"Creative and Playful" - Further Classical Interpretations on Modern Songs

By Chris Billingham  

You may remember at the end of January I wrote an article about the way classical instruments (or indeed any instrument) and different arrangements can be used to enhance a song, change its tone and make it appeal to completely different audiences. A number of people told us that they enjoyed the article and loved watching and listening to alternative versions of the songs chosen. This was all the encouragement I needed to select 5 more covers that reflected and stimulated discussion surrounding this theme!

‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis performed by Noel Gallagher with Crouch End Choir and Wired Strings 

No matter what genre is being played and no matter who is playing it, the Royal Albert Hall is still an incredible venue to host concerts. However despite it’s iconic look and feel adding to a number of rock concerts over the years (The Killers released a live DVD filmed at the venue that is particularly good), something about its design and atmosphere cries out for classical input. The fact that Noel Gallagher is accompanied by Crouch End Choir and Wired Strings and performing in this setting makes this version of the iconic song so effective. Whilst it isn’t necessarily a reimagining of the song and there is also still undoubtedly a place for the rawness of the original version, this version manages to feel very special, like people were always meant to hear it played in this way.

‘I Want You Bach’ – “Jackson 5’s funky “I Want You Back” mashed-up with 5 illustrious themes written by J.S. Bach” performed by The Piano Guys

Yep. Bach meets Jackson 5. The combination we were all dreaming off before the talented and imaginative Piano Guys made our wishes a reality! I contemplated saving this until the end of the article because of its sheer uniqueness and quirky nature. However, in many ways the fact that this is such an alternative interpretation makes it a nice contrast to Noel Gallagher playing Wonderwall! The Piano Guys state in the description for this video that “What if the harpsichord from the 1770s hit headlong into the talk box from 1970s? What if J.S. Bach and Jackson 5 met up and just jammed? Would they jive? Can you dig it?” which in many ways perfectly captures the joy of experimenting with music and songs that are already ingrained into peoples consciousness to create something fun and enjoyable for all audiences.

‘All About That Bass’ by Meghan Trainor performed by Postmodern Jukebox featuring Kate Davis

 
If you like your covers arguably more sophisticated than the Jackson 5/Bach mash up then the above video may be more enjoyable for you. Postmodern Jukebox is known on both YouTube and the live circuit for their clever and different interpretations of modern pop songs. The original version of ‘All About That Bass’ has an upbeat and catchy rhythm that translates perfectly into this jazz interpretation. The fact that Kate Davis is both playing the bass and singing perfectly leads you not being able to look away. As the comments on the video state, the above is creative and playful. 

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen performed by Newton Faulkner 

  

I grew up listening and watching footage of Queen thanks to my father’s love of the 1970s rock band. As well as watching concerts such as their stunning performance at Wembley Stadium I was lucky enough to see Brian May and Roger Taylor perform with Paul Rogers at Hyde Park. At all of these Queen used video and audio to present the orchestral section of this song. It wasn’t performed live, presumably because of its complexity. However in this interpretation Newton Faulkner performs the whole song. With nothing but a guitar. In front of potentially 50,000 people. In the rain. Whether you like Newton Faulkner or not this is undeniably impressive. The enjoyment and crowd reaction (especially 3.56 minutes into the video) highlights how enjoyable live music can be, whether it’s a full orchestra or one man and a guitar. Whilst the comments section on this particular video debates whether it is so effective because of Newton’s talent or Freddie Mercury and Queen’s song writing, I think it’s a combination of both. Actually I think it doesn’t matter – this is brilliant either way.

‘Supermassive Black Hole’ by Muse performed by Viktoriya Yermolyeva (vkgoeswild) 

Truth be told I could have picked any cover by vkgoeswild, her introduction video explains that when she was growing she performed Bach, Beethoven and a number of other composers. However as she grew up her attention turned to rock and heavy metal music. Her YouTube channel is now full of videos of her performing interpretations of Slipknot, Guns N Roses and Foo Fighters. All these performances showcase fantastic playing and the complex musicality behind heavy metal and rock music. I simply chose this cover of Supermassive Black Hole because it is a particularly complex piece and well… my Southern Sinfonia colleague Richard is a big fan of Muse! At the time of writing the vkgoeswild channel has received over 87,000 views, showcasing if nothing else the popularity of piano music and alternative interpretations of popular songs.

If you would like to get in touch with your favourite videos of covers on classical instruments visit our Facebook, Twitter or Website to contact us.

Don’t forget that two-time Tony Award nominee Jason Carr will be joined by Dame Felicity Lott and Melvin Whitfield for our next café concert ‘Jason Carr and Friends’ which takes place on March 27^th at 1.00pm in the Corn Exchange Newbury. Later that evening in St. Nicolas Church, Newbury at 7.30 we will present ‘Classical Celebration II’, a concert that will see us perform Elgar, de Souza and Mozart. Visit our website or links highlighted in this paragraph to purchase tickets.

The Effect of Classical Interpretations on Modern Songs

By Chris Billingham 

In my last article I wrote about the line between classical music and modern music and how the former has influenced the later. This week I want to explore an element of this that wasn’t discussed last week. The way classical instruments (or indeed any instrument) and different arrangements can be used to enhance a song, change its tone and make it appeal to completely different audiences. From simply adding one new instrument to creating a full orchestral version of a song, different interpretations of songs can create incredible pieces of music.

‘Call Me Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepsen performed by Ben Howard and Band

I’ll be honest, I never thought I would write about ‘Call Me Maybe’ on the Southern Sinfonia blog, the original version of this song is pure pop which depending on your opinion is either catchy and fun or irritating and childish. However when I began to think about arrangements and instruments changing the meaning and the feel of a song, the above version by Ben Howard was the first thing that came to my head. Despite the fact that they haven’t changed the lyrics, stripping back the track to guitar, violin and drums and slowing the tempo completely changes the way you view the song. Sung and performed in this arrangement lines like “I beg, and borrow and steal, Have foresight and it’s real, I didn’t know I would feel it, But it’s in my way” suddenly conjures up images of yearning for someone you can’t have, compared to the original which conjures up images of thinking someone is attractive and forcing them to have your number.

Despite the power that can be found in changing meaning, it’s not always the goal or indeed the reason a new version of a song can be so powerful. Sometimes adding layers can simply enhance what is already there. I already loved the album version of ‘The Things We Lost in the Fire’ by Bastille but there is something inspiring about watching the below version:

‘The Things We Lost in the Fire’ by Bastille performed by Bastille featuring Queen’s College Choir and Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra

The combination of Queen’s College Choir, the Cambridge University Chamber Orchestra and classical instruments such as the kettle drum add drama, grandeur and a sense of spectacle that whilst present in the original, comes alive in this version. As well as the performances, it is also the visuals that add this. Being able to see the amount of people contributing to the music immediately adds a sense of occasion, placing the sense of occasion you get from a classical concert into a modern context.

Modern technology has given all acts the opportunity to upload covers and content onto YouTube, whether it’s a band, choir and orchestra performing in a university or two violinists in a room:

‘I Will Wait’ by Mumford and Sons performed by Momento

The brilliant thing about this interpretation is using just two violins, Momento manage to turn a folk rock song into a classical piece. The incredibly clever way that they do this is by playing the instruments in unique ways, including strumming the violin in the way you would strum a guitar to create something fresh and exciting. The original song is performed on a range of instruments including banjos, keyboards and a double bass. Stripping this back to just the violin immediately makes the piece feel classical.

You do however recognise the Mumford and Sons original, I personally find myself still hearing that version in my head whilst appreciating the Momento version, which is part of the joy of listening to it. A classical interpretation that does however take me away from the original can be found below:

‘Story of my Life’ by One Direction performed by The Piano Guys

I can’t lie, I personally don’t mind One Direction at all, a number of their songs have great melodies and get inside your head. Therefore I know the original version of the above quite well, however despite this I still feel that the version above completely transforms this song. Using a piano and cello, The Piano Guys have created a beautiful piece of music that you loose yourself in as your mind wonders. Which is exactly my reaction to my favourite pieces of classical music.

When most people think of covers of modern rock songs using classical instruments their mind potentially turns to full orchestral covers, with acts such as the London Symphony Orchestra becoming renowned for their covers. For me, the best example of this I’ve heard recently is this:

‘Killing in the Name’ by Rage Against the Machine arranged and conducted by Nick Proch 

Again, I am a big fan of the original version of this song (I can’t be the only one with Rage Against the Machine AND One Direction on their iPod can I?????) and part of the thrill of this version is knowing what it starts as and seeing what is has become. The angry and volatile nature of the original disappears with this arrangement, instead it transforms into a theatrical piece of music that wouldn’t feel out of place the theme to a James Bond movie. A friend of mine who really doesn’t like the original version said that he wanted to purchase this version. That in many ways sums up this article and the power of rearranging and re-imagining music. It uncovers themes you didn’t realise were there, adds new meaning and appeals to a whole new audience.

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