Billy Joel releases "classical" CD

[Chris]

I have been awaiting this for some time. I have it ordered and will post a review when I get it and listen to it. I mention it here, because Joel has often stated that Beethoven is the zenith of musical genius. While the music on this CD is more in the style of Chopin and Romantic composers (so as to avoid being directly compared with the great Classical masters, according to Joel, which he says he isn't ready for), it should still be very interesting. It has gotten some good reviews so far, in that it is not some lame attempt to put pop melodies in a classical format, but it actually is a serious attempt at composing serious music. Joel is not the pianst on this CD.

[Joy]

I have not heard of this CD or that Billy Joel was busy composing "classical" music.
I shall be looking forward to your report on it.

[Chris]

It's all he's been doing for the last ten years, really.

[PDG]

McCartney started going down the same "classical" road a few years back. I consider his works to be ordinary at best. I fear I'll come to the same conclusion with Joel's work in this style, even though J was at least classically-trained as a musician.

I think part of the problem lay in the fact that fabulously wealthy pop "superstars" - McCartney is said to be worth £700m and Joel, £300m - surround themselves with "yes" men who pander to their bosses' egos rather than give them solidly good advice, lest they find themselves off the magical payroll.

[Rod]

Originally posted by PDG:
McCartney started going down the same "classical" road a few years back. I consider his works to be ordinary at best. I fear I'll come to the same conclusion with Joel's work in this style, even though J was at least classically-trained as a musician.

I think part of the problem lay in the fact that fabulously wealthy pop "superstars" - McCartney is said to be worth £700m and Joel, £300m - surround themselves with "yes" men who pander to their bosses' egos rather than give them solidly good advice, lest they find themselves off the magical payroll.

Forget Joel and McCartney, if you want to hear some really good 'pop-classical' try out some of Ennio Morricone's movie scores. I recommend 'Once upon a Time in the West, 'A Fist Full of Dynamite', and 'Once Upon a Time in America'. Some quite beautiful orchestral and instrumental music in these.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Chris]

I don't think you have to worry about that, PDG. I've listened to it now, and I must say it is very good. None of that pseudo-pop, McCartney stuff. These are real Romantic-style piano pieces, mostly; there is one (Invention in C minor) that has a more Baroque influence. It's not "Classical," so if you're one who doesn't like Romantic music, then you'd do best to skip this one, but if you like Chopin and similar composers, you may find this very enjoyable.

By the way, after listening to it, I'd say he made the right call by not playing the piano himself. He has a very distinctive style, and it is very much associated with pop. This way, he severs all ties with pop and makes it a true classical effort.

[PDG]

Originally posted by Rod:
Forget Joel and McCartney, if you want to hear some really good 'pop-classical' try out some of Ennio Morricone's movie scores. I recommend 'Once upon a Time in the West, 'A Fist Full of Dynamite', and 'Once Upon a Time in America'. Some quite beautiful orchestral and instrumental music in these.

I am a huge McCartney and Joel fan, but everything has its rightful place. Just as with Morricone - the man was born to write spaghetti flm scores(!), and again I'm a fan.

[PDG]

Originally posted by Chris:
I don't think you have to worry about that, PDG. I've listened to it now, and I must say it is very good. None of that pseudo-pop, McCartney stuff. These are real Romantic-style piano pieces, mostly; there is one (Invention in C minor) that has a more Baroque influence. It's not "Classical," so if you're one who doesn't like Romantic music, then you'd do best to skip this one, but if you like Chopin and similar composers, you may find this very enjoyable.

By the way, after listening to it, I'd say he made the right call by not playing the piano himself. He has a very distinctive style, and it is very much associated with pop. This way, he severs all ties with pop and makes it a true classical effort.

I will buy it; I have all Billy Joel's albums. I agree that it was sensible for him to forego pianistic duties on this occasion. If it turns out to be as good as Chopin, though, I'll eat my hat.

PS. Why did my million pound quotes appear as ??? marks? £ = ?.....??

[joel fienen]

Billy Joel is a really good song writer. He has a good sense of what he wants on the page. Chris which Joel are you talking about Billy Joel or me? No one has heard of the music I have writen because I have not produce any cd's and it is not score form. The only other person that has any of my recordings is my cousin Chris because he and I had done the recording together. Who is the pianst than on the cd?

[Chris]

Richard Joo is the pianist.

[PDG]

Two Chrises, two Joels and a Joo??!!

[Chris]

Sounds like a winning title for the next NBC sitcom!

[Jens]

And have you ever heard the 'Concert for Group and Orchestra' by John Lord? John Lord from Deep Purple.
It was first played in the Royal Albert Hall, with the Royal Philharmonic and Malcolm Arnold.
I find it a very uninteresting piece. I can't even sit through the first movement. You really miss the deepness of 'real classical music'.
It is also more linked with Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven then with its 20th century contemporaries.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Jens:
And have you ever heard the 'Concert for Group and Orchestra' by John Lord? John Lord from Deep Purple.
It was first played in the Royal Albert Hall, with the Royal Philharmonic and Malcolm Arnold.
I find it a very uninteresting piece. I can't even sit through the first movement. You really miss the deepness of 'real classical music'.
It is also more linked with Mozart, Haydn and Beethoven then with its 20th century contemporaries.

I've heard this piece all right! It's a load of pretentious rubbish. Educated rockers like Deep Purple often get ideas above their station, always with disastrous results.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin