Annie Haslam married to Roy Wood at one time?

I wondered if Mike pender serchers Annie Haslam she's got a voice like a Angel I love Annie Haslam very much and Jane relf

Ok, this is strange but I was trying to Wiki the exact date and it doesn't mention Yes playing Phoenix for the GFTO tour, but in 1976 for the solos tour. But I know I saw them with Renaissance with strings for GTFO. Was anyone else there or remembers that show?

Annie has the most versatile and beautiful voice in the world on a par with judith durham .

Annie is the ideal hippie chick!

Ok, y is my iPhone sending junky punctuation?

If I didn't know better I'd say they look like the Partridge Family?

ANNIE HASLAM nel suo momento migliore al massimo delle sue potenzialità vocali poteva stare al livello (e ora qualcuno potrebbe mandarmi a quel paese , ma non me ne importa lo dico ... ) Ebbene poteva tranquillamente tenere testa sia alla CALLAS sia alla TEBALDI !!!!

Women then were Women who earned their places like everybody else in this business, not the Entitled silly little sods now!

The clapping sounds loud and annoying enough for me.

weak audio

Spaghetti Western voice

The mixing here is so bad, i can´t listen to this amazing track in these conditions

@oldfatbubba It's an ARP Solina String Ensemble