Epic Pop Covers of Classical Music

From Freddie Mercury to Billy Joel, Brian Wilson to Kate Bush, any number of pop musicians have been inspired by classical music. Some, however, have taken their fascination to the next level by making covers of their favourite classical works.

Here are some of the most epic examples of pop music composers paying homage to great works of the classical canon.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer – ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’

ELP prog rock pioneers adapted the whole of Mussorgsky’s famous Pictures at an Exhibition piano suite in 1971, turning it into an orchestral rock epic using electric guitars, drums, and of course, Keith Emerson's virtuoso organ and synthesizer work. In it, the famous Promenade theme is played on a distorted synth, whilst other movements, such as The Old Castle, Bydlo and Great Great Gate of Kiev are all given their own characteristic makeover.

Jethro Tull: ‘Bourée’

‘Bourée’ is Jethrow Tull’s adaptation of J.S. Bach’s Bourrée in E Minor from his Suite in E minor for Lute (BWV 996), released on their 1969 album ‘Stand Up’. Jethro Tull’s version retains Bach’s melody, adding a swinging jazz feel, a syncopated bass lines, and some incredible solo flute work from Ian Anderson.

As well as Bach’s original, be sure to check out our own arrangement of Bourée, which was inspired by Jethrow Tull’s version.

Walter Murphy – 'A Fifth of Beethoven'

Walter Murphy’s funky disco inspired take on the opening movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No.5 became a major hit on its release in 1976. It also featured in the 1977 movie ‘Saturday Night Fever’, helping the film’s soundtrack to become one of the best selling in history.

Sky – ‘Toccata’

British rock band Sky made their cover of J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for their 1979 debut album. It takes Bach’s iconic work and reinterprets it for rock band, blending classical, rock and jazz elements. The result retains the intensity of Bach’s original whilst imbuing it with a modern, energetic edge.

Electric Light Orchestra – ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’

Electric Light Orchestra’s 1973 adaption of Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King begins with an atmospheric string introduction that serves to amplify the contrast of what follows—there is sudden drum break and we hear their grungy take on Grieg’s famous melody. It escalates in intensity, eventually become an electrified frenzy.

Swingle Singers – 'Fugue in G Minor'

The Swingle Singer’s version of Bach’s Fugue in G Minor, BWV 542 faithfully renders, with the odd nip and tuck, the notes of J.S. Bach’s original. The assigning of individual lines to singers, the use of scat syllables, an added walking bass line and the swing rhythm section, however, changes the character of the piece entirely, making it simultaneously respectful, subversive and, above all, immense fun.

Rainbow – 'Difficult to Cure'

“Difficult to Cure” is Rainbow’s is a high-octane rock adaptation of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, from the last movement of Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125. An improvisatory introduction on lead guitar leads into their thunderous reinterpretation, complete with guitar riffs, synth flourishes, and a full-on rock rhythm section.

Jacques Loussier Trio – 'Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring'

Jacques Loussier Trio Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring is a sublime fusion of Bach’s classic with jazz rhythms and improvisation. It tactfully and respectfully reinvents the original, seeming to imbue it with a distinctly modern sense of spirituality.

The Nice – 'Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite'

The Nice’s rendition of “Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite” is a reinterpretation of Jean Sibelius’s orchestral piece, transformed into progressive rock with a distinct late-‘60s edge. It’s one of the earliest and boldest examples of classical music being dragged—willingly—onto the rock stage.