# Music thats not classical but has classical elements or influence



## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

post that music here and talk about it or what eve you want to do.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

my new favorite band (besides Death)


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## musicrom (Dec 29, 2013)

I don't know if this may be considered "classical," but while searching for Z composers for the Alphabetical Composers thread, I found this piece in fyrexianoff's huge collection of classical music:






It wasn't quite what I was expecting for something called "Symphony No. 2" by some Valeri Zolotukhin.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

musicrom said:


> I don't know if this may be considered "classical," but while searching for Z composers for the Alphabetical Composers thread, I found this piece in fyrexianoff's huge collection of classical music:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It's odd.... But I actually found it nice to listen to!


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> my new favorite band (besides Death)


Can you explain what you identified in this song as a "classical influence"? I'm not hearing it.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

arcaneholocaust said:


> Can you explain what you identified in this song as a "classical influence"? I'm not hearing it.


There wasn't a direct influence but there were certain aspects or elements like the violin and piano if you can count that. There were also theatrics involved when he was yelling in distress as the violinist in ww2 wanting to kill himself. You should read the lyrics they are pretty interesting.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

arcaneholocaust said:


> Can you explain what you identified in this song as a "classical influence"? I'm not hearing it.


What does it remind you of?


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> There wasn't a direct influence but there were certain aspects or elements like the violin and piano if you can count that. There were also theatrics involved when he was yelling in distress as the violinist in ww2 wanting to kill himself. You should read the lyrics they are pretty interesting.


So, just because a listener has an association with any instrument(s) as being heard only in the context of one genre or another goes no further to make any point about the genre, or that those instruments are somehow firmly attached as part of the genre.

Instruments are neutral, and what type of music, or genre, has everything to do with style, harmonic usage, etc. and nothing to do with one or more instruments.

Pianos are used to play everything from ragtime, classical, jazz, etc. -- every and any kind of music -- they are found in pop music tracks --all sorts of genres within pop.

Violins are used to play folk music, from all kinds of cultures, jazz, show up in rock, and classical

The use or addition of an instrument not usually associated with a genre does not qualify as any kind of element, classical or other, and all one can say about it, which is not a qualification but a simple statement which means only literally what it says, is "the music included this / these instrument(s)."

This runs exactly the same when it comes to those 'elements' of the theoretic aspects, i.e. just because a pop piece might use polyrhythm, a bit of counterpoint, even, an octatonic scale, or name itself 'sonata' concerto' chaconne, etc. does not mean it really has any 'elements of classical.' those are just techniques and forms someone has used in music of a genre not classical, if the piece is not classical, lol.

With all that, the premise of your question is a net with a mesh of openings so wide, I don't think anything tossed into would do anything but pass right through, netting nothing.

Look at all those pieces on youtube, especially it seems piano pieces, which are nothing more than some 'contemporary piano' -- often pop or new-age-ish, that someone has recorded and titled 'Sonata' or 'Concerto,' which are, innately because of what they are, and whatever form they take, not classical, not sonatas or concertos... that is sort of like putting the hood ornament of a Mercedes-Benz on a skateboard and claiming the skateboard is now a Mercedes-Benz 

Slapping a name onto a piece of music does not change its genre, tacking something a bit iconic in the way of titling or brand-name recognition on something which is not does not magically transform it into something else.

"What are classical elements or influence," combined with that near total slacker's approach to words where words can "kinda sorta mean whatever they mean to you" or 'whatever you think' rather than a more specified set of criteria or direction has this thread's premise a crash and burn event before you could even roll that baby out of the hangar.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

PetrB said:


> So, just because a listener has an association with any instrument(s) as being heard only in the context of one genre or another goes no further to make any point about the genre, or that those instruments are somehow firmly attached as part of the genre.
> 
> Instruments are neutral, and what type of music, or genre, has everything to do with style, harmonic usage, etc. and nothing to do with one or more instruments.
> as
> ...


How can extreme metal be pop. Do you know pop means popular? Death metal and especially black metal are cult genres of music. Anyways what did you think of carach angren? did you enjoy more then others I've showed you?


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

This clearly has classical influences - there is a violin in it.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

And this even has orchestral accompaniment - must be classically influenced.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

DrMike said:


> And this even has orchestral accompaniment - must be classically influenced.


Love you mike!


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> Love you mike!


There are two other songs on that album that also have string accompaniment - I think I detect influences of Beethoven!


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

And let's not forget Aerosmith's Op. 78, Concerto for Orchestra, Piano, and Electric Guitar.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> How can extreme metal be pop. Do you know pop means popular? Death metal and especially black metal are cult genres of music. Anyways what did you think of carach angren? did you enjoy more then others I've showed you?


pop is genre, and yeah it comes from the root word meaning not just _popular,_ but of and from the people, in music, it is about those genres that _sound like_ they are not so self-consciously from trained classical musicians and composers (though many a pop performer / songwriter has had more than a little chunk of training in classical theory, performnace.)

But I don't want to work too hard at popping that bubble of minority exclusivity so attractive to the young, so will drop discussion there -- you can trust me, as far as what category / bin it goes in, classical or pop, its pop all the way, no matter how small its minority audience, or how alternative to mainstream pop it may be. It's pop music, not classical.

The piece reminded me of nothing, sorry, and did nothing for me. I think it may go with a lot of imaging in the listener's imagination, but it sounded as thin and generic as a Danny Burton bit of scoring for maybe a Halloween themed kid's film -- with that cliché kinda sorta supposed to be spooky-dark scare the kids but staying in a safety zone, i.e. not actually scare them or truly terrify, i.e. generic to cliché film-scoring. Some of that can be itself a genre, and is done more in light fun than seriously trying to be dark or horrific. I didn't find the clip exceptional or exceptionally effective.

The singer's speaking / singing voice is such a mega-affectation that all I think of is a "silly voices" technician, ready maybe to do voice-over for cartoons.

My 'PG' rating of it? *G.*


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

More real classical influence in rock.....


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

The reason metal will never be as complex as classical is because in one band there is only 3 at the least and 5 at the most in a band, but for that same exact reason it's much harder to preform live then classical will ever be. In a symphony or orchestra you have several other guys backing you up and high distortion is very unforgiving.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> The reason metal will never be as complex as classical is because in one band there is only 3 at the least and 5 at the most in a band, but for that same exact reason it's much harder to preform live then classical will ever be. In a symphony or orchestra you have several other guys backing you up and high distortion is very unforgiving.


You are kidding, right? You know that there is more to classical music than just orchestral works? Take a listen to this - you have to wait until you get to the 1:00 mark. This is Beethoven's Grosse Fuge - performed by only 4 musicians, and it is incredibly complex.





For that matter, why don't you listen to other string and piano trios (3 musicians), quartets (4), and quintets. Then you will see complexity on the scale of 3-5 performers. In many instances, it is much more complex than any symphony.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

More complexity - the Chaconne from Bach's Partita for Solo Violin, No. 2. Listen to the complexity that comes from a single instrument.





And not technically a solo performance here, but Paganini's Caprice No. 24 - the piano doesn't add so much. Listen to the complexity of the violin.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> my new favorite band (besides Death)


Geez. Those guys should be on Sesame Street.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> How can extreme metal be pop. Do you know pop means popular? Death metal and especially black metal are cult genres of music. Anyways what did you think of carach angren? did you enjoy more then others I've showed you?


Vox Populi ~ the voice of the people, i.e. distinguished apart from a specialized, trained, 'intellectual' -- let's say Ovid vs. popular style Roman verses written, even maybe, by some guy called 'Anonymous.'

But my, you seem deadly earnest in keeping this one genre of pop music _very exclusive_ to its fans, no?

It is, in the blanket definition, as neither classical or Jazz, or folk, "popular music." You'll have to get over that


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Morimur said:


> Geez. Those guys should be on Sesame Street.


Give 'em five years....


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> Love you mike!


You do realize Mike's two posts are satire on the idea of 'classical instrument' or 'symphonic orchestra' as _not at all defining something as classical or classical element?_


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Just listen to these cats! And for you younger folks, the name is Gentle Giant.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

I once read about some violinist covering a bunch of AC/DC tunes. It was good to see AC/DC's classical side.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

Some Classical influence near the end. In fact, it was written by Philip Glass.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

Morimur said:


> Geez. Those guys should be on Sesame Street.


Its not fun until you stop


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

Possibly. I'm sure whoever's holding court will be around promptly to inform me that I am mistaken or some such, but that the way it be, yes suh.


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## AST (Oct 8, 2014)

Zappa, yes! Speaking of which, the band Yes!


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

In comparison to the pop genres metal and jazz are definitely superior.
For metal everything you have to do with your strumming hand and for jazz freeform guitar is hard a hell.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Just to be clear, The three things that separate the Classical Music tradition from other musical traditions are:

1. It is written down
2. The composer and performer are completely distinct and separate roles. 
3. Extended use of polyphony and voice leading.

I would say something influenced by classical music would have to have at least one of these qualities.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

violadude said:


> Just to be clear, The three things that separate the Classical Music tradition from other musical traditions are:
> 
> 1. It is written down
> 2. The composer and performer are completely distinct and separate roles.
> ...


Not sure all of these are true, or what all you would then lump in with classical music. As to rule 2, I believe that Mozart performed many of his own works - unless I am mistaken, he often performed the keyboard in his keyboard concertos. Paganini was both a composer and a performer - as was Liszt. And I believe that Bach did the same. Those are just a few off the top of my head.

Are we counting medieval works - e.g. von Bingen - in this tradition, because I believe she violated the extended use of polyphony rule.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> In comparison to the pop genres metal and jazz are definitely superior.
> For metal everything you have to do with your strumming hand and for jazz freeform guitar is hard a hell.


Difficulty does not correlate with superiority. We have been through this before. Some of the extensive rhyming in rap is difficult as hell to come up with - wouldn't call it superior.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

DrMike said:


> Not sure all of these are true, or what all you would then lump in with classical music. As to rule 2, I believe that Mozart performed many of his own works - unless I am mistaken, he often performed the keyboard in his keyboard concertos. Paganini was both a composer and a performer - as was Liszt. And I believe that Bach did the same. Those are just a few off the top of my head.


Yes, allow me to clarify. I didn't mean that the composer and performer had to be different people. What I meant (well what I said, but what I meant too) was that in classical music, the process of composing and the process of performing are usually two separate things. Yes, there was lots of improvisation in Classical Music, especially earlier. But the extent that the performance of a piece of music and the composition of it are separate roles (possibly taken on by the same person) is much more pronounced than in any other genre.

As for Von Bingen, I consider the "proper" classical music tradition as starting with the introduction of polyphony. The Gregorian Chant was a very important precursor to that and is thus included within the classical music tradition in that sense.


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## Guest (Oct 8, 2014)

violadude said:


> Yes, allow me to clarify. I didn't mean that the composer and performer had to be different people. What I meant (well what I said, but what I meant too) was that in classical music, the process of composing and the process of performing are usually two separate things. Yes, there was lots of improvisation in Classical Music, especially earlier. But the extent that the performance of a piece of music and the composition of it are separate roles (possibly taken on by the same person) is much more pronounced than in any other genre.
> 
> As for Von Bingen, I consider the "proper" classical music tradition as starting with the introduction of polyphony. The Gregorian Chant was a very important precursor to that and is thus included within the classical music tradition in that sense.


You forget, though, that the singer/songwriter is a fairly recent thing in pop. People like Neil Diamond, long before he was a performer, was a songwriter - a composer - writing songs that others would perform. Many "pop" stars don't write their own music - they perform music that others have written.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

DrMike said:


> Difficulty does not correlate with superiority. We have been through this before. Some of the extensive rhyming in rap is difficult as hell to come up with - wouldn't call it superior.


Why not? Why does it matter if its complex? if you can play it easily (to easily but it's not too difficult) when you go over and try and play some Necrophagist's stuff you completely and utterly fail.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

DrMike said:


> You forget, though, that the singer/songwriter is a fairly recent thing in pop. People like Neil Diamond, long before he was a performer, was a songwriter - a composer - writing songs that others would perform. Many "pop" stars don't write their own music - they perform music that others have written.


yes many do. if you're talking about lil wayne and Katie perry


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## Celloissimo (Mar 29, 2013)

Sound of Perseverance, you say you're a "death metal and classical music enthusiast" in your tagline, but you only ever seem to post in the Non-Classical section. :/


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

DrMike said:


> You forget, though, that the singer/songwriter is a fairly recent thing in pop. People like Neil Diamond, long before he was a performer, was a songwriter - a composer - writing songs that others would perform. Many "pop" stars don't write their own music - they perform music that others have written.


You're right. I guess I meant those three things as generally unique to Classical as opposed to an every instance kind of thing.


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## Celloissimo (Mar 29, 2013)

violadude said:


> Just to be clear, The three things that separate the Classical Music tradition from other musical traditions are:
> 
> 1. It is written down
> 2. The composer and performer are completely distinct and separate roles.
> ...


Not necessarily true. While polyphony, counterpoint, and voice leading are nearly omnipresent in classical music and are essential qualities for any good composer to know, there are several pieces with predominantly homophonic textures that would be considered Classical.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Celloissimo said:


> Not necessarily true. While polyphony, counterpoint, and voice leading are nearly omnipresent in classical music and are essential qualities for any good composer to know, there are several pieces with predominantly homophonic textures that would be considered Classical.


That's why I said polyphony *and* voice leading. Most classical pieces that are homophonic in texture are still using voice leading techniques handed down from the tradition of polyphony to form the chords, as opposed to the block style chords employed by most pop music.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

DrMike said:


> Not sure all of these are true, or what all you would then lump in with classical music. As to rule 2, I believe that Mozart performed many of his own works - unless I am mistaken, he often performed the keyboard in his keyboard concertos. Paganini was both a composer and a performer - as was Liszt. And I believe that Bach did the same. Those are just a few off the top of my head.


You're missing the point. Sure, performers who play well enough perform their own works.

While -- Everything you named is written down _and the same piece, exactly, could be played by any number of other performers... without a need to listen to any recording of it._


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

Celloissimo said:


> Sound of Perseverance, you say you're a "death metal and classical music enthusiast" in your tagline, but you only ever seem to post in the Non-Classical section. :/


i try try and try but classical never sticks to me like metal has. i do not know why. And i doubt anyone here has something to prescribe me with. this will probably be one of the last threads i put here. ever. I just can't find the same joy i find in metal in classical.


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

The fugue in Kansas' _Miracles out of Nowhere_. Dates me, I know.

Rick Wakeman's _Journey to the Centre of the Earth_.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Rick Wakeman, Six Wives of Henry Vlll
fantastic album
all keyboard


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

DrMike said:


> You forget, though, that the singer/songwriter is a fairly recent thing in pop. People like Neil Diamond, long before he was a performer, was a songwriter - a composer - writing songs that others would perform. Many "pop" stars don't write their own music - they perform music that others have written.


And that almost exclusively in notation in the form of general charts, i.e. the melody might be written straight (though the notation of many a pop melody is far from exact in its rhythmic aspect) and other than the tune, and the basic chords, the arrangement which goes with the song, instrumentation, is not so specific that the person reading it will render it exactly like the original writer / songwriter.

Other than the tradition of improvisation or a bit of ornamentation, the classical score is not something the composer expects the performer(s) to perform in another arrangement or instrumentation. It is 'fixed,' many a pop notation is a 'variable' read off a chart, not a precisely notated score.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

PetrB said:


> And that almost exclusively in notation in the form of general charts, i.e. the melody might be written straight (though the notation of many a pop melody is far from exact in its rhythmic aspect) and other than the tune, and the basic chords, the arrangement which goes with the song, instrumentation, is not so specific that the person reading it will render it exactly like the original writer / songwriter.
> 
> Other than the tradition of improvisation or a bit of ornamentation, the classical score is not something the composer expects the performer(s) to perform in another arrangement or instrumentation. It is 'fixed,' many a pop notation is a 'variable' read off a chart, not a precisely notated score.


how in the world do you know all of this? I'm not even close to your level of knowledge. like AT ALL


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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> how in the world do you know all of this? I'm not even close to your level of knowledge. like AT ALL


Haha, I sometimes feel the same reading PetrB's posts. He's very knowledgeable. It's usually a treat reading his posts, whether you agree with them all or not.


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## The Sound Of Perseverance (Aug 20, 2014)

DiesIraeVIX said:


> Haha, I sometimes feel the same reading PetrB's posts. He's very knowledgeable. It's usually a treat reading his posts, whether you agree with them all or not.


very true.I don't even know why i try arguing with him XD


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

DrMike said:


> You forget, though, that the singer/songwriter is a fairly recent thing in pop. People like Neil Diamond, long before he was a performer, was a songwriter - a composer - writing songs that others would perform. Many "pop" stars don't write their own music - they perform music that others have written.


Only if you consider 50 + years "fairly recent". And 50 years before that, the music industry didn't exist.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

The Sound Of Perseverance said:


> how in the world do you know all of this? I'm not even close to your level of knowledge. like AT ALL


Poster's like PetrB and myself, among many others on this forum, have been studying music for a very very long time. In some cases, longer than you've been alive.


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## drvLock (Apr 2, 2014)

Children of Bodom, specially their first two albums (Something Wild and Hatebreeder). Also, some songs by Arch Enemy.


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## MJongo (Aug 6, 2011)




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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Not classical but classical elements or influence: I guess the prime example would be movie soundtracks.


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## stevens (Jun 23, 2014)

Music that has classical elements or influence:

1) All pop
2) All rock
3) All jazz
4) All electro/house/teckno
5) All blues
6) All latin
7) ...


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

stevens said:


> Music that has classical elements or influence:
> 
> 1) All pop
> 2) All rock
> ...


LOL -- I'd have to agree, adding the gloss of thinking there are no real 'classical elements' any more than there are 'classical instruments.'

I.e. a symphonic orchestra playing something 'classical-like.' is maybe as close to a successful fake-out as it gets for lay listeners.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Most obvious direct steal I can think of is Eric Carmen's "All By Myself." He reached an agreement with Sergei Rachmaninoff's estate that it would receive 12% of the royalties for this song, which is heavily influenced by Piano Concerto No. 2 (2nd mvt) and for "Never Gonna fall in Love Again" (Sym. No. 2, 3rd mvt.)

All By Myself
 Never Gonna Fall in Love Again

There's been a trend lately for tribute artists and even some original artists of fading glory to do concerts in conjunction with an orchestra. These are very well received, at least in my hometown, and the orchestra is able to charge a premium price for tickets. I've attended several of these and in most cases, the orchestra is superfluous in the arrangements. The band or artist would have sounded much the same without them. It's the quality of the band that makes the show, not that the orchestra is playing with them.
Maybe a case of the reverse? The orchestra makes some money and exposure and the pop audience gets to say they attended an "orchestra" concert.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

The entire prog-'rock' genre and all its various sub-genres, are heavily influenced by classical, and to a lesser extent, jazz and folk.

Beginning with YES, King Crimson, ELP (before them, The Nice), Genesis, (and a while lot of lesser known bands) who mostly took their cues from composers of the Romantic period, it did not take too long before classical music of the 20th century and the avant-garde made it's way into prog band's compositions. 

Gentle Giant strayed from the typical Romantic period, with their unique use of counterpoint, medieval and Baroque styles, and modern chamber music. Complex vocal harmonies and counterpoint were one of their signatures. As was their ability to play many different instruments at a high level. Kerry Minnear, the keyboard player, received a degree in compositi9on from the Royal Academy of Music.

The Italians took an instant love of this music, and soon added their own classical and folk traditions to the mix. The best known are: PFM, Banco, Le Orme. But the high quality of the lesser known Italian bands is also pretty impressive. More than any other country, there are a lot of "one and done" releases in Italy. Incredible bands that released one album, then folded for some reason.

Around this same time, bands even more influenced by avant-garde composers sprang up (Zappa was also an influence) . Bands with like minded influences (and opposition to the commercial side of the music business) organized a festival called 'Rock in Opposition". The name of the festival soon was attached to avant-garde bands in general, becoming a genre unto itself called RiO. 

Bands that fit into this genre tend have these attributes:

- Regular use of dissonance and atonality.
- Extremely complex and unpredictable song arrangements.
- Free or experimental improvisation.
- Fusion of disparate musical genres.
- Polyrhythms and highly complex time signatures.

They also tend to use instruments not typically used in rock: oboe, bassoon, orchestral percussion, found percussion, 'prepared' instruments, cello, violin.

Henry Cow (taking their name from American 20th century composer, Henry Cowell) was one of the first to really show these influences. They are the de facto 'grandfathers' of the genre. Several members were classically trained (Lindsy Cooper on oboe), and one of the founders, Fred Frith, now teaches composition and improvisation at Mills College in San Francisco.

A short list of other bands in this genre are: The Thinking Plague (USA), Universe Zero (Belgium), Art Zoyd (France), Banda Elastica (Mexico), Aksak Maboul (Belgium), Ruins (Japan), Far Corner (USA), but there are many more. 

A few contemporary bands in the more 'traditional' prog genre (influenced by Genesis, YES, KC, etc) are: Echolyn (USA), IZZ (USA), Big Big Train (UK), Anglagard (Sweden), Flower Kings (Sweden), Riverside (Poland), Indukti (Poland).


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## drvLock (Apr 2, 2014)

I just remembered today: Nightwhish. One song that shows this influence is on their "Once" album, entitled "Ghost Love Story".


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

drvLock said:


> I just remembered today: Nightwhish. One song that shows this influence is on their "Once" album, entitled "Ghost Love Story".


I love that song!






Tarja has smoother singing on the live "End of an Era" Blu-ray though:


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## Dupamplont (Nov 2, 2014)

My seventh grade music teacher told my class, "Lots of pop songs you love have melodies by Beethoven and such." One student said "How about LET IT BE?" "Yes, the Beatles based that song on a classical piece." "What about HEY JUDE?" "Yes, that one, too." I later learned that was garbage and I think the teacher knew it, but was trying to get the class interested in classical music by any means available. You be the judge whether his methods were proper.... (he was generally quite a good teacher).


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)




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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

Mahavishnu Orchestra performing with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas from the _Apocalypse_ album. John McLaughlin (guitarist for the MO) composed all the music but it was orchestrated by Michael Gibbs. This is a wonderful rendition of classical and jazz/rock forces fusing together. It's not just watered-down orchestrations of John's music or just watered-down accompaniments to the band. The band is at times like a concertino as in a Concerto Grosso, but the orchestra takes the lead at certain parts as well. Really great fusion of the two. Maybe we can call it "Classical Fusion"? I love the 11/4 time signature. Also at 5:12 I hear some great minimalist-sounding grooves from the orchestra. The beginning of the track takes a few seconds to get going as it starts with a very soft Tam-Tam roll (that eventually crescendos). Enjoy!


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

Torkelburger said:


> Mahavishnu Orchestra performing with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas from the _Apocalypse_ album. John McLaughlin (guitarist for the MO) composed all the music but it was orchestrated by Michael Gibbs. This is a wonderful rendition of classical and jazz/rock forces fusing together. It's not just watered-down orchestrations of John's music or just watered-down accompaniments to the band. The band is at times like a concertino as in a Concerto Grosso, but the orchestra takes the lead at certain parts as well. Really great fusion of the two. Maybe we can call it "Classical Fusion"? I love the 11/4 time signature. Also at 5:12 I hear some great minimalist-sounding grooves from the orchestra. The beginning of the track takes a few seconds to get going as it starts with a very soft Tam-Tam roll (that eventually crescendos). Enjoy!


I agree with everything said here! One of my favorite MO albums.

Another jazz-fusion artist combined with an orchestra that works well, is Norwegian guitarist Terje Rydal's "Whenever I Seem to Be Far Away". The title track has members of the Sudfunk Symphony Orchestra. It's quite a bit more abstract than the MO record mentioned above, but still quite effective.

This is a bit dark and melancholy. The use of classical french horn player, Odd Ulleberg, adds to this feeling.

Some of this sounds a bit King Crimson-ish also.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I think that the complexity of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon could be arguably classical?


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Rufus Wainwright surely belongs in this thread! Sometimes he borrows shamelessly (and brilliantly here), but mostly it's his love of classical music and particularly opera that infused much of his work. If classical fans are looking for a pop singer to explore, Rufus is a good one to start with.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Sufjan Stevens is the musical hipsters' favourite. A serious artist, very eclectic. He's only ever released music on his own label and ranges from pop, folk, electronica, classical, ambient and so on.

This Reich/Riley style track comes at the end of his otherwise pop album, Illinois. One of my all-time favourites.


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

Alexander said:


> Sufjan Stevens is the musical hipsters' favourite. A serious artist, very eclectic. He's only ever released music on his own label and ranges from pop, folk, electronica, classical, ambient and so on.
> 
> This Reich/Riley style track comes at the end of his otherwise pop album, Illinois. One of my all-time favourites.


'Hipster' artist is all you need to know, folks--don't go near this pseudo poet's music. Hipster trash at its most pretentious.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

This album definitely has a ton of classical influences, particularly its symphonic orchestration.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Morimur said:


> 'Hipster' artist is all you need to know, folks--don't go near this pseudo poet's music. Hipster trash at its most pretentious.


Or people could decide for themselves?


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