With each new generation, a new genre of music develops.

It is usually accompanied by shouts of “turn down that noise!” of all the elderly people around.

In the 1920s, older generations despised jazz, thinking it was too “wild” and “rude”, and many young people were forbidden by their parents to see or listen to it.

Later, in the 1950s, jazz had become the pinnacle of education and sophistication, but those who had been forbidden by their parents to listen to jazz now decided that rock’n’roll was “dead music.” brain “of the masses.

Then those same people grew up and despised the next generation of punk rockers that came along.

So is music changing that much? Or do we just think that we know more than the generations to come after us?

Play a familiar tune

This attitude towards new musical genres is not new. In fact, it is as old as time itself.

Even operas like Bizet’s Carmen and Puccini’s Madame Butterfly were initially considered ‘sordid’ and ‘scandalous’ before society evolved to see the important political messages behind the stories.

Is rock and metal music really that different?

Rock and punk have long been a means of communicating a political message; Just consider bands like The Clash, Rage Against The Machine, and Husker Du for a moment.

And playing ‘loud’ or ‘dark’ music is not unique to rock and metal; many classic pieces fit these qualities perfectly: Holst’s ‘Mars, The Bringer Of War’, The planets, is booming, dark and aggressive, to fit the character of the God in Roman mythology.

Holst’s songwriting was so dark and suspenseful that it inspired John Williams’ title track for the classic villain Darth Vader in the Star Wars series, as well as the lead riff used on the Black Sabbath song. Black saturday.

In fact, many rock bands have been influenced by classical music.

For example, Frank Zappa was known for his passion for Stravinsky and Varese, and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters wrote and released his three-part opera, Ca Ira, which was released in 2005. Additionally, metal bands such as Metallica and Children Of Bodom in particular, it seems to have been heavily influenced by classical music, with Metallica even releasing two albums with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.

Led Zeppelin is also among the loudest live bands in history, however they are known to have been influenced by Beethoven, Queen used a variety of operatic characteristics and styles in their music, and a whole genre of music was created. (symphonic metal) using classical music as the basis for creating heavier tracks.

But this influence is not only one-way, as many modern classical musicians are beginning to take influences from rock music. For example, composer Patrick Grant traditionally trained in classical music and musical theater; however, his work has begun to incorporate various modern methods from rock and metal, such as heavy electric guitar and regular, memorable rhythms.

Meanwhile, Purple haze by Jimi Hendrix was composed for the Kronos String Quartet, while the London Symphony Orchestra has played songs from all over the world, from The Rolling Stones to Sting.

There are also a growing number of bands embracing the growing connection between folk music and metal, now known as ‘folk-metal’. This genre is very popular in Eastern Europe in particular. The Ukrainian Celtic folk band Omnia, for example, has multiple tracks that push the boundaries between genres, tapping into a specific demographic from the Goth and Pagan subcultures.

They are accompanied by a variety of traditional classical instruments including wooden flute and harp, which brings classical influences to their songs.

Live on the same wavelength

So what is it that establishes such strong links between classical music and rock?

First of all, it can be argued that classical musicians and metalheads have strikingly similar personalities. A study by psychologist Adrian North at Heriot-Watt University in 2008 found that both groups shared friendly, self-confident, and creative characteristics.

Second, there are many similar themes in classical music and metal.

Popular classical music themes, such as love and romance, rejection, death, and war, are also commonly found in rock and metal music, and as such, the sense of “drama” associated with these themes affects to both genders.

A good example of this is Elton John’s The Phantom of the Opera. As the name suggests, the musical is heavily influenced by opera, as it is set against the backdrop of a fictional opera starring the female lead role of Christine Daee.

The music is a diverse mix of classical and rock elements, with resonant organ parts and a delicate violin, set against the backdrop of a heavy guitar. The themes of the ‘opera’ itself are full of love, passion, jealousy and murder.

Unsurprisingly, this musical has been a source of inspiration for many metal bands, including the Finnish symphonic metal group Nightwish.

Sharing the vibes

So in general, the heavier and lighter sides of music have a surprising amount in common.

Sounds share similarities in how they are used and what feelings they can produce, and people who enjoy either style of music tend to have a variety of shared personality traits.

As rock and metal further influence classical music over time, and vice versa, could we perhaps one day see long-haired, tattooed and pierced metalheads dressed in black enjoying Proms in the Park?

Maybe. But maybe that is still unlikely.

However, since rockers and classical music fans are more alike than they think, these two groups might find that they get along like a house on fire, as long as they can find a way to get to know each other!