Pop music played by an orchestra, is that classical music?

vibratoviolin · 05-08-2014, 04:11 AM

Hey,

I was wondering... If pop music gets played by a symphonic orchestra, can you call it classical music? Where is the line from then on?

Burning Down · 05-08-2014, 07:44 AM

No, it's still pop music, but a variation of it. Classical music is a very broad genre, but pop doesn't fall under that umbrella.

vibratoviolin · 05-08-2014, 07:54 AM

but I suppose if the arrangement of such songs are partially rewritten, you are in some way composing a new song that can turn in to a classical piece, even if the original is a pop song?

Urban Hat€monger ? · 05-08-2014, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vibratoviolin

but I suppose if the arrangement of such songs are partially rewritten, you are in some way composing a new song that can turn in to a classical piece, even if the original is a pop song?

Why would changing the arrangements suddenly make it classical?

What about pop or rock songs that already have orchestral elements to them when they're originally written?
That doesn't suddenly make them classical music does it?

So the answer to your original question the answer is no, it's orchestral music.
If I were to play Sex Farm Woman by Spinal Tap on a mandolin that doesn't suddenly make it a folk song.

Neapolitan · 05-08-2014, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vibratoviolin

Hey,

I was wondering... If pop music gets played by a symphonic orchestra, can you call it classical music? Where is the line from then on?

What categorizes it is not so much the instruments used but by who wrote it. Since the song was written by either a professional songwriter or a one or more band members (and not by a composer for orchestra instrumentation) it falls under the mega-umbrella of Popular music. It's still a pop song, it's just that it has been transcribed to be played by an orchestra or for solo, duo, trio, quartet, etc etc performance.

**Janszoon** · 05-08-2014, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hat€monger ?

If I were to play Sex Farm Woman by Spinal Tap on a mandolin that doesn't suddenly make it a folk song.

No, the fact that "Sex Farm Woman" is a old Welsh mining song is what makes it a folk song.

Paul Smeenus · 05-08-2014, 10:54 PM

More often than not it makes it Muzak

vibratoviolin · 05-21-2014, 07:00 AM

I would think if the arrangements are modified in such a way that the new 'classical' version becomes a piece of it's own, in some cases you can start to speak about a classical piece.

What Night of the Proms does: invite pop artists and have their music played by an orchestra (and choir) (notp.com), this clearly doesn't make it classical music.

But if you go one or a couple of bridges further than that, it must be possible to result in a classical piece, even if the original is a pop song?! (can anybody name examples of this last scenario?)

DwnWthVwls · 05-21-2014, 02:46 PM

So would you guys consider this classical?

Jose Feliciano - Flight of the Bumblebee

Silenzio · 05-22-2014, 08:56 AM

@DwnWthVwls - Flight of the Bumblebee was composed in 1899 by the Russian Rimsky-Korsakov.
Originally it is supposed to be an orchestral interlude for the opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan.
To me this is indeed classical:

The version you posted is an arrangement of an orchestra work.
It's not originally composed for the guitar, so this is an interpretation.

05-08-2014, 04:11 AM	#1 (permalink)
vibratoviolin Groupie Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 3	Pop music played by an orchestra, is that classical music? Hey, I was wondering... If pop music gets played by a symphonic orchestra, can you call it classical music? Where is the line from then on?

05-08-2014, 07:54 AM	#3 (permalink)
vibratoviolin Groupie Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 3	adapation but I suppose if the arrangement of such songs are partially rewritten, you are in some way composing a new song that can turn in to a classical piece, even if the original is a pop song?

05-22-2014, 08:56 AM	#10 (permalink)
Silenzio Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Austria Posts: 210	@DwnWthVwls - Flight of the Bumblebee was composed in 1899 by the Russian Rimsky-Korsakov. Originally it is supposed to be an orchestral interlude for the opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan. To me this is indeed classical: The version you posted is an arrangement of an orchestra work. It's not originally composed for the guitar, so this is an interpretation. __________________ Sometimes the - silence - guides your mind.

05-08-2014, 07:44 AM	#2 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	No, it's still pop music, but a variation of it. Classical music is a very broad genre, but pop doesn't fall under that umbrella.

05-21-2014, 07:00 AM	#8 (permalink)
vibratoviolin Groupie Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 3	I would think if the arrangements are modified in such a way that the new 'classical' version becomes a piece of it's own, in some cases you can start to speak about a classical piece. What Night of the Proms does: invite pop artists and have their music played by an orchestra (and choir) (notp.com), this clearly doesn't make it classical music. But if you go one or a couple of bridges further than that, it must be possible to result in a classical piece, even if the original is a pop song?! (can anybody name examples of this last scenario?)