I am currently organising a presentation for college and the subject my group have decided on is 'Bach's influence on modern music'. Now, we already have sources from Ritchie Blackmore and Yngwie Malmsteen, even some sources from the Beatles (Blackbird, would you believe!).
Now I have seen some stuff on Bach influencing Queen. Procession, in particular, is mentioned a lot. However, what I'm asking is how is Procession influenced by Bach and the Baroque era in general? There is a basso continuo in the song, but has anybody any more information as to how this statement is true? And any more influences in Queen music, if any?
Thank you in advance!
I can testify that Freddie was influenced classically for sure in the early days....phoebe can confirm this....the harpsicord in The Fairy Fellers and other instruments from that period have featured in various songs......even the composition of Freddies songs, the layout....as everyone knows have a opera style to them,check out the opening of Its a Hard life and the obvious one, Bohemian Rhapsody....but even the earlier songs on the first two albums show baroque style layout....the way Freddie wrote a song was almost the way symphonies are written...My Fairy King is an example and Liar....they both use repeating themes that crescendo to a presto finale....x
Djdownsy wrote:
Thank you, but I should elaborate. What I need is specific examples where I can reference one into the other!
Apparently there are similarities between Bach's "Partita No. 1- Prelude" and "Love Of My Live".
Take a look at this old topic about this subject here in Queenzone: link
Hope this helps.
and apparently even Freddie's ferocious temper manifested itself in a "classical" manner....(wait for it)
he was very shouty - his Bach was worse than his bite
(i'm here all week)
tero! 48531, don't ever apologise, that was brilliant!
brENsKi, have been coming up with puns all day, that's brilliant, compared to 'We Will Baroque You' anyway!
Djdownsy wrote:
Thank you, but I should elaborate. What I need is specific examples where I can reference one into the other!
Apparently there are similarities between Bach's "Partita No. 1- Prelude" and "Love Of My Live".
Take a look at this old topic about this subject here in Queenzone:
link
Hope this helps.
Thank you Mr.QueenFan, it helps a little, I think I need more, but it's a good start. Thanks hey. :)
could be
but Freddie''s favourite was Chopin
i bet he liked this one
one of Chopin's greatest hits link
i used it on my early biopic videos
raindrop prelude op 28 no 15
pestgrid wrote:
the harpsicord in The Fairy Fellers
Harpsichord isn't exclusive to the Baroque era, and its inclusion on TFFMS is more of a reference to the mid-19th century, which occurred a hundred years after JSB died. It's literally far more accurate to mix up Jimi Hendrix with One Direction.
pestgrid wrote:
other instruments from that period have featured in various songs......
Really? Let's see:
* Electric guitar: Invented about 150 years after JSB died.
* Electric bass: Ditto.
* Drum kits: Invented about 130 years after JSB died.
* Piano: Invented around JSB's era, but only popularised after his death.
Queen didn't really use period instruments such as viols, lutes, theorbos, dulcians, baroque oboes, etc... they used a harp, but to categorise it as a strictly baroque instrument just because it was used in those times is like saying writing words on paper was exclusive to ... any given period as well.
pestgrid wrote:
even the composition of Freddies songs, the layout....as everyone knows have a opera style to them
A 10-second intro to one song, a 50-second intro to another and a 30-second interlude are all the opera Queen ever included, and one of the three examples is a quote. That's 90 seconds of opera in a discography that lasts about 7 hours... it'd be far more accurate to characterise Queen as a punk band, a disco band or a Caribbean group.
pestgrid wrote:
but even the earlier songs on the first two albums show baroque style layout....
Not really:
KYA: No.
DAR: No
GKR: No
MFK: No
Liar: No
TNCD: No
MTRNR: No
SAD: No
Jesus: No
SSOR: No
P: Sort of...
FTS: No.
WQ: No.
SDOD: No
TLITE: No
OB: No
TFFMS: No
N: No
TMOTBQ: No
FHLI: No
SSOR: No
pestgrid wrote:
the way Freddie wrote a song was almost the way symphonies are written...
That's a very very very very false observation.
pestgrid wrote:
My Fairy King is an example and Liar....they both use repeating themes that crescendo to a presto finale....x
Neither finale is presto. Repeating themes? According to that, 'Get Lucky' and 'Thrift Shop' are also 'symphonies' because they've also got repeating themes...
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Now, some baroque (not necessarily Bach) influence on Queen, besides some of Procession (though that's not entirely authentic in terms of stylistic construction), could be some of the melismatic passages on TMOTBQ and, indeed, TFFMS. That's the sort of thing composers just before Haydn used to include a lot. Not just Bach, of course, so it's not by any means incontestable proof that JSB was in Freddie's mind when he wrote it.
The short section after 'bring a little love' on TMOTBQ could also have some baroque influences regarding the harmonic sequence and modulation type, but neither is exclusive of that period either.
It's quite complicated to actually narrow down the influence to a particular composer, unless it's a very clear lift or lift-attempt (e.g., Blackbird was what Paul came up with while trying to play the famous Bourreefrom the 1st [IIRC] Lute Suite). Bach was a massive influence on his children, who also influenced other composers (e.g., Mozart), who also influenced others, etc., so some of the traits could've reached Queen via intermediaries, including The Beatles. It's like a third- or fourth- or twentieth-hand influence.
If there is going to be any Bach-influence on Queen, I'd bet it'd be influence from Bach's chorales, maybe his approach to four-part voice leading contributed something to Queen's vocal harmonies. But I personally don't hear it.
in that rhys documentary the great pretender
it was like they were saying Freddie was a plagiarist
copying that opera bit for hard life
its not exactly the same and in itself totally unique
too good not to see and hear link
Why did i always think that Brian's guitar on the opening of death on two legs was somehow Italian sounding?
is there reason i think that?
DOTL the opening lead sounds somehow Italian or roman to me ,why? link
same with bohemian rhapsody
i think Italian, always have , but i don't know why exactly
is staccato the right word to describe the lead guitar on death on two legs?
1.
with each sound or note sharply detached or separated from the others.
"a staccato rhythm"
the lead sounds Italian to me anyway
i mean the tune itself that he plays the high bit right before the vocal starts