Turn of the Cards


Turn of the Cards is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock band Renaissance, released in 1974. It was the last Renaissance studio album to include excerpts from existing classical pieces.
In the UK, this was the very first release on Miles Copeland's fledgling label, BTM Records. In 1977, after releasing a total of 10 albums, including 2 more by Renaissance, the label folded due to bankruptcy.
The cover picture features Warwick Castle. The first BTM UK pressings had an alternate back cover, with a moody close-up portrait of Annie Haslam framed in one of the 'cards'. Later pressings, and in the US, a rather bland picture consistent in style and size with the other members portraits were added.
"Things I Don't Understand" was founder member Jim McCarty's last contribution to the band. "Running Hard" quotes a melodic phrase first used in "Mr. Pine" from the Illusion album, as well as the piece "Litanies" by French composer Jehan Alain. The music to "Cold Is Being" is taken entirely from "Adagio in G minor" and, contrary to the album credits, was not composed by Michael Dunford; it was, however, credited in the back notes. "Mother Russia" is cited by Jon Camp as being a case where he made major compositional contributions without being credited for them.
Some credits on the original album were later inexplicably cropped: "Many thanks to Miles Copeland, Julian, Shirley" had originally read, "Many thanks to Miles Copeland, Julian, Shirley, Richard and Natalie Halem."

Expanded 2020 edition

In 2019 Esoteric Recordings announced a re-mastered and 4 disc expanded edition of the album which was released on 20 March 2020.

Track listing

Expanded edition

Personnel

Renaissance