Recently Rene was nice enough to take a while to talk me through classical music, composing, and his discovery that metal-heads love classical music.
What is the difference between “classic cool” and classical music?
Classical is pretty much historic music as understood by most people. Classic Cool music is contemporary music made by living people; that’s obviously a major difference, and it’s the context of it that makes it interesting. The context is because our particular music-making these days is so technologically dependant. I see classic cool music as a return to acoustic based music, by musicians that play acoustic based instruments, effectively in some form of technical way, for a soulful, spiritual reason, without the technology.
Tell us about your new work.
The new work that I’m working on now, I call urban classical. Classical is historical; urban classical is my music. Classic cool music is my music plus jazz plus anybody else who writes acoustic or is after an acoustic based style that incorporates the classic essence that’s looking to get into the human soul effectively through a more humane approach. Opposed to our society, that is very technologically dependant these days for its production of music.
Are you influenced by the classical composers, and which ones most? Are you influenced by modern day mainstream music?
Classical composers, of course; you can’t not be influenced by them as a classical composer – or classic cool composer. I’m influenced by them more in spirit than anything else. I’m influenced by their work as a spiritual model of what I’m trying to emulate in our society. What that basically means is that the feelings I feel when listening to their music, I want to emulate in my own music, in my own time, with my own style.
Which ones most? Well, all the great masters. Of course Bach in particular, because I have an intellectual quality to my music. I write in terms of technical elements. Mozart, of course because genius and talent, to me, is the ultimate concept. There is only one issue in my book, when I look at musicians nowadays and in the past: are they talented? I’m not interested in their marketing, in their technology. Do they have raw talent? This is a big, big thing for me. Are you talented and look to Mozart as the supreme concept of talent.
Article comments
1 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
I think this guy is just alittle bit high on himself.
"..like the metal market. A lot of these people have never been to a mainstream classical concert."[struck a nerve]
uh, hello..How about Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Concerto Suite LIVE With the New Japan Philharmonic. Whereas Mr. Malmsteen composed all the music himself to include electric guitar in classical composition.
Apocalyptica covered Metallica's songs in the classical vein.
Back in the 80's the christian thrash band Believer tried there hand at classical with the only thrash song to include a female opera singer & strings.
As for "Modern" stylings, Will Ackerman,George Winston,Ken Bonfield,etc.. have come pretty close to creating a classical atmosphere. Ken Bonfield classifies his material as Baroque.
Honestly, I like Mr. Gruss's work but he isn't a pioneer as he wants people to believe.
2 - Brandon
You're pointing out all these obscure points in time where metal overlapped classical music that most people that listen to metal have never been too. He's talking about a real classical concert, where the whooole thing is classical music, not just some covers. He's not being high on himself, you're just being sensitive to something he's not even saying. Just sit there on your computer and feel salty.