I recently rediscovered The Moody Blues first album "Days of Future Passed" featuring the London Festival Orchestra. I was impressed at the orchestrations written and how the pieces were incorporated with the songs. I especially enjoyed the "Nights" theme heard first in the opening track, "The Day Begins" as it was the main melody heard in "Nights in White Satin", which closes the album.
What are your thoughts on this and other pop and rock albums incorporating much use of orchestras?
I recently rediscovered The Moody Blues first album "Days of Future Passed" featuring the London Festival Orchestra. I was impressed at the orchestrations written and how the pieces were incorporated with the songs. I especially enjoyed the "Nights" theme heard first in the opening track, "The Day Begins" as it was the main melody heard in "Nights in White Satin", which closes the album.
What are your thoughts on this and other pop and rock albums incorporating much use of orchestras?
Frank Zappa's music--and there are over 100 albums of it out there--often combined styles such as rock, jazz, classical, blues, R&b, doo-wop, etc. Of course, he also composed and recorded classical music for large orchestras and smaller ensembles--and I strongly recommend them, particularly the one with the London Symphony Orchestra. Check out "Strictly Genteel."
On the Yellow Shark Album performed by the Ensemble Moderne, listen to "The Dog Meat Variations."
His soundtrack for his own film, 200 Motels, often showcases his then current edition of The Mothers playing with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The results are stunning.
Another great example is the Zappa album Orchestral Favorites, which used a smaller orchestra (maybe 40 pieces). One Piece on there is truly magnificent--"The Orchestral Duke of Prunes" which serves up this classic Zappa melody in all of its splendor alongside a scorching Zappa guitar solo.
An outstanding album and a favorite from the era of concept albums that really had concepts behind them.
There's an edition with both the original '67 master and the remix done in '72 due to issues with the original tapes that have been resolved in the digital era.
There's a whole amusing history of the album that includes the label wanting a stereo hi-fi demo (mostly classical) album to help sell hi-fi stereos and the band deciding to do something more creative.
The score to Prince’s Under the Cherry Moon birthed the soundtrack album Parade, which brilliantly mixed orchestral music with Prince’s signature pop funk sound.
Nights in White Satin by the Moody Blues has featured in many movie soundtracks, including A Bronx Tale, Halloween II, Shattered, Dark Shadows... etc etc
I recently rediscovered The Moody Blues first album "Days of Future Passed" featuring the London Festival Orchestra. I was impressed at the orchestrations written and how the pieces were incorporated with the songs. I especially enjoyed the "Nights" theme heard first in the opening track, "The Day Begins" as it was the main melody heard in "Nights in White Satin", which closes the album.
What are your thoughts on this and other pop and rock albums incorporating much use of orchestras?
First of all, Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" has always been a favourite of mine, ever since I was a wee kid (and yes, nuts_score, I dig the Moroder version too!). In those days, I did not enjoy the classical music that my dad played all the time, but I WAS attracted to the combination of rock and orchestral music, like those old "LSO Plays Classic Rock" albums. Eventually, a deep love of prog rock/art rock/symphonic rock grew.
Obviously, The Alan Parsons Project is THE go-to band for this particular combo (with gorgeous orchestral arrangements by Andrew Powell), but you can find it in many of my other favs too, like Supertramp and Pink Floyd. None other than Zbigniew friggin' Preisner has orchestrated on some of Dave Gilmour's solo stuff. And as mentioned above, things like ELO, Rick Wakeman, I could add John Miles. I was thrilled when Elfman finally introduced orchestra into Oingo Boingo with "Insanity". He's done it a few times since.
Michael Kamen, may he rest in peace, was involved in a few of these crossover projects, with great success. Perhaps primarily the Metallica album (with the San Fran symphony?). I like that too.
In short, I'm a fan.
(PS. I believe there are a couple of previous threads on this, including one by HowardL that -- interestingly -- also took its point-of-departure in the Moody Blues song).
I recently rediscovered The Moody Blues first album "Days of Future Passed" featuring the London Festival Orchestra. I was impressed at the orchestrations written and how the pieces were incorporated with the songs. I especially enjoyed the "Nights" theme heard first in the opening track, "The Day Begins" as it was the main melody heard in "Nights in White Satin", which closes the album.
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One of my favorite albums. Listen to it every couple of months. Makes me feel "high-brow"...
Metallica's S&M album is very special in my family. Not only is it a masterpiece and a fabulous concert recording, but my trombone mentor was in the concert!
I also love Days of Future Passed-need to find it on vinyl somewhere. I also find that Daft Punk's Random Access Memories (though not straight-forward rock) has wonderful orchestral elements. As an orchestral musician, I love hearing my medium expand into other genres, especially successfully.
Was there much orchestra on RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES? Maybe there was, I'll have to listen to it again.
There's a fair amount! Mostly on Touch, Giorgio By Moroder, and Beyond. Apparently, they recorded orchestral elements for every song, some of which you can hear on the extended 10th Anniversary release. It's really solid stuff-they use some of the best Los Angeles area players in the business.
It's really solid stuff-they use some of the best Los Angeles area players in the business.
Nathan East on bass and Steve Jordan on drums if memory serves, two of the best in the business.
Regarding the Blues, Days of Future Passed is essential. "Evening: Sunset" has always been my personal favorite with that slightly middle-eastern sound.
With regards to ROCK with a capital "R" this track has some blisteringly hot playing by the Berlin Phil and this version, as far as I'm concerned, is the only version of this song that you need.
“Nights in White Satin” has been discussed here in threads going back over 20 years. As have been rock orchestral/film music-like moments. I’s jus’ a li’l too lazy right now to resurrect ‘em.
