Thread: Interesting records of non-classical musicians with symphonic orchestra

Notice: this thread is devoted to bands/musicians that doesn't play with orchestra usually.

It became very popular in rock music recently (Metallica, for example, made very popular record known as S&M).

I would mention:

Charlie Parker with Strings (currently listening, inspired me to create this thread)

Deep Purple, Concerto for Group and Orchestra

The Moody Blues - Days of Future Past

Ornette Coleman - Skies of America

...the most interesting thing to come out of jazz (spit).

Mike Keneally-The Universe Will Provide

Go to 8:00

Originally Posted by Noak

Mike Keneally-The Universe Will Provide

Nice to see a Keneally fan here. Mike did a great job on this project. Superb music!

The Steve Howe Album
Terry Bozzio-Chamber Works
Alice Coltrane-Universal Consciousness
Bela Fleck-Triple Concerto
Frank Zappa-200 Motels, Orchestral Favorites
John McLaughlin-Mediterranean Concerto, Thieves And Poets

Ellington - Night creature



this is only the second movement

Frank Zappa - Dog Breath variations

Progressive Rock band Caravan in 1973



Orchestra plays a far more major role from within the 4th minute onwards.

Not a recording, but it was a nice spotlight for orchestral music on an otherwise typically pop venue when Foo Fighters auditioned and featured a young orchestra to accompany them on the 2008 Grammy Awards on "The Pretender." The orchestra was conducted by John Paul Jones of Them Crooked Vultures and Led Zeppelin and selected through a YouTube audition contest.

Orchestra starts playing approx 4:43.

Ann Marie Calhoun, violinist, was chosen as the featured soloist. Before and especially after this performance she has been playing for and touring with various rock acts such as Jethro Tull, Steve Vai, Bon Jovi, and Ringo Starr. As a teenager she was a youth fellow with the National Symphony orchestra, and graduated from the University of Virginia in 2001 with a double major in biology and music.

This never works well in rock/pop or metal because the songwriting almost never expands to suit the resources. It's like trying to shove a cathedral in a Cracker Jack box.

Originally Posted by regressivetransphobe

This never works well in rock/pop or metal because the songwriting almost never expands to suit the resources.

I fully agree. Take Metallica's album with the SFSO - the orchestration sucked as the music wasn't accommodating to it.

I dont find it to functionate eather. I am a big prog rock fan, and a lot of prog rock is inspired by classical music. But when they try to lean on it, it almost always fail. Elp`s pictures of an exebition dont lean on it, but making rock music on its own terms, but heavily classic influated.
The dutch FOKUS have some great music. But sometimes they try to copy, or lean on classical music to much. I dont like that.

But all music is influenced by other music, so trying to dismiss some acts because they are classical influented, and say: "They will never reach up" is snobbery. It is different art forms. Classical music has taken a lot from folk music for example. It is snobbery to say that when classical music takes influences from folk, it is "lifting it up to pure art" and when rock takes from classic.... "they can never compete with the origin"...

This is just some thoughts, and I dont know if I am outside the topic.

My favourite prog rock album, Foxtrot by genesis, Is a pure rock album, but heavily influented by classical music, and at conserts, wery influented from oscure theathre and opera.
Listen to "Suppers ready"!! This is a fabulous work, purely on (art)rocks permissions, but heavily influated from a lot of styles.

Devil Doll 'Dies Irae' has an orchestra on it. Pretty cool "horror" rock recording - very well put together. Most people will be put off by the vocals though, which are very odd indeed.

No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded
includes tracks backed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra and the Hossam Ramzy (Egypt) Ensemble.

When I saw Chuck Mangioni's Friends and Love concert with the Rochester Phil on TV in the early '70s, I thought it was very cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWxVc...eature=related

It doesn't have a full symphony orchestra, but it does feature a rather funky string section