1/7/2025 5:38:17 AM
Did The Beatles like Classical Music?

1/7/2025 5:38:17 AM

Did The Beatles like Classical Music?
I thought this reported story was funny (if it's true)
Residents of London's Abbey Road, famous for its link to The Beatles, have been told by police to play classical music to scare off drug users and vandals. It's a case of "Get Bach"
It got me wondering if the band liked genres that they didn't play publicly?

I also wondered if IMP members secretly enjoyed stuff they might be embarrassed to tell people?

1/7/2025 6:12:07 AM

Well McCartney sure was happy when they added a string quartet to Yesterday, Then there was Elenour Rigby. Also Paul wrote a symphony and recorded it with an orchestra.

1/7/2025 10:20:26 AM

George Martin had a big influence on the Beatles as far as classical music is concerned. He played the classical solo on “In My Life” and generally favored very melodious music in general. Paul seemed to gravitate towards classical music more than the other Beatles but they all appreciated a wide variety of genres and forms of music other than rock.

1/7/2025 10:52:38 AM

I love all kinds of music. Even Chinese opera!

1/7/2025 11:12:31 AM

They borrowed from some of the great classics, of course they like it.

Classical & Opera is all I ever listen to these days FWIW.. I wish I'd paid more attention to it when I was young.

1/7/2025 1:48:09 PM

Thank you for the interesting feedback guys :) I like instrumental music, orchestral but not necessarily Classical, it's a great escape, takes the mind to a lovely place

1/7/2025 2:22:19 PM

Good Topic Verity
Procul Harum hit White Shade of Pale

I Play “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” a lot and love the song and it always struck me as having a classical feel with a smooth easy listening pop groove

that descending bass line always captured my attention and the melody reminded me of an old school bach vibe (speaking as a classically trained pianist although I eventually developed interests in so many more genres!)

Think this song had Bach influences? I do

thoughts?
bryon

1/7/2025 3:41:48 PM

The original "Whiter Shade Of Pale".

1/7/2025 4:16:11 PM ---- Updated 1/9/2025 12:54:44 AM

Well, the Beatles, "Blackbird, "All You Need is Love", Paul Simon also, "Bridge over Troubled Water..."

Procol Harem, "Whiter shade of Pale" like Bryon said,

https://www.classicfm.com/composers/bach/inspired-pop-rock-rap-songs/

I listen to Bach every day...kinda preps the soul for melodious...

1/8/2025 9:31:10 AM

Roma (ANTARA News) - An Italian producer claims the Beatles' hit
Yesterday is in fact a cover of a 19th century Neapolitan song.
Lilli Greco, a song-writer famous during the 1960s and 1970s, played a
version of Piccere' Che Vene a Dicere' on Italian television late
Tuesday.

The song, composed in Naples in 1895, appeared remarkably similar to
Paul McCartney's composition.

McCartney and fellow band-member John Lennon had an "encyclopaedic
knowledge" of world music and were particularly fond of Neapolitan
songs, Greco was quoted by DPA as saying.

Recorded in 1965, Yesterday is one of the Beatles' best-known songs.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, it has the most cover
versions of any song ever written.

McCartney once said he dreamt of the ballad while staying over at his
girlfriend's house in a London flat.

Beatles biographies say McCartney was initially concerned that he had
subconsciously plagiarized the song.

"For about a month I went round to people in the music business and
asked them whether they had ever heard it before.

--------------

https://groups.google.com/g/rec.music.beatles/c/7VKmG_NhkEg?pli=1

1/8/2025 11:15:01 AM

The song Because on Abbey Road is actually made from Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata played backwards. Yoko was playing it and John asked what it would sound like backwards and they got this..



Here's an article addressing your subject, Verity

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/beatles-songs-inspired-by-classic-music-beethoven-bach-because/

1/9/2025 1:01:17 AM

A enlightening article there, Father Time.

I recall back in the day, I was the co-manager of a music club for a few years, and Don Cherry played at the club one night. He played a pocket trumpet, got unique sounds from that, a jazz player, kinda resembles a piccolo trumpet the Beatles feat. in Penny Lane...

George Martin, who encourages Paul to explore on the classical side...

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