Prog bands that plays classical music

richardh wrote: Sky did some notable classical covers. They and ELP were the greatest exponents of this sort of thing within prog. I'm not really aware of too many other bands that did it as regularly. Par Lindh Project did an excellent cover of Night On Bare Mountain that was included on the album Gothic Impressions. (couldn't find it on you tube though)

Rick Robson wrote: richardh wrote: Sky did some notable classical covers. They and ELP were the greatest exponents of this sort of thing within prog. I'm not really aware of too many other bands that did it as regularly. Par Lindh Project did an excellent cover of Night On Bare Mountain that was included on the album Gothic Impressions. (couldn't find it on you tube though)      Right on, Par Lindh Project - Night On Bare Mountain (incl. the black stone) is also for me a stunning piece of music, thanks to PA Forum I happened to know another genuine band, by now only the album you mentioned (Gothic Impressions) and it indeed impresses me! What a beautiful blending of erudit, folk and rock right there - Iconoclast and The Cathedral perfect examples; so spirituous melodies (the flutes opening in Green Meadow Lands just amazing!). I have a curiosity about Sky Door: that core melody sounded quite familiar to me at the first listening - is it an adaptation of some renowned composition? thanks anyway.

The Doctor wrote: Hugh Banton did a version of Gustav Holst's The Planets.

Does Hugh Banton did more cover of classical music other than this?

richardh wrote: Sky did some notable classical covers. They and ELP were the greatest exponents of this sort of thing within prog. I'm not really aware of too many other bands that did it as regularly.

Yes, "some" being the operative word. Oddly enough Sky 4 Forthcoming is really the only album where Sky went all out with the classical arrangements - so if they are what you are after, that is the first album to get. Apparently some fans had complained that Sky recorded only one classical piece on Sky 3...  Be careful what you wish for, I guess - otherwise you may receive the world's oddest version of "Ride of the valkyries" this side of the Cambridge Buskers.

The other albums by Sky tended to have maybe 2 or 3 arrangements: there was only 2 classical arrangements on their first album. Sky 2 of course had the hit single Toccata plus two guitar pieces and a harpsichord piece that sounded (to me) purely classical, plus a cover of the old Curved Air piece "Vivaldi". Sky's "Mozart Album" was different again - with a lot of orchestra, and not very much Sky, unlike the earlier albums.

A few other suggestions for listening:
Pell Mell - From the New World
Ray Manzarek - Carmina Burana (Carl Orff), which I borrowed once many years ago and never heard since
Cirith Ungol - a rather gruelling version of Toccata
...none of which I would recommend unreservedly - but they're definitely worth checking out.

Further away from the world of prog you may wish to check out Apollo 100 if you've not heard them already,  starting with their hit single "Joy" - highly recommended if you do like Ekseption or Sky's classical arrangements.


Edited by David64T - August 18 2014 at 06:58

presdoug wrote: ^Nice to see mention of Pell Mell. Their debut album Marburg  has a nice version of Smetana's The Moldau led by their brilliant violinist Thomas Schmidt.

Pell Mell is the most brilliant band that i have ever known

David64T wrote: richardh wrote: Sky did some notable classical covers. They and ELP were the greatest exponents of this sort of thing within prog. I'm not really aware of too many other bands that did it as regularly. Yes, "some" being the operative word. Oddly enough Sky 4 Forthcoming is really the only album where Sky went all out with the classical arrangements - so if they are what you are after, that is the first album to get. Apparently some fans had complained that Sky recorded only one classical piece on Sky 3...  Be careful what you wish for, I guess - otherwise you may receive the world's oddest version of "Ride of the valkyries" this side of the Cambridge Buskers. The other albums by Sky tended to have maybe 2 or 3 arrangements: there was only 2 classical arrangements on their first album. Sky 2 of course had the hit single Toccata plus two guitar pieces and a harpsichord piece that sounded (to me) purely classical, plus a cover of the old Curved Air piece "Vivaldi". Sky's "Mozart Album" was different again - with a lot of orchestra, and not very much Sky, unlike the earlier albums. A few other suggestions for listening: Pell Mell - From the New World Ray Manzarek - Carmina Burana (Carl Orff), which I borrowed once many years ago and never heard since Cirith Ungol - a rather gruelling version of Toccata ...none of which I would recommend unreservedly - but they're definitely worth checking out. Further away from the world of prog you may wish to check out Apollo 100 if you've not heard them already,  starting with their hit single "Joy" - highly recommended if you do like Ekseption or Sky's classical arrangements.

brainstormer wrote: Don't forget the covers on the early Synergy albums.

Edited by jayem - September 02 2014 at 15:43

JellySucker wrote: Like what the title stated, i was wondering whether there are bands who re-arranged actual classical composition into a rather more proggy manner like Ekseption, Trace and The Pink Mice (Lucifer's Friend only with different monicker/side project).  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated Ekseption: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqufpeDjDtQ Trace: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbQ71r60kYw The Pink Mice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CImQuUW4m24

G'day,

There seems to be particular enthusiasm for classical music in prog just now - you may also wish to check out a wealth of recent recommendations here in PA for Classical compostions in progrock:
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=70876&PN=1





Edited by David64T - August 30 2014 at 20:29

Has anyone mentioned the Enid yet? Not pure classical but apparently they are the closest a prog band came to playing classical. Also, how about Sky?

 no one ever seems to read the OP any more theses days.