With each new generation, a new musical genre develops.
It is usually accompanied by cries of ‘put that racket down!’ of every elderly person in the neighborhood.
In the 1920s, jazz was looked down upon by older generations, which they thought was too “wild” and “rude”, and many young people were banned from seeing or listening to it by their parents.
Later, in the 1950s, jazz had become the pinnacle of education and sophistication, but those whose parents forbade them to listen to jazz now decided that rock’n’roll was the “headless” music. of the masses.
Then those same people grew up and looked down on the next generation of punk rockers that came along.
So is music really changing that much? Or do we just think we know more than the generations that come after us?
Play a familiar tune
This attitude towards new musical genres is not new. In fact, it is as old as time itself.
Even operas like Bizet’s Carmen and Puccini’s Madame Butterfly were initially considered ‘sleazy’ and ‘scandalous’ before society evolved to see the important political messages behind the stories.
Is rock and metal music really that different?
Rock and punk have long been a means of communicating a political message; just consider bands like The Clash, Rage Against The Machine and Husker Du for a moment.
And playing ‘loud’ or ‘dark’ music is not exclusive to rock and metal; many classic pieces fit the bill for these qualities – Holst’s ‘Mars, The Bringer Of War’, The planetsit is booming, dark and aggressive, to fit the character of the God in Roman mythology.
Holst’s composition was so compellingly dark and suspenseful that it inspired John Williams’ theme song for the classic villain Darth Vader in the Star Wars series, as well as the main riff used in the Black Sabbath song, black sabbath.
In fact, many rock bands have been influenced by classical music.
For example, Frank Zappa was known for his passion for Stravinsky and Varese, and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters wrote and released his three-part opera, Ca Ira, which premiered in 2005. Additionally, metal bands like Metallica and Children Of Bodom in particular, they seem to have been heavily influenced by classical music, with Metallica even releasing two albums with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.
Led Zeppelin are also among the loudest live bands in history, but they are known to have drawn influences from Beethoven, Queen used a variety of operatic characteristics and styles in their music, and an entire genre of music (symphonic metal ) using classical music as the base to create heavier tracks.
But this influence doesn’t make one sense, as many modern classical musicians are now beginning to take influences from rock music. For example, Patrick Grant’s songwriting was traditionally trained in classical music and musical theater; however, his work has begun to incorporate various modern methods of rock and metal, such as heavy electric guitar and regular, memorable beats.
In the meantime, purple haze by Jimi Hendrix was composed for the Kronos string quartet, while the London Symphony Orchestra has played songs by everyone from the Rolling Stones to Sting.
There is also a growing number of bands embracing the growing connection between folk music and metal, now known as ‘folk-metal’. This genre is very popular in Eastern Europe in particular. Ukrainian Celtic folk band Omnia, for example, has several tracks that break down the boundaries between genres, tapping into a specific demographic from the Gothic and Pagan subcultures.
They are accompanied by a variety of traditional classical instruments, such as the wooden flute and the harp, which bring classical influences to their songs.
live on the same wavelength
So what is it that establishes such strong links between classical music and rock?
First of all, it can be argued that classical musicians and metalheads have strikingly similar personalities. A study conducted by psychologist Adrian North at Heriot-Watt University in 2008 found that both groups shared kind, confident, and creative characteristics.
Second, there are many similar themes in classical music and metal.
Popular themes in classical music, such as love and romance, death, death and war, are also commonly rejected in rock and metal music, and as such the sense of ‘drama’ associated with these themes affects to both genders.
A good example of this is Elton John’s The Phantom of the Opera. As the name suggests, the musical is heavily influenced by opera, as it is set against a fictional opera starring the lead female role of Christine Daee.
The music is a diverse mix of classic and rock elements, with booming organ parts and delicate violin playing, against the backdrop of heavy guitar. The themes of the ‘opera’ itself are full of love, passion, jealousy and murder.
Unsurprisingly, this musical has been the source of inspiration for many metal bands, including the Finnish symphonic metal group Nightwish.
Sharing the vibes
So overall, the heavier and lighter sides of music have a surprising amount in common.
The sounds share similarities in the way they are used and the feelings they can produce, and people who enjoy any style of music tend to have a variety of shared personality traits.
As rock and metal increasingly influence classical music, and vice versa, could we one day see long-haired, tattooed and pierced metalheads dressed in black enjoying Proms in the Park?
Maybe. But maybe that’s still unlikely.
However, since rockers and classical music fans are more alike than they think, these two groups might as well see each other as a house on fire, as long as they can find a way to get to know each other!