On the off-brand ELP (Emerson Lake and Powell), there’s a nice cut on the B side of Holst’s “Mars, the Bringer of War”.
“Sabre Dance” was Dave Edmunds’ signature guitar piece.
Isao Tomita’s “Snowflakes Are Dancing” (Debussy) made the U.S. top fifty, but that was basically a form of synthpop, not rock.
Adaptation of classical pieces in rock never really worked for me, unless it’s a well-rounded, coherent piece of pop, such is “Whiter Shade of Pale”. I don’t know any others that come close.
Out of the sung pop context, there’s otherwordly ELP’s “Toccata” and “Pictures at an Exhibition”. Great momements there, but leaves a lot to be desired.
The Nice’s “Karelia Suite” and “Rondo”…meh.
Jethro Tull’s “Bouree” is rather pointless, save for the excellent live version from “A Little Light Music”.
The Pentagles’ “Three Dances” work really well, but that’s stretching the term “classical” since it’s renaissance music.
Mannheim Steamroller has a bunch of rocking classical tunes on their Christmas albums, particularly, “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”
Lenny Breau and Buddy Emmons did a jazzed-up version that’s worth seeking out, on electric guitar and pedal steel. I can’t find it on Youtube.
I did find Leo Kottke’s lovely take on Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring.
Frederic’s Dream of Blues Luca Sestak’s re imagining of Chopin’s Nocturne in E flat Major Opus 9 #2
Well since we’ve beyond “Rock”, here’s Angelique Kidjo singing Ravel’s Bolero https://youtu.be/8eWJtZlrSGI
If we can do R&B versions of Baroque
**Lover’s concerto **, The Toys
If we can do R&B versions of Baroque
Lover’s concerto, The Toys
If you can’t have Germans doing Wagner then it has to be Germans doing Schubert:
Nargaroth - Der Leiermann.
For the umpteenth Emerson, Lake & Palmer reference in this thread, there’s their rock arrangement of Béla Bartók’s “Allegro Barbaro,” retitled “The Barbarian.”
Just so you know, Bartók invented classical heavy metal in 1911 with “Allegro Barbaro.” He had in mind the 9th-century invasions of Europe by Magyar horsemen. This predated Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring by two years.
From the same album, Janacek’s “Sinfonietta” transmogrified into “Knife Edge” with an unmodified (and uncredited) excerpt from one of JS Bach’s “French Suites” pasted in as short keyboard solo.
Yes! B. Bumble and the Stingers! The only version one needs to know.