Prog Bands With Strong Classical Music Influences
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=106256
Printed Date: February 22 2025 at 09:24
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Topic: Prog Bands With Strong Classical Music Influences
Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Subject: Prog Bands With Strong Classical Music Influences
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:12
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I am talking strong classical influences. For example, I am aware of strong classical element in Genesis or Yes, but these bands are rather known for their say... more classic-prog approach (hard to express what I mean). Preferably instrumental, sophisticated, based 19th or 20th century classical like Stravinsky, Bartok, Holst, Hindenith, Schoenberg, Berg, Khachaturian, Sibelius, Ravel and so many more. The only ones that come to my mind at the moment would be ELP, Egg, Ekseption and The Nice. What else? What bands do you like in that area? |
Replies:
Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:18
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Definitely Symphony X, Protest the Hero, and The Human Abstract if you want to lean more towards metal. In terms of more classic bands, I'd say Oingo Boingo (who are strongly influenced by Bela Bartok and Igor Stravinsky, although they also carry quite a few jazz influences) and Moody Blues are a good bet... especially the latter because of their album Days of Future Passed ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: Modrigue
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:19
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Obvious, but Magma has also strong Bartok's influences Renaissance is also inspired by russian classical composers. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqf2srRfppHAslEmHBn8QP6d_eoanh0eW" rel="nofollow - My compositions |
Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:21
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Plus, there's also Gentle Giant, Le Orme, Van der Graaf Generator, and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso
------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:26
VDGG? I'll have to relisten, I always failed to notice a classical influence! Thanks for the Italian bands, I forgot about them. |
Necrotica wrote:Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:33
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Yeah, I can see what you mean. I guess I often found classical influence in the organ work for the most part ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:39
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Unfortunately much of what is called "classical influence" in Prog is little more than imitation and pastiche - swathes of string samples is not classical influence and mutli-part song structures doth not a symphony make. ------------- What? |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:51
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Some great ones already mentioned; thought I'd add- Triumvirat, Latte e Miele, Wallenstein, Beggar's Opera, Pell Mell.
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Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:52
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I was also going to suggest The Black Mages, who arrange Nobuo Uematsu's video game music to symphonic/progressive metal music. Since Uematsu's a classical composer, the genre's influence on the group is incredibly strong and evident (and highly complex, I might add) ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: Necrotica
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:55
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http://youtu.be/q5st0b3ln5U ------------- Take me down, to the underground Won't you take me down, to the underground Why oh why, there is no light And if I can't sleep, can you hold my life https://www.youtube.com/@CocoonMasterBrendan-wh3sd |
Posted By: hellogoodbye
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 05:58
The VDGG classical influence summarizes in a simple gesture : Tadam tam !  but immediately rock music turns into symphonic. This is so much clever than cut and paste classical elements. Just my opinion, of course. |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 06:38
Posted By: GreatBeyonder
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 06:58
| Check out Frank Zappa, who was a legitimate classical composer. He tended to favor extremely complex arrangements influenced by Stravinsky, Varese, and Webern. |
Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 07:46
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RIO/Avant has lots of classically influenced bands, start with Univers Zero & Art Zoyd. ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: Magnum Vaeltaja
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 09:08
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Quella Vecchia Locanda is a stellar Italian band whose second album, Il Tempo Della Gioia, is very romantic and classically-oriented. Their self-titled first album also has some classical influence but is driven more by blues rock influences. ------------- when i was a kid a doller was worth ten dollers - now a doller couldnt even buy you fifty cents |
Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 09:45
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Thanks for the suggestions, people! Some of them I knew and overlooked, some names are new to me! I've got everything downloaded and listening to all of these at the moment! |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 09:53
You are, of course, correct in your observations, Dean (particularly in regards to The Enid). Most prog rock bands gave "nods" to Bach (Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale", Genesis' "Horizons" and Tull's "Bouree"), but I've always enjoyed John Evan's integration of Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Debussy in "By Kind Permission of": And ELP certainly had an affinity for Aaron Copeland, and their take on Ginastera's 1st Piano Concerto has always been a favorite of mine, and Emerson seemed to take the adaptation quite seriously, even going to meet Ginastera for permission. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 10:08
Sort of reminds me of that.  If we are at it, I believe Egg fits the best in what I'm looking for. Egg use quotes from "Hall Of The Mountain King" by Grieg and "Rite of Spring" by Stravinsky. Even the last song I posted, which doesn't have all that much of classical music influence to it, it has a very classical feel to it. Now that I'm thinking, even this has a strong classical, tunes. It is a visible quote of "Rite Of Spring" by Stravinsky. However, this is more rock-orientated. |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 14:22
love Pell Mell! All their first 4 albums are worth having, even if I think they made a bit of a mess of "From the New World". Plenty of quotes from the greats but also stuff that sounds like it was ripped off of a classical composer but maybe wasn't, and that's a compliment. Then there is Renaissance of course. Michael Dunford was the main composer during their peak period, and he was well steeped in the Romantic classical tradition
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Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 14:33
I think I am missing out on Renaissance, some of the stuff I listened to I didn't find all that pleasing. What albums are recommended? |
Posted By: Guy Guden
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 16:00
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Plus- The Seven Deadly Sins Jack Nitzsche- St. Giles Cripplegate Alan Parsons Project- Tales of Mystery and Imagination. The Fall of the House of Usher is inspired by Debussy, who considered writing an opera on the story. Art of Noise- The Seduction of Claude Debussy. are we considering bands like Gryphon or Third Ear Band? |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 16:08
well, it depends whom you ask  Renaissance has 2 distinct lineups. The first version released 2 albums, s/t and Illusion. They get a lot of respect on here The second version is the better known, and it's the one with MIchael Dunford full time and Annie Haslam, the singer who is the only remaining member from the lineup that released a string of charting albums between 1972 and 1979. I would suggest to go chronologically, starting with Prologue, then Ashes are Burning, Turn of the Cards, Sheherazade, Novella, and a Song for all Seasons. My favorite is the latter, but it helps to have heard the others to appreciate it more. There are MANY live albums, suffice to say you need to hear at least one 20 minute version of "Ashes are Burning" done live. |
Posted By: Guy Guden
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 16:08
Turn of the Cards and Scheherazade
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Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 16:48
| ^^^^as far as Renaissance goes, I have only heard Novella Epoque, which I like, will have to investigate further. |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 18:56
Turn of the Cards sucks  Like a Genesis album.. YAWN!!!!!! No fire man...if you want to try to hook someone on Renaissance.. go with Scherazade. If Trip to the Fair doesn't get them.. nothing will. Perfection  ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 22:02
I dunno, side 2 of Turn of the Cards simply wallops everything on Sheherazade except for your storied "trip to the Fair"
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Posted By: Replayer
Date Posted: March 25 2016 at 23:47
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From the world of prog-related/hard rock, there are classical influences on Deep Purple's Prelude: Happiness/I'm So Glad (intro based on Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade), Hey Joe (intro based on Manuel de Falla's ballet El sombrero de tres picos), Exposition - We Can Work It Out (intro based on Beethoven and Tchaikovsky), Anthem, Concerto for Group and Orchestra, and the superb April, Uriah Heep's Salisbury and Rainbow's Stargazer and Difficult to Cure (based on Beethoven's Ode to Joy). I also recommend Jon Lord's Sarabande, another rock band and orchestra experiment in the vein of Concerto for Group and Orchestra, but the rock group is much more integrated with the orchestra. |
Posted By: fudgenuts64
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 01:20
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Absolutely positively without a doubt The Enid - get the first four albums, think classical music but with rock instruments and that's basically it. ------------- 
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Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 04:00
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Hey, by the way, is Renaissance's Scheherezade based on Rimsky-Korsakov's work of the same title? Very cool, suggestions, thank you very, very much, guys! Probably shouldn't admitt it, but I had never heard about The Enid until you guys told me about it.  Now that I'm looking back Procol Harum is also quite classical-influenced, not only in The Whiter Shade Of Pale. Thanks for reminding me of Gryphon, also! This is some proto-proggy material. |
Posted By: Cambus741
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 06:12
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Surprised no-one has mentioned Rhapsody(of Fire) so far. All of their albums strongly feature orchestras. Their second album Symphony of Enchanted lands is a good starting point. They were originally called Rhapsody but then due to legal reason had to change their name so they added on Fire to their name https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUuoXWTYVHs |
Posted By: Icarium
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 08:29
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Gryphon -------------  
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 09:03
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Aranis springs to mind. So does The Enid, Art Zoyd and Allah's Mailman Wassup or what'stheirname. ------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” - Douglas Adams |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 09:06
apparently not, other than maybe a few notes. But "Cold is Being" on Turn of the Cards is based on Albinoni's Adagio. And rather chillingly beautiful I may add |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 09:23
hah...really? I fell asleep during the show in which they did Turn of the Cards in its entirety. Guess it wasn't an album I really connected with. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: kenethlevine
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 10:07
maybe you were asleep already from side 1 and never got to hear the tour de force of side 2?
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Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 10:16
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either that or I woken up and had left the auditorium to hit the beer vendors in peace and quiet till they came back on with the Scheherazade album. I don't remember side 2 that is for sure.. ------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 12:30
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Does the theme in the opening of this piece sound anything familiar to you?  |
Posted By: micky
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 14:25
------------- The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip |
Posted By: dwill123
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 14:40
Posted By: Nikols
Date Posted: March 26 2016 at 14:58
Pazzo Fanfano Di Musica!
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Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 27 2016 at 03:45
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I listened to some Beggar's Opera today. I remembered I really liked it when I had listened to it about 2 years ago. Man, was I blown away? "Raymond's Road" on their first album is delicious! |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: March 27 2016 at 10:51
PFM, Focus (with Thijs even doing several classical music solo albums) ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: March 27 2016 at 13:30
That's right! "Eruption" for example, Focus' own suite (every band had their own signature suite) has a very classical, cathedral, pastoral feel to it! |
Posted By: terramystic
Date Posted: March 29 2016 at 14:55
I recommend a compilation: Strictly Genteel - A Classical Introduction to Frank Zappa. |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: March 29 2016 at 16:57
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Posted By: ALotOfBottle
Date Posted: April 01 2016 at 10:42
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I hate to talk about Egg all the time, but well... Anyway, there is
that work of their's "Symphony No. 2". The 3rd movement of the piece was
not released, because one of the producers noticed a too strong of a
Stravinsky "Rite Of Spring" quote. They replaced the movement with a
weird, unmusical electronic work-out called "Blane". This 3rd movement
was re-released many years later. It is not on YouTube, I'd love to be
able to share it with you. Maybe sometime I will take my time to upload it from my account. As for now however, there is a cover of the piece by my
internet-buddy Gietek, a big Egg nut. Have a listen! The main themes are from Stravinsky's "Rite Of Spring" and what appears later is a part of Holst's "The Planets" suite, "Neptune, the mystic" to be percise. This is really classical-inspired prog in a very clear form.
Yes, that one is a great track. Also, kudos for a Bruckner quote. He is a criminally underrated figure in the world of classical music! |
Posted By: Son.of.Tiresias
Date Posted: April 02 2016 at 13:24
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"Salisbury" by Uriah Heep, with symphony orchestra, 1970. Performed it live without orchestra though. For me, personally it´s the Finest of group/orchestra performances on record. ------------- You may see a smile on Tony Banks´ face but that´s unlikely. |