Seventies prog funk and disco versions of classical music

[Ugh]

What's your opinion of seventies prog rock, fusion and disco versions of classical music?

There is your Emerson, Lake & Palmer Pictures at an Exhibition, Fanfare for the Common Man, Nutrocker, Toccata etc.; Deodato with his all star funk/jazz take on Also Sprach Zarathustra and Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun; The Doors' version of Adagio in G minor; Walter Murphy's disco version of Beethoven's Fifth;
and plenty more..

[Szykneij]

Some are well done and make interesting listening while those that are poorly done are pretty horrible. In general, I like the rock band versions (ELP, Yes) and not the disco versions that subjugate the music elements to the dance beat.

The Doors' version of Adagio in G minor is effective in its original form -- part of the musical background to Morrison's poetry from  the album "An American Prayer" that was produced years after the singer's death. I believe it shows up as a "bonus track" on re-mastered Doors CDs, but wasn't originally intended to be its own cut.

[jowcol]

Some are well done and make interesting listening while those that are poorly done are pretty horrible. In general, I like the rock band versions (ELP, Yes) and not the disco versions that subjugate the music elements to the dance beat.

The Doors' version of Adagio in G minor is effective in its original form -- part of the musical background to Morrison's poetry from  the album "An American Prayer" that was produced years after the singer's death. I believe it shows up as a "bonus track" on re-mastered Doors CDs, but wasn't originally intended to be its own cut.

The ELP version of Toccatta is pretty cool.  I must admit that I hated the ELP cover of Pictures at an Exhibition.  The disco versions were pretty evil.

An interesting symphonic hybrid is the Apocalypse album by the Mahavishnu Orchestra


The most evil disco cover I've heard was not of a classical work, but of In-a-Gadda-da-Vida.  *shivers*

[Sef]

I find the works of Jon Lord interesting and fun. His interpretation of Toccata and Fugue (Before I forget Album - Bach Onto This) left a deep impression in my teenage formative years. Deep Purple's Concerto for Group and Orchestra (similarly interesting) perhaps showed where he was ultimately going, and although I haven't heard any more than a snippet on youtube, I would love to hear more of his Durham Concerto.