Fuse together progressive rock and classical music and you get this offering from Renaissance. Many music critics crap all over prog rock but if really listened to with an open mind and heart then you’ll hear its value. Traditionally the melodies are gorgeous and the musicianship is high. Renaissance cements those beliefs. This album, inspired in part by Rimsky/Korsakov’s original Scheherazade, is some of the best work they have done. The beginning is good and then the second half really takes off. We start off with the piano piece “Trip to the Fair” which is very classical music sounding then within that same track you move on to female vocals and a more pop sound. The next couple of tracks are more fairy tale or mythical sounding. Full of emotion and feeling. Surprising that this album, originally released in 1975, has held up as lots of prog rock hasn’t. Not only for fans of rock music but also classical fans.
Renaissance – Scheherazade and Other Stories
