This
month, Clef Notes is looking at the idea of classical crossover, or when
classical artists attempt popular genres and vice versa. We often think of the
1990s Popera fad when we think of classical crossover, but its history goes
further back in time. Today, let’s look at one example of a rock band who
dabbled in “classical” ideas back in the 1960s.
Have
you heard of the British rock band Deep Purple that formed in the late 1960s?
Did you know that their keyboardist, Jon Lord, wrote a Concerto for Group and
Orchestra that was performed at Royal Albert Hall with Malcolm Arnold and the
Royal Philharmonic back in 1969? The live performance was released on vinyl
later that year.
Lord’s
Concerto for Group and Orchestra alternates between the group of soloists (Deep
Purple) and the orchestra. At times, the two groups integrate, but for the most
part, there’s a definite sense of alternating between the rock group and the
orchestra. Incorporating rock into a classical medium such as this was
appealing to some, and Deep Purple wasn’t the only group to attempt it. That
being said, it was also seen by others as two musical forces that should not be
combined. What do you think? Note the contrast, not only in the music itself,
but in how the musicians carry themselves on stage. The orchestra maintains the
very traditional formal black and white apparel, while Deep Purple displays the
long hair styles and typical 1960s fashion.
