rockin the classics

Cafe Society
1

What are your favorite modern covers of classical music - rocking, amusing, upbeat, unusual, added lyrics, whatever?

Mine:

“The Duel” from the film Electric Dreams - man’s computer accidently gains a personality and falls in love with his celloist neighbor, plays an electronic accompaniment to her solo concert piece through his pager (Minuet #4 in G (BWV Anh.II.114) from “Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach” by Christian Petzold (formerly attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach)).

“Ode to Joy” by Beethoven played by a rock band in the movie “The Money Pit”.

“Summer” by David Garrett - seems to be an uptempo violin cover of a classic, although I could be mistaken and it could be some movie theme or something.

2

I enjoy Emerson, Lake, and Palmer’s version of Aaron Copland’s (?) “Fanfare for the Common Man”.

I have often wondered if ELO’s instrumental “Fire on High” cribs from any well-known classical pieces, but I haven’t been able to piece anything together.

3

Trans-Siberian Orchestra did a ton of metal covers of famous (or not-so-famous) classical/baroque pieces. Enjoy.

There’s also The Great Kat, who’s more of a shredder, but has a classical music background too. It’s not always so extreme :wink:

But my favorite’s gotta be Nightwish’s rendition of Hans Zimmer’s Crimson Tide, Deep Blue Sea. Not really classical music by the strict definition of the term, but to me “classical music” means any instrumental piece played by a full orchestra.

4

ELP - The Barbarian (Bartok’s Allegro Barbaro), Knife-Edge (Janacek’s Sinfonietta), Pictures at an Exhibition (Mussorgsky), Hoedown (Copland’s Rodeo), Toccata (Ginastera’s Piano Concerto #1), Canario (Rodrigo’s Fantasia para un Gentilhombre), Romeo & Juliet (Prokofiev’s Dance of the Knights). Never been crazy about their jammed-out version of Fanfare for the Common Man.

The Nice - Country Pie/Brandenburg Concerto #6 (Dylan/Bach!), Intermezzo from Karelia Suite (Sibelius), Pathetique (Tchaikovsky)

Jethro Tull - Bouree (Bach’s Lute Suite in E Minor)

Yes - Cans and Brahms (Brahms’s Symphony #4)

Procol Harum - Repent Walpurgis (Bach’s Prelude #1 in C from the WTC. Contrary to popular belief, “A Whiter Shade of Pale” is not taken directly from Bach)

5

I have two CDs that are the opposite of the OP: non-classical pieces, played in the style of Mozaart (both by the Hampton String Quartet).

*What if Mozart Wrote “Roll Over Beethoven” *and
What if Mozart Wrote “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”

6

Spike Jones and His City Slickers did versions of “The William Tell Overture,” and Ponchielli’s “Dance of the Hours.”

The Toys’s “Lover’s Concerto” is from “Minuet in D Major,” usually attributed to Bach (though that’s been disputed).

Electric Light Orchestra does a version of “Roll Over Beethoven” which quotes liberally from the Fifth Symphony.

7

Ritchie Blackmore used to do a mean version of Beethoven’s 9th.

8

Also The Nutcracker Suite.

Madness did “Swan Lake” (well, one of its melodies) as a ska instrumental.

9

How could I forget Procol Harum’s awesome version of “Blue Danube Waltz”? They also did a cool version of Albinoni’s Adagio. And another Jethro Tull one–Faure’s Pavane.

10

Their Pictures at an Exhibition (originally by Mussorgsky) is a pretty neat album.

11

Walter Murphy’s A Fifth of Beethoven went #1 on the Billboard pop chart.

12

Mastermind does a pretty cool version too.

13

William Orbit’s version of Baber’s Adagio For Strings (Ferry Corsten remix)

14

The Norwegian group Dollie De Luxe did interesting thing combining rock and opera like in this Satisfaction/Queen of the Night combo

15

For pure fun, it’s hard to beat Nutrocker by B Bumble and the Stingers in 1962 (Tchaikovsky’s ‘March of the Wooden Soldiers’ from the Nutcracker suite). ELP did a virtually identical version, too.

I’ve also always liked the Doors’ Spanish Caravan, the beginning of which is taken from Asturias by Albeniz.

16

I love “O Mio Babbino Caro” by East Village Opera Company. They also do a nice version of “Nessun Dorma.”

17

Dave Edmunds/ Love Sculpture did covers of Sabre Dance by Khatchaturian and Farandole by Bizet.

18

Does Elvis’ “It’s Now or Never” count as a cover of “O Sole Mio”?

19

Emerson, Lake & Powell (not Palmer) did a nice rendition of “Mars. the Bringer of War,” from Holst’s “The Planets.”

Lake used to perform that tune live with King Crimson, who later recorded it under the title “The Devils Triangle” on their second album. (That version never did much for me, though.)

20

We can include rock songs that steal the melody of classics, or randomly stick them in as a bridge, if the poster finds them worthy.