B.Mus (Hons), L.G.S.M., Q.T.S.
Trombonist, conductor, teacher and arranger.
Site updated 20/4/2025
Part 3
We have looked at how song writers have either added lyrics to a classical melody or added something on top of the classical melody (such as a rap or a entirely new musical line). This week we are going to look at another way classical music has been adopted into pop hits.
Listen to this Christmas hit from 1975 by Greg Lake. It included instrument sections that directly quote "Troika" from Prokofiev's "Lieutenant Kije" composed in 1934. A troika is a Russian carriage pulled by three horses and this composition by Prokofiev is often played in Christmas concerts so fits well with this Christmas pop song.
Now listen to the opening few seconds of Queen's "It's A Hard Life" from 1984 (below left). This dramatic opening (with different words) comes from Leoncavallo's opera "Pagliacci" first performed in 1892. Listen to this opera (below right) from 1:55 to 2:40 to hear the original music.
Just like Queen starting their hit with a very short extract from an opera, Take That in their hit "Never Forget" (below left) from 1995 similarly quote from a dramatic trumpet fanfare in Verdi's Requiem composed in 1874. Listen to the original (below right) from the beginning (you may recognise the opening from an advert). The trumpet fanfare (Tuba Mirum) that is quoted by Gary Barlow from Take That starts at 2:20.
When I was searching through You Tube to get these videos I came across this performance of it (video on right). You will know the conductor (it's me!) and the youth group is called Birmingham Schools' Wind Orchestra. The concert is at Birmingham's Symphony Hall.
It's not clear in the performance with the orchestra and choir that there are trumpet players playing off-stage as well as those on stage. You can see more clearly one of the two groups of off-stage trumpet players in the performance that I am conducting.
Finally see how in Lady Gaga's hit "Bad Romance" she steals for her intro the opening bars of J. S. Bach's Fugue No. 24 BWV 869 from Book 1 of The Well-Tempered Clavier, replacing the piano (or clavier) with its predecessor the harpsichord.
Your task this week is:
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to choose from the options below a dramatic opening for your song.
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to write Verse 2 in the same way you did the first verse for your song last week.