# Muse & Rachmaninoff



## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

Any *Muse* fans here? Besides being an amazing band in their own right, they've got a classically trained pianist in their ranks, who actually injects parts of *Rachmaninoff*'s concertos into some of the songs.

I remember the first time I heard one of these songs, I thought: man, that really sounds like Rachmaninoff! Then later I discovered it really _was_ Sergei--played note for note by the keyboardist. And it sounded great in the song.

Fantastic stuff; these guys are one of the most talented and enjoyable rock bands around today.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'm listening to a few pieces on my Rhapsody account. Not bad! The singer reminds me a little of a group called Gazpacho (a indie-progressive band from Norway) but these guys are more rambunctious.

Of course, I'm pretty old school, so when I hear of someone combining classical with rock, I think of Keith Emerson back in the late 60' - 70's. Glad someone has picked up that torch and will carry it forward.

Thanks for the tip.


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## Yoshi (Jul 15, 2009)

Muse are my favourite band ever! I'm so glad to find other fans in here 
Matthew Bellamy is very talented and if you liked to hear him play Rachmaninoff wait till he plays Chopin. Because on their new album they included in one of the songs their own version of Chopin's Nocturne op.9 no.2
Here's a video with their new song United States of Eurasia: 



Enjoy 

Edit: I thought I should add this. They are the best band out there performing live. And I've been in one of their concerts before. Totaly worth it!


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## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

Hey Weston,

I haven't heard too much of Emerson's stuff, but three classic rock bands I really love, who brought the classical influence into rock, are the Beatles, ELO, and Queen.

Hey Jan,

Thanks for the YouTube link: great song! I love the "Queen" parts (the occasional Queen influence that comes through in their music is another reason I love Muse).

And there it is, Chopin's nocturne at the end! That settles it: Muse is the greatest rock band around today! 

I would love to see them live--will watch for them to come to Boston.


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## Yoshi (Jul 15, 2009)

chillowack said:


> Hey Weston,
> 
> I haven't heard too much of Emerson's stuff, but three classic rock bands I really love, who brought the classical influence into rock, are the Beatles, ELO, and Queen.
> 
> ...


You're welcome, I'm glad you liked it . Yes I also love the Queen influence. And I have to agree that they really are the greatest rock band around today! I just can't wait till their new album comes out.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Okay then, here's a sample of a very young early 1970's Emerson, Lake and Palmer doing their treatment of (the not so modest) Mussorgsky's _Pictures at an Exhibition_. It's not for the faint of heart:






Of course the synthesizer was brand new and virtually unheard of back then, so Emerson could do almost any noodling and we loved it. They are all three fine musicians in spite of the coarse sound of the live venue.


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## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

Cool! 

........


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## Zeniyama (Jul 20, 2009)

I enjoy Muse quite alot. I had one of their CDs; I can't recall the name, but I loved it. The only complaint I have is that the singer gasps after every few words, but I don't let that get in the way of my enjoying the music.

I believe that some of the greatest and most obvious use of Classical Music in Rock was by the band Jethro Tull: 




I absolutely love Jethro Tull!


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## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

Hi Zeniyama,

Yes, the lead singer of Muse does use a "gasping" technique, it's part of his vocal style. I think he models this from Thom Yorke of Radiohead (who clearly had a large influence on him), though it's now a fairly trendy style and can be heard in various singers.

Although Jethro Tull is not really a favorite of mine, I appreciate their classical influence, and maybe if I heard more of them I'd like them more.


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## SenorTearduct (Jul 29, 2009)

Chillowack!! U like Muse, ahh great choice! I love their Jazz re-make of Feelin' Good, Featured in "Seven Pounds"

Also Radiohead, a personal all time favorite band for me...
Idiotique inspires me to the day.


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## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

I love Radiohead too--though I wouldn't say they have quite as much of a classical influence going on.


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## SenorTearduct (Jul 29, 2009)

Ya they dont.
But still
idiotique= Love


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## Yoshi (Jul 15, 2009)

I'm going to see them live in Lisbon soon. Cannot wait


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## KaerbEmEvig (Dec 15, 2009)

Only few days ago I've got to listen to their newest album - it's great.

Especially those two songs (in my opinion, that is):

http://joogle.pl/?j=8934/f49dbe3fg12dgb4p915d2
http://joogle.pl/?j=8148/0594be1dg0f1p94amf792


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## Ignis Fatuus (Nov 25, 2008)

Anyone kinda annoyed at the similarities of Space Dementia and Concerto No.2 though?


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## KaerbEmEvig (Dec 15, 2009)

I've read about about six reviews of The Resistance (some can hardly be called that way - one paragraph by The Rolling Stone...). Two of them were very positive, while the rest were rather (from mildly to very) negative.

The negatively tinted reviews claimed "I Belong to You" as the worst piece of the album. I have to disagree with them. First of all, each song is different and is meant to be different. Secondly, they criticise it for incorporating completely different styles in one song (R&B/Jazzy first part, opera quotation second part and finally a clarinet solo) - isn't it exactly why Carmen has been despised at first? And yet it is considered the most impressive opera nowadays.

How do you like Muse's latest album? Personally I find "I Belong to You" to be my favourite song of the album (no offence to the "Exogenesis" lovers) - precisely for the fact it unites the musical world.


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## Ignis Fatuus (Nov 25, 2008)

Carmen might be varied, but it is not fractured. I haven't listened to the Resistance (as think I've said
in another thread, they used to be my favourite band, but from Absolution onward, they just made no effect on me), but in pop/rock music, having different styles in each song usually makes for a very disjointed album.

I just took a list of "I Belong to You" on youtube. To record a song, then reverse it, and stick it on the album, seems a very arbitrary action. Why do that? Does it sound nice, or serve an artistic purpose? Sometimes you can make such sweeping gestures and maintain enjoyability (I'm thinking of the Dark Side of the Moon, in reference to the Wizard of Oz), but for me this just seems pointless. Of course, I'm listening out of it's album context, but I just can't imagine it working. To me, it's just a gimmick.

It reminded me of another track. You might know the beautiful song Ny Batteri by Sigur Ros. Well, there is an ambient artist called Biosphere who I quite like... until I listened to his new album (at the time) and realised that one track is just Ny Bateri put through a wierd filter so that it sound like wind. Most of the time it is just random noise, only recognisable at the chorus when the drums play a very distinctive pattern. The track isn't nice to listen to... and makes no artist statement (or not one with sitting through for 5 boring minutes).

The same is true for that Muse song.

Also his French pronunciation is pretty awful


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## KaerbEmEvig (Dec 15, 2009)

I didn't mean to say that Carmen was fractured but that it was despised at first to later be praised. Despised for the fact that it was syncretism of comedy and tragedy - two themes that were never meant to go together. Or am I wrong on this one?


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## Ignis Fatuus (Nov 25, 2008)

It wasn't initially popular, but I didn't recall hearing about a general consensus on its supposed flaws. That might have been one allegation thrown at it. But even if that were the case, it's not really a good metaphor for the Muse situation.


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## KaerbEmEvig (Dec 15, 2009)

Well, you are right. I know that classical music enthusiasts might find the analogy bad. It probably is bad, I simply wanted to explain my point. I probably should have used a rock-inspired comparison such as Queen (they weren't thought good at first and were also creating pieces that drew from different genres).

What I'm trying to say is that even though Muse has gained global acclaim during their active career (just like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin or Queen), some of their songs may be too "progressive" for the time being. You see, just like Paulo Coehlo says, geniuses (is that the proper way to form the plural?) aren't percieved as such until after they die; they are thought madmen during their lifetime.


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## KaerbEmEvig (Dec 15, 2009)

Muse - Time is Running Out, Vitamin String Quartet Cover:


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## Yoshi (Jul 15, 2009)

Their live show was amazing as usual! Made me want to see them live again which I hope I will next year.

I like their new album with the exception of Undisclosed Desires. I think it's one of the worst of Muse but anyway my favourites are Exogenesis obviously and I belong to you. I also loved Unnatural Selection but I was pretty disappointed when I read some reviews from before the album being released as having "an amazing organ solo in the begining" when it wast just some random chords.
Now we'll probably have to wait 3 years or so for another album.


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## KaerbEmEvig (Dec 15, 2009)

Jan said:


> Their live show was amazing as usual! Made me want to see them live again which I hope I will next year.
> 
> I like their new album with the exception of Undisclosed Desires. I think it's one of the worst of Muse but anyway my favourites are Exogenesis obviously and I belong to you. I also loved Unnatural Selection but I was pretty disappointed when I read some reviews from before the album being released as having "an amazing organ solo in the begining" when it wast just some random chords.
> Now we'll probably have to wait 3 years or so for another album.


Finally someone who likes I Belong to You! Cheers.

On the contrary, I do like Undisclosed Desires (I do not like Guiding Light, though). I guess it's a personal preference.


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## Yoshi (Jul 15, 2009)

KaerbEmEvig said:


> Finally someone who likes I Belong to You! Cheers.
> 
> On the contrary, I do like Undisclosed Desires (I do not like Guiding Light, though). I guess it's a personal preference.


I belong to you is great! I wish they played it live.
I noticed that most Muse fans hated Guiding Light. I think what saves it is the guitar solo in it, which is a shame that it's a bit too small.
I don't like Undisclosed Desires because it sounds like just any other pop music that plays on mtv. At least that's how I see it. 

Oh I almost forgot how much I love United States of Eurasia too! Such a powerful one. My 3rd favourite


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## KaerbEmEvig (Dec 15, 2009)

I don't listen to MTV/radio so I wouldn't know.


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## Yoshi (Jul 15, 2009)

Ignis Fatuus said:


> Anyone kinda annoyed at the similarities of Space Dementia and Concerto No.2 though?


I know what you mean! There's one small bit in both that sounds exactly the same or at least very similar. I remember once listening to Concerto No.2 for the first time and thinking "Hey I heard this before... oh right Muse. But how?" Yeah they clearly got their inspiration from that.


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## Johnny (Mar 7, 2010)

I've been meaning to check out some Rachmaninov. Apart from the above mentioned similarity between Space Dementia and Concerto No.2, could people maybe be more specific about the bits that are copied?


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## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

Sorry I'm so late in responding--I lost this thread for a couple of years.

I love the song "I Belong To You." I think it's a masterpiece of versatility, with the Saint-Saens intermezzo being the crowning beauty of the piece. Those critics who denounce this song as the worst on the album simply don't understand its brilliance.

Most of the songs on this album are excellent--so much so that it's hard to pick a favorite. Currently I love the Queen refrains in "United States of Eurasia." The album definitely ranks up there with Muse's best.


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

Yeah Muse is my favourite band too.

New album this fall... ? http://muse.mu/images/174/twitter-pictures--in-the-studio-/


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## chillowack (Jul 16, 2009)

Hi Johnny,

I don't know if I would say "copied," but the ending of "Neutron Star Collision" (from the _Twilight_ soundtrack) features a piano part reminiscent of Rachmaninov's Concerto #2.

The _Allegro scherzando_ from Concerto #2 can also be heard at about 3:21 in "Butterflies & Hurricanes," from the album _Absolution_.

The song "Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 2: Cross-Pollination" (from the album _The Resistance_) features a heavily Rachmaninov-influenced piano intro; then at the end of the song, Sergei comes back in again. (This is probably the most "blatant" Rachmaninov part to appear in a Muse song--and one of the more beautiful, IMO.)

There are some who claim Rachmaninov can also be heard in the song "Megalomania" (from the album _Origin of Symmetry_), but I don't hear it.

Matthew Bellamy, the mastermind behind Muse (lead vocalist, lead guitarist, piano virtuoso, and songwriter) has been quoted as saying, "With Rachmaninoff, Lizst, and Chopin, there's a mystery to the music, it's much more abstract and much more able to stimulate your imagination." (Keyboardmag.com)


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