Rock vs. Classical - does it work? | conductor & comedian Rainer Hersch
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2020
- Rock meets Classic: Bat out of Hell or Stairway to Heaven? When Metallica, Led Zep, Elton John, The Scorpions team-up with orchestra, the world's funniest conductor, Rainer Hersch, decides.
WEBSITE www.rainerhersch.com
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THIS CLIP
Bach and Roll? Since Deep Purple in 1969, this has been a thing. This should me a marriage made in heaven - behavioral scientists have shown that classical music and heavy metal fans are basically the same type of person. But is it? Groups who have tried include The Who, Led Zep, Metallica (S&M), Sting, Rick Wakeman, Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Radiohead, The Moody Blues, King Crimson, Procul Harum, Kiss, Aerosmith, The Eagles, Elton John, The Scorpions and on and on. Whoever they are - they have got to overcome a basic problem: the band is MUUUUCH louder than the orchestra. SO does the band tone it down, or does the orchestra mike it up? Comedian and conductor, himself no stranger to some orchestral crossover, listens in.
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ABOUT RAINER HERSCH
A trained conductor and pianist, British stand-up comedian Rainer Hersch ("Victor Borge for a new generation" The Times) has performed on every comedy stage in the UK and in more than thirty countries across the world. He is responsible for TH-cam hits such as "Orchestra plays Microsoft Windows™ - the waltz" • Funny! Orchestra plays... to "The Funniest Classical Orchestra Ever" • Funniest Classical Orc... and "CLASSICAL SOPRANO surprises audience with STAR TREK" • CLASSICAL SOPRANO surp... - this is the guy that actually does on a concert stage what others just talk about. Find out what Rainer did next bit.ly/1hGR52j Rainer and his Orkestra are on tour in Autumn 2020 www.rainerhersch.com/whatson/
All enquiries: management@masterpiece.me.uk - ตลก
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The Rainer Hersch orkestra is my favorite Heavy metal band
Haha. Thanks!
"Rock meets Classical" success story: Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
That's why I love Nightwish (symphonic metal) so much (especially the latest album Human Nature). Also the Dutch Metropole Orchestra did collaborations with metal bands like Epica and Within Temptation. Those concerts were the best. It is so epic!!!!! Classic meets metal 😍😍
Metal was partially birthed around classical. Black Sabbath (the song) was inspired by Mars, the Bringer of War by Gustav Holst.
Yup. If both sides get it right - ‘epic’ is the word.
Recommending: Amarth featuring Apocalyptica (strings) Live for the Kill. Viking metal with contemporary string interlude.
Yep, 'The Greatest Show on Earth' by Nightwish, no electic guitars until just after 5 min have passed! With the added wonder of Cresc. and P.P.
As my youngest once put it Classical music with claws.
ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) incorporated a full orchestra into their music all the time. I know they aren't hard rock, but still rock nonetheless
Renee Pallo oh yes. Great group
@@pauljohn5554 Absolutely agree.
God I love ELO I can never get enough
I was surprised he said nothing about ELO....I've been a fan since the 1970s : )
Thank you! I'm glad I wasn't the only one wondering why they weren't mentioned.
I love both rock and classic.
Musicians who are open and really love music in general, can play others' pieces quite well.
Also, heavy metal bands can play so that it touches heart. Yep, and the singers have a bit scratchy voice :)
You know, a rock voice can have more character. Thanks for watching.
Heck Yeah it works, after all Classical music is Heavy Metal without electricity \m/ \m/
Now that is a great analogy. Thanks.
I like that one... I'll have to remember to use it!
You sir, are such a blessing.
Hey thanks. And thanks for tuning in.
There is a whole metal genre of Symphonic metal that you didn't even touch upon. Nightwish, Within temptation, Epica, and so many more. They have truly blended the two genres into a beautiful sound. You should check out songs by them to see how it's progressed since then.
Yup - sorry about skipping but there is just too much music and too little time. Thanks for the comment, which will draw attention to some of the other GREAT stuff there is out there.
I think the bands that pull it off the best are the ones with classically trained singers, like the ones you mentioned here. Seeing Epica's lead singer belt it out on stage, with an orchestra, in a corset, was so amazing!!
@@LM-wz9yw they came to NY earlier this year but I couldn't go....next time. I can imagine how Simone sounded live.
Scorpions with Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is still one of my favourite mashup ever! The balance depends on the arrangement & song selection, Christian Kolonovits did a great job with it!
That thumbnail is hilarious! U r awesome!
Great. Thanks for watching.
Man I love Jon Lord!
He was a pioneer along with Keith Emerson!
Cheers, great Reiner man ☺️
Yeah, RIP Jon Lord. ELP - those guys could really play their instruments. Amazing what they got up to.
This is it, a perfect advise for rock-classic lover👍
Glad you enjoyed it.
I learned the combination of both styles via Epic Symphony Rock
I don't know much about todays rock mixing with classical but I do know I saw Weird Al's "Stings Attached" tour live where he played with an orchestra and it was top notch entertaining.
Love your videos
Thanks
That's really great. Cool stuff.
Thank you! Cheers!
@@RainerHerschTH-cam I'm a singer in a choir in my home town and I play the trumpet. And I'm into classical music. I'd always swap rock music for classical. Nevertheless, I listen to many different styles of music. It's depending on my mood. And I'm a listener with a knack for details.
Pink FLoyd "Atom Heart Mother" 1970
Great!!! Give us more videos!!!
Glad you like it. Thanks for your support.
I'm sure "Classic rocks meat" would be an epic cross-over.
It sooooo works!!! I love the roller coaster ride it takes you on. So much emotion through orchestra and power through rock. GREAT COMBO...take that sliced bread! 🎻🙌🎸
That’s fab. Appreciate the comments.
I do love my fair dose of strings and brass in my pop and rock music, as well as drum kits and bass guitars in my classical music. Seriously I genuinely enjoy that, it's not a joke.
Music Appreciation 101. Thank you Rainer. 😊 I worked Moody Blues once. They are not so good without the orchestra.
You rock!😎
6:42 That must be that Woodstock place mum and dad are always talking about.
Day of the Tentacle? 🤣
@@sysadminfromhell2420 Nailed it! ;)
(speaking of which, amazing soundtrack!)
I am always shocked, when some Classical Orchestras try to "rock". I had to listen to a famous orchestra struggling hard with the offbeats in the "Smoke on the Water" Riff. The Conductor Dude had simply no Idea, what he was doing.
David Garrett fiddles "smells like teen spirit" and it sounds horrible. I imagine poor Kurt spinning in his grave. But even worse is Garretts version of "we will rock you", where he plays the melody, that unfortunately consists mainly of three notes. And it goes like "da-didi-da-di-didi-da-didi-da-di-didi-da-didi-da-di didi diii (the 3. note) da- da-di-dada. His "Rock" show is all posing, no feeling, no rock. ---- But I like his classical playing. He is a great musician, but his Rock show is just about making money. But it works. Concert Halls and Arenas are sold out when he does his thing. So he may do it, and people may enjoy it - but I keep away as far away as I can.
There are examples, where Rock and Orchestra go together really beautiful - but this means that both sides respect each other and know what they are doing. It is not ok for classical musicians to think "I can do rock because it is a primitive kind of music". And it is not ok, to abuse classical music by picking out some easy parts and put some drums behind them. And making money out of it is no excuse for bad music.
I agree with all of that. Thanks for the comment.
I don’t like off beat hardly at all and I don’t know any musicians who can constantly do both and still do both well.
Rock music really doesn’t make me want to feel the things rock is trying to communicate.
Mixing rock and traditional metering just sounds like a joke.
And of course don't forget the orchestra playing with Status Quo, the brass section goes wild when playing Whatever You Want! Really fun to watch and it sounds good to the ears too 😁🎸 (Night of the Proms)
You mentioned Bat Out of Hell. Steinman when he originaly wrote the music and lyrics for that he evisioned it with an orchestral sound. So when in 2004 Meat Loaf was touring Austrailia he performed with it the Melborourne Symphony.
The man. The Legend. The one and Only boi
Rainer "best director* Hersch
YAAAAAY!
Hey, I loved ELO and Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin, but I get your point about the structural clash.☮️
Moody Blues actually got in there before Deep Purple. But DP were the first ones to create a rock/classic ‘experience’.
In another video you talk about misheard lyrics. When I first heard that famous Moody Blues piece, I wonder why the knights were wearing white satin. All sorts of fantasies about chivalry and cross dressing...
Hilltop Hoods - Ghost (restrung)
Not exacly this video's topic but there is the genre of neoclassical metal, when classical pieces are played in metal setup. I would love to hear Reiner's opinion on it.
I like parts of Verdi and Beethoven for exactly the same reason I like certain Iron Maiden songs: they are up tempo and loud. As for a successful combination, it took me quite some effort to find Moody Blues' Question with orchestra, but it's absolutely worth it, because the strings really add atmosphere to the slower parts of the song, and the brass adds "umph" to the faster bits.
Good one. You are an example of the crossover crowd, who dig the big statements of Classical and Rock.
Fantastic. Especially love the Corona version of Black Sabbath
someone remember Eumir Deodato? With his version of Beethoven's piece ruled for all the summer of that year in earlier '70
As Usual Rainer ruled the screen! As usual very funny and interesting
I’ll look up Eumir Deodato. Thanks for the compliment!
I wonder what year did that Estonian Eurovision Song Contest entry come from.
I’ve been to Moody Blues concerts. I love that they have an orchestra playing with them. They are not anywhere near like the rock band in your video.
If you want a great example of metal + classical, then check out King by Fleshgod Apocalypse. Absolutely incredible album,
Will check it out.
YESSS!!! Did you check it yet, Rainer? I’m so curious about what you think. Personally, I think they are absolute geniuses! ☺️
So Mr. Hersch, were does the 2Cellos fit in you mashup?
2Cellos are great. Love their stuff. But they are not a rock band but- they come at it from the classical direction. Don’t think you will catch them diving into an empty swimming pool OD’ing on crystal meth.
I am both a metalhead and lover of classical, (and musician) especially with symphonic metal. Absolutely awesome. If nightwish ever organise a 'fans orchestra' to accompany them during a gig, I will literally go hunger games to get a place in the 1sts!
The L.S.O. Played rock music years ago. Absolutely wonderful to hear rock music with a full orchestra.
Epica - retrospect consert, Metal + Classical made a perfect performance together.
You should try to listen to the band “Red”. They definitely do a good job with blending the rock music and the classical music together. Each song is composed based on the individual song. The conductor does not listen to the singing of the song until after the work has been added in to the mix.
I'm sure you haven't missed Jon Lords later years... gives a hint to why they managed to make it work :)
I can also recommend the wonderful weird project by Roger Glover "The buttefly ball and the grasshoppers feast" Rock meets Opera.
RIP Jon Lord. So much great stuff, so little time. One of his last projects was re-recording Concerto for Group and Orchestra. It was released after his death but he heard the final mix. Rock meets Opera - now that may be another vid...
Meat loaf with the MSO, I love the recording of the show
"This is the sound of an orchestra"
Really missed a trick playing flight of the bumblebee
A correction but Rick Wakeman's studio album of Six Wives of Henry the Eighth doesn't use an orchestra (but does use a Mellotron to provide orchestral sounds along with the various synths and keyboards). However, his recording of Journey To The Center Of The Earth (recorded live with orchestra and choir) does. I love the mix of rock band and orchestra which has been happening a lot lately. In fact, I think a lot of symphony orchestras would pull in a lot of people who would otherwise stay away if they began to incorporate rock music into their repertoire. Songs like ELP's Tarkus and Emerson's Piano Concerto have been successfully performed by symphony orchestras. Other prog music like Yes' Close To The Edge and others would sound fantastic in a similar setting.
Have heard Orcestra’s with Iron Maiden.
Also, ELO used Orcestra instruments quite a lot.
I love these combos - like opera & rap (The Rapsody Feat. Warren G & Sissel - Prince Igor or The Rapsody feat. LL Cool J - Dear Mallika ).
Opera and Rap - now that sounds like another video...
Try Ne Obliviscaris. An absolutely incredible group from Melbourne I discovered a couple years ago. Very much death metal but even more classical than say Apocalyptica or Nightwish. I think they're the absolute pinnacle of symphonic metal.
The song Forget Not is simply a work of art.
Haha the Eurovision reference
Haha. Bracing myself for the Estonian hate mail.
@@RainerHerschTH-cam oh no
Where do rock/pop songs based on classical tunes fit in? Such as Lovers Concerto by The Toys and Joy by Apollo 100?
Would it be possible to say that Björk kinda mixed classical with rock sometimes? Well, not to the point of bringing an orchestra and a rock band, but in Jóga for example, we can kinda see the mix.
Like Björk. Lot of orchestral strings in there.
Some recent examples from the last decade also include Doom and Final Fantasy. Video game music has been working more with these blendings.
Now that's true. Classic FM in the UK had video game music in their top 20 for a year. It was a bit of a fix because it's not really what Classic FM's audience is in to. But plenty of people are.
Best Example: Within Temptation - Black Symphony
Having performed in a choir backing up live rock bands 4 or 5 times (Jeans and Classics - North America touring thing) over the years covering Queen, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and others, on stage sound balance, and the balance for what the audience hears, is not really a problem. Its called microphones in every section of the orchestra and choir and a proficient person on the mixing board, and monitor speakers with sound balancing throughout the stage, it's actually pretty easy. Everyone can hear everything they need to. Audience members with the know-how said the balance and mix was very good in the house.
Dont knock it till you tried it, done properly.
In all honesty we never know what these composers would have used had they had electricity and these instruments then. a big reason they theorize the saxophone wasn't really introduced into the orchestra is because how late it was produced in time. compared to say when Haydn who helped form orchestra setup was alive. and when the clarinet was invented it was lucky to be introduced into the orchestra. imagine if Mozart never took interest in clarinet and orchestra and never composed his famous concerto
And Mozart Clarinet Quintet. Very interesting ideas. Thanks.
@@RainerHerschTH-cam np. music is a passion the general public shares. as it was long ago. these composers themselves experimented at times with random instruments of their time. look at leopold mozart's toy symphony. idk if you've worked with that one. it's not too popular. but I feel you could make it oh so so more funny than what it is!
Ok, what about 'All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn the World'? This is an eight part suite of Classical music writen by a Symphonic Metal group called Nightwish... They blur the lines of genre on occasions. I think Symphonic Metal is the 1812 or the Royal fireworks for the modern generation.
Another Rock meets Classical that worked very well was Rocktopia.
If we're talking rock and orchestral, we must not forget Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
On a completely separate vein, I do wish you would make an appearance in the Northeast Florida region, good sir. I absolutely adore your presentation and delivery in your videos, but I suspect the energy is much more enjoyable in person.
Yes, so much good stuff out there, so little time. Would love to do Florida, Northwest or otherwise some day. Of course, it is all SOOO much better live :-)
Apocalyptica makes it work...excellently.
Love Skalmöld with the Iceland symphony orchestra
Thanks. Will look that up.
like snarky Puppy with metropole nice combo :) more jazz tough
Best “musical” combination of Band & Orchestra would be to use Radiohead.
Peter and the wolf 💖
Ahhhhh! Metallica with Saint Francisco's Symphonic Orchestra comes to mind 😎
Yeah !!!
Yeah, yeah.
I'd like to suggest checking out the band *Haggard*.
lol didn't expect to see metallica s&m here
S&M Metallica, Trans Siberian Orchestra, KISS Symphony, Epica with Dutch Symphonic Orchestra and Nightwish. They all make it work.
Coop with muse, I think you might hit the string with their bombastic rock music
A great example is the Album A Classic Case with the London Symphony Orchestra and Ian Anderson performing the music of Jethro Tull. A good example of a really bad attempt is an album in which a classical orchestra attempts to perform Dark Side of the Moon. I do not recall which orchestra nor do I recall the title of the album. There have been subsequent attempts that were quite good. It works out both ways.
Thanks for this - v interesting.
Metallica's S&M albums are utter perfection!
imagine if Paganini had access to a rock band...
And than there is VADRUM with his album "Classical drumming"...
A masterpiece which you Mr. Hersch should definitly check out.
If you haven't already done that.
Thank me l8ter 😉
Will do. Cheers
@@RainerHerschTH-cam Ya welcome Maestro 🤘🏻😎
German Rock/Metal/Folk Band In Extremo also use a Harp and some pipes. It's all a thing of balance
What's the name of the song at 6:48? Please
Southern rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd had an orchestra with one of their tours. “Free Bird” never sounded so epic!
Henry VIII still maintained the pretension that the Kings of England were also the rightful Kings of France. They appear in his royal coat of arms.
Wonder what would happen if say"Charlie Daniel's band and Hershal"s orchestra played with someone like Flatts &Scruggs
Would be magic. But sounds expensive :-)
Vivaldi la folia is basically metall. 7:35 the double bass hits hard af
"Days of future passed" by the Moody Blues was written originally for orchestra and band, not because it became fashionable.
Yup. Moody Blues were the absolute first. But it was just single tracks to begin with. Deep Purple did the first big collaboration.
Yes The Yeng And The Yang
I Get It 😁
Der Ring des Nibelungen: 5:00 we'll see about that!!!!!!!!
No yngwie malmsteen? :(
He is great. But not a band.
@@RainerHerschTH-cam great Guitarist
Check Rage - Lingua Mortis and Rage - XIII for maximun epicness.
Please, why nothing on Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, It worked with this.
Come on it had Justin Hayward, David Essex, Chris Thompson and Phil Lynott in the cast.
and not all of it was in 4:4
Sorry. Too much music, too little time.
IN this case look at Epica" cry for the moon ".
You mean like, Nightwish, Blind Guardian, Trans Siberian Orchestra(with Metallica), and Gloryhammer?
Trans-Siberian Orchestra with Metallica? When did that happen?
Love the Background-Song by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, best example for rock meets classic :-)
Yes, it’s great.
What's with a rock band vs. a large pipe organ, playing tutti? ;D
Now that might work...
Sorry, it wasn't Deep Purple in '69. The first were the Moody Blues in 1967 on there concept album "Days of Future Passed". Yes, it was experimental (only the second stereo record ever released). Deram Records wanted to promote the 'new' stereo LP and the moodies with the London Festival Orchestra obliged. Often overlooked, the LP is now considered an absolute classic and one of the first examples of progressive rock. Don't just take my word for it, there are plenty of clips here on YT. Have a listen, you might be surprised.
Rainer, please do a Nightwish special. I would predict that many of your fans will be amazed and find a genre they never thought they would like. Particularly the bands current line up, with Floor as lead singer... she's spellbinding.
Boring 4/4 time signature... I don't bloody think so ;)
Check out BT’s Electronic Opus, techno with a live orchestra.
Will do
@Rainer Hersch Fan Channel I think you will like it.
LSO Did Tommy, with various artists, including Elton John.
Yeah, it’s a good one. It’s on TH-cam. Have a search.
So, if they're buying paper for their asses, this truly IS rock n' ROLL . . .
Now THAT is genius.
@@RainerHerschTH-cam : If so, then it's appropriate on this page.
The biggest difference between rock and classical is that there is much more dynamic range in classical. By dynamic range, I mean the difference in volume from the quiet bits to the loud bits.
And heavy metal seems to me to be always loud all the time: isn't that the point? Getting a balance between the group and the orchestra means that one or other will need to move out of their usual way of using dynamic range
There are exceptions to the
Hmm yeah - get this. However, there are some famous examples of ‘not-loud rock’: ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’ and, yes, ‘Stairway to Heaven - at least at the start :-)
You don't realize until you write symphonic metal how hard BALANCE is to achieve. I'm still not there.
Turn down the amp.
Wait, can’t you just mic up the orchestra? My favorite metal-orchestra show, Forces of the Northern Night by Dimmu Borgir, did just that.
00:58 am I hallucinating or was that master of puppets?
I'll love Barock music. Let's jam with Corelli.
One of the very first tracks I got into was Apollo 100 - Joy Jesu, (Joy of Man's Desiring). It's on TH-cam. Mixes Bach and Rock - well, disco.
Symphonic Metal is an established sub-genre, so, yeah, it works. Therion is a good example.