KVR Audio

Doug Nelson · Post by **Doug Nelson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:14 pm

Renaissance was one of the first symphonic rock bands I discovered, back in the early 70s. I just couldn't believe how beautiful so much of their music was. Of course, later on as I grew slightly broader in my musical tastes I learned they cribbed most of their best music directly from famous classical pieces. That stung a bit, but I still like their pre-80s stuff (the 80s weren't kind to them).

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:17 pm

I liked Scheherezade. Shamelessly cosmic. But that's all I've heard of them. Any advice what other albums might appeal?

Meffy

Doug Nelson · Post by **Doug Nelson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:36 pm

Absolutely. Their first two albums are now marketed on one CD called In The Beginning. It's kind of cheating then, but that one CD is my favorite

Rune · Post by **Rune** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 6:39 pm

I guess you can count me in too. Not very big of a fan, but I like some of their stuff and have a few albums:
-Scheherazade (of course)
-Live at Carnegie Hall
-Novella

Actually, long time since I've listened to Scheherazade now... *looking it up in the CD collection* I really like the mood of the Scheherazade story.

VicDiesel · Post by **VicDiesel** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:19 pm

Sure. I play recorder and viol.

Want to get together for some Gibbons duets? Frescobaldi?

V.

Sequent · Post by **Sequent** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:26 pm

Heck yeah!!!

When I was first introduced to them it took some getting use to the 70s production style especially of the drums. But I'm a big fan now!!!

These are the ones I really like:

Ashes Are Burning
Prologue
Scheherazade
Novella
A Song for All Seasons
Turn of the Cards

If you want to just get a good taste, I guess the Sire compilation... Tales of 1001 Nights vols. 1 and 2 is a good set to get. Although there are a lot of live versions on there (I think from Live at Carnegie).

I read that the orchestra - which was a big part of their sound, is what did them in. Too expensive to produce those. The albums where they don't use orchestra and try to rely on synths is where they seem to lose a lot of that Renaissance magic but even then there are some gems.

I wonder how they might have done nowadays with access to some of the more inexpensive orchestras in India (like Vast did) or Eastern Europe. Or even possibly with a decent orchestra library.

When getting Renaissance you have to be aware of the two Renaissances... e.g. the Renaissance before Annie Haslam and Jon Dunford came on board. The one or two (I think) albums BEFORE Ashes are Burning and Prologue (which you should basically think of as the first Renaissance albums).

For all practical purposes, those pre Ashes/Prologue albums are not really Rennaisance.

Next year I want to go to the Nearfest. Apparently Annie Haslam is a regular there as well as Larry Fast. Would be cool to see her perform - assuming she still performs.

Sequent · Post by **Sequent** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:30 pm

Doug Nelson wrote:Absolutely. Their first two albums are now marketed on one CD called In The Beginning. It's kind of cheating then, but that one CD is my favorite

I haven't seen In the Beginning in quite a while. But just the other week I saw that Ashes Are Burning and Prologue are available separately again. Saw them at Tower.

ZUX · Post by **ZUX** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:30 pm

I Love this band. I support the recomendations here - The 1st 2 albums are real special and different from the rest. The Carnegy Live is like a best of, greatly performed

and I'd add their album: Ashes Are Burning.
Yep

The 80's didn't do them too good.
A piece of history though - Renaisence is the lesser famous branch that came out of the legendary Yardbirds. I guess u all know Led Zep, Cream, Beck (Jeff that is). So, Renaisance is another split of this band. Just thought u'd like to know.
ZUX

kaden · Post by **kaden** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:33 pm

They started out as a vehicle for Keith Relf (Yardbirds guy) and his sister Jane. Quite dire, actually. The Annie Haslem/John Tout version that eventually evolved did brilliant albums, but having seen 'em on stage in the late '70's I can attest that when Annie hit a duff note in a live setting ears bled, paint peeled and milk curdled.

Great bass player though...between him and Chris Squire a *lot* of people were inspired to buy Rickie 4001's

K

Doug Nelson · Post by **Doug Nelson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:33 pm

You can get it here for $4.50 (plus $3 shipping).

Just to show how clueless I used to be, I listened to that for a decade before I learned it was two separate albums. Now they're merged in my head as one.

Doug Nelson · Post by **Doug Nelson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:38 pm

Oh, further proof of my cluelessness: my initial exposure was via a cassette tape copied from an improperly queued-up 8-track of Shaherazade. For years I thought it was a two-hour album with a lot of reprises

seamonkey · Post by **seamonkey** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:39 pm

Long time Renaissance fan. Their style of music was quite different since it blended classical style with electric guitars and bass and then there was the added element of the beautiful voice of Annie Haslam.
She really was one of the first female front persons for what would later be classified as "progressive music".

While at the time most of us were more than comfortable watching male frontmen such as Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson and Justin Hayward she was setting the bar for future female leads.

My favorites are from the early years, 1974's "Turn of the Cards" with Running Hard and the haunting "Mother Russia followed by "Midas Man" from
"Novella"."Ashes are Burning released in 1973 is also very good and of course the fantastic Scheherazade is a masterpiece.

I recently picked up a double cd set of a concert they performed in 1977 at the Royal Albert Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
It is excellent and I would recommend it highly.
It was part of the King Biscuit Flower Hour series.

I think your'e being a bit hard on them when you say they "lifted" from classical pieces, I would prefer to think of it as being inspired by that genre, it's somewhat like saying many of the Beatles songs were "lifted" from Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.

Thanks for paying tribute to a talented group who really were underated, we can talk about Andy Latimer and Camel some other time.

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:40 pm

Liondream wrote:as well as Larry Fast

Huh. Another guy I admire and hadn't thought a lot about lately... except sometimes when playing with MMV.

Meffy

Doug Nelson · Post by **Doug Nelson** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:41 pm

I look forward to a Camel thread, but I only had "I can see your house from here" so feel underqualified to start it.

kaden · Post by **kaden** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:48 pm

Camel and Gryphon are *the* unsung heroes of prog.

K

Any Renaissance fans?