A string section isn't enough. Everyone from The Beatles to Manic Street Preachers has used a string section at one time or another. No, to be considered 'symphonic rock' one must actively write rock music in the manner of a classical composer, then perform or record it alongside a full symphony orchestra. Aficionados are very precise and strict on this definition.
Fortunately, two current albums will surely pass muster. One, called 'Three Fates', is a project from Keith Emerson and is available now. The other, 'Concerto For Group and Orchestra' - is a recreation of the Deep Purple work by the late Jon Lord and friends, slated for a pre-Christmas release. For devotees of the genre, these are significant pieces indeed. The question is, in a world over-populated with X-Factor winners and R&B superheroes, can these progressive rock albums have any relevance? And, what's more, are they any good?
Keith Emerson is an emblem of everything punk rock sought to destroy. Originally a key member of The Nice and then an eponymous lynchpin in Emerson Lake and Palmer, he is infamous for his soaring banks of keyboards (which he occasionally played with knives), elaborate costumes and playing synths and organs upside down.
All of which makes him sound somewhat clownish. But that is to ignore the fact that he is widely regarded as a true keyboard virtuoso - some say the very best of the rock era - and a real pioneer of electronic instruments in contemporary music.
It's no surprise then, to find the Three Fates project is technically sophisticated and tonally complex. The album was recorded in Germany and USA and features the 70-piece Münchner Rundfunkorchester led by Terje Mikkelsen with Emerson's own band, bassist Travis Davis and drummer Troy Luccketta, from Tesla.
But this isn't entirely new material. Orchestral re-workings of ELP standards like 'Tarkus', 'Abaddon's Bolero' and Aaron Copland's 'Fanfare For The Common Man' sit with new compositions, Emerson’s 'After All Of This' and Marc Bonilla’s 'Walking Distance' and 'The Mourning Sun.'
Are these releases relevant? Well, they will undoubtedly be of great interest to adherents of progressive rock and those who remember sharing their first jazz roll-up as Brain Salad Surgery thumped away. To hear recognisable pieces, re-created and re-imagined is always intriguing and new versions can sometimes usurp the originals in the listener's favours. So to that audience, these collections will be most relevant. For others, less so. That's not because vintage performers can't find respect from those too young to remember their first flash of fame (I have a friend who adores The Police, but only heard them for the first time in 2005), but because these compositions (Emerson's in particular) have always been challenging and therefore not popular in the same way the Stones or Beach Boys. In short, this is music created for people who like their rock symphonic - and doesn't worry too much about those who don't.
Admittedly, Deep Purple had more universal appeal than ELP. From the bluesy rock of first hit 'Hush' to the immortal 'Smoke On The Water' they were much more of a straight up heavy rock act. That didn't stop keys man Lord pushing the creative boundaries though - and in 1969, Jon Lord and vocalist Ian Gillan rolled out their 'Concerto For Group and Orchestra'. A unique composition at the time, as the name suggests it combines a full rock band with an entire symphony orchestra. Incredibly, the full score was lost after a single performance and it wasn't until 1999 that Lord sat down to re-write it. Jon died earlier this year and it's a fitting tribute that a new recording of his most adventurous piece will be his swansong.
Generalising wildly, Deep Purple and ELP were groups for guys. They didn't write music for dance parties or dates, they wrote 'serious' works which required concentration, repeated plays and lengthy discussion. These new releases don't deviate from those principles. Neither 'Three Fates' nor 'Concerto ...' are in any way re-mixes or attempts to make studious music more accessible. If they were at all pretentious and demanding then, that is how they remain. I don't say this to be pejorative. In fact, I can admire the albums' honesty and loyalty to their original concepts.
But are they any good?
That's harder to say - for me, at least. I've written before that I don't really 'get' classical music. Combine this befuddlement with an ambivalence towards progressive rock and it's very tricky for me to judge the nuanced differences between one symphonic rock work and another. I can say with some certainty that the albums are accomplished and both deliver an epic, sometimes strident sound with confidence and power. It's also abundantly clear these records have been carefully crafted for people other than me. I was too young to be part of the generation which dressed in greatcoats and ponged of patchouli oil, carrying Atom Heart Mother under one arm and a copy of Camus under the other. Indeed, I was only just of an age to have my scalp torn off by Never Mind The Bollocks. But it seems a couple of formative years are all it takes to place one firmly in a particular camp. And, unfortunately, my tent has never been pitched in the field marked Emerson / Lord.
I do get annoyed when those who dislike an artist or style of music call out 'rubbish' or worse. I recently argued this point with someone un-enchanted by Paul Simon. He insisted Simon was 'sh*t'. I countered that he couldn't possibly justify the comment. Nobody can be forced to like Paul Simon, but his sheer artistry and ability should be obvious to anyone with half an intellect, even if his songs aren't to their liking. QED he can't be 'sh*t'.
Fortunately, two current albums will surely pass muster. One, called 'Three Fates', is a project from Keith Emerson and is available now. The other, 'Concerto For Group and Orchestra' - is a recreation of the Deep Purple work by the late Jon Lord and friends, slated for a pre-Christmas release. For devotees of the genre, these are significant pieces indeed. The question is, in a world over-populated with X-Factor winners and R&B superheroes, can these progressive rock albums have any relevance? And, what's more, are they any good?
Keith Emerson is an emblem of everything punk rock sought to destroy. Originally a key member of The Nice and then an eponymous lynchpin in Emerson Lake and Palmer, he is infamous for his soaring banks of keyboards (which he occasionally played with knives), elaborate costumes and playing synths and organs upside down.
All of which makes him sound somewhat clownish. But that is to ignore the fact that he is widely regarded as a true keyboard virtuoso - some say the very best of the rock era - and a real pioneer of electronic instruments in contemporary music.
It's no surprise then, to find the Three Fates project is technically sophisticated and tonally complex. The album was recorded in Germany and USA and features the 70-piece Münchner Rundfunkorchester led by Terje Mikkelsen with Emerson's own band, bassist Travis Davis and drummer Troy Luccketta, from Tesla.
But this isn't entirely new material. Orchestral re-workings of ELP standards like 'Tarkus', 'Abaddon's Bolero' and Aaron Copland's 'Fanfare For The Common Man' sit with new compositions, Emerson’s 'After All Of This' and Marc Bonilla’s 'Walking Distance' and 'The Mourning Sun.'
Are these releases relevant? Well, they will undoubtedly be of great interest to adherents of progressive rock and those who remember sharing their first jazz roll-up as Brain Salad Surgery thumped away. To hear recognisable pieces, re-created and re-imagined is always intriguing and new versions can sometimes usurp the originals in the listener's favours. So to that audience, these collections will be most relevant. For others, less so. That's not because vintage performers can't find respect from those too young to remember their first flash of fame (I have a friend who adores The Police, but only heard them for the first time in 2005), but because these compositions (Emerson's in particular) have always been challenging and therefore not popular in the same way the Stones or Beach Boys. In short, this is music created for people who like their rock symphonic - and doesn't worry too much about those who don't.
Admittedly, Deep Purple had more universal appeal than ELP. From the bluesy rock of first hit 'Hush' to the immortal 'Smoke On The Water' they were much more of a straight up heavy rock act. That didn't stop keys man Lord pushing the creative boundaries though - and in 1969, Jon Lord and vocalist Ian Gillan rolled out their 'Concerto For Group and Orchestra'. A unique composition at the time, as the name suggests it combines a full rock band with an entire symphony orchestra. Incredibly, the full score was lost after a single performance and it wasn't until 1999 that Lord sat down to re-write it. Jon died earlier this year and it's a fitting tribute that a new recording of his most adventurous piece will be his swansong.
Generalising wildly, Deep Purple and ELP were groups for guys. They didn't write music for dance parties or dates, they wrote 'serious' works which required concentration, repeated plays and lengthy discussion. These new releases don't deviate from those principles. Neither 'Three Fates' nor 'Concerto ...' are in any way re-mixes or attempts to make studious music more accessible. If they were at all pretentious and demanding then, that is how they remain. I don't say this to be pejorative. In fact, I can admire the albums' honesty and loyalty to their original concepts.
But are they any good?
That's harder to say - for me, at least. I've written before that I don't really 'get' classical music. Combine this befuddlement with an ambivalence towards progressive rock and it's very tricky for me to judge the nuanced differences between one symphonic rock work and another. I can say with some certainty that the albums are accomplished and both deliver an epic, sometimes strident sound with confidence and power. It's also abundantly clear these records have been carefully crafted for people other than me. I was too young to be part of the generation which dressed in greatcoats and ponged of patchouli oil, carrying Atom Heart Mother under one arm and a copy of Camus under the other. Indeed, I was only just of an age to have my scalp torn off by Never Mind The Bollocks. But it seems a couple of formative years are all it takes to place one firmly in a particular camp. And, unfortunately, my tent has never been pitched in the field marked Emerson / Lord.
I do get annoyed when those who dislike an artist or style of music call out 'rubbish' or worse. I recently argued this point with someone un-enchanted by Paul Simon. He insisted Simon was 'sh*t'. I countered that he couldn't possibly justify the comment. Nobody can be forced to like Paul Simon, but his sheer artistry and ability should be obvious to anyone with half an intellect, even if his songs aren't to their liking. QED he can't be 'sh*t'.
This is how I feel about symphonic rock. The intricacy and understanding involved in this musical form is obvious. It would be impossible to meld so many performers and instruments without impressive talent and hard-won experience. Nevertheless, as with all creative activity, the appeal of the result is very subjective. And in truth, neither of these albums produce the intended reverie in this listener.
That said, if the glory days of the mid-seventies, when it wasn't unusual for a rock crowd to sit on the floor, the better to appreciate the musicianship, bring the warmth of nostalgia to your heart - you'll find much to enjoy in these new recordings. Just don't invite any old punks round for a playback session, it probably won't end well.
That said, if the glory days of the mid-seventies, when it wasn't unusual for a rock crowd to sit on the floor, the better to appreciate the musicianship, bring the warmth of nostalgia to your heart - you'll find much to enjoy in these new recordings. Just don't invite any old punks round for a playback session, it probably won't end well.
