Rock Symphonies

Recording information: Electric Ladyland Studios, New York City.

After a self-titled release that flirted with pop crossover, violinist David Garrett dives deep into that world with his 2010 effort, an album that rocks like it's 1766. Most arrangements are simple as Garrett takes the melodies from Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" and plays them furiously in front of an equally aggressive orchestra that's augmented by electric guitars and a standard rock kit drummer. No great revelations to be had, but the tracks work well enough, recasting some of rock's classics as Romantic-era works that are prime for television commercials designed to sell diamonds or wine to the post-Woodstock set. Rock Symphonies exceeds its predecessor when it comes to the more clever cuts, such as the "Vivaldi vs. Vertigo," a mash-up of Vivaldi's Four Seasons and U2's "Vertigo." Fun how "The 5th" messes with Beethoven's -- heck, classical music's -- most famous piece and how his take on "Walk This Way" references the Aerosmith and Run-D.M.C. version before turning into a fiddle-led hoedown. Keep in mind, the showy Garrett is a polarizing figure in the classical community, so don't expect your snootier friends to agree, but if your kids spend way too much time behind the violin, this just might turn them on to rock & roll. ~ David Jeffries

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Works Details

Novoselic, Chris : Smells Like Teen Spirit

Performers: Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Garrett (Violin); David Lipstein (Drums)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with Dave Grohl (1969 - ), Kurt Cobain (1967 - 1994).
Running Time: 4 min. 7 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Axl Rose / J. Isbell / S. : November Rain

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); David Lipstein (Drums); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); Jeff Allen (Drums); Marcus Wolf (Guitar)
Running Time: 3 min. 59 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Van Der Heijden, Franck : The 5th, for rock orchestra (after Beethoven)

Performers: Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); David Lipstein (Drums); David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with David Garrett (Violin) (1981 - ).
Running Time: 3 min. 34 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Perry, Joe [Guitar] : Walk This Way

Performers: Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums); David Garrett (Violin); Orianthi (Drums)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with Steven Tyler (Singer/Songwriter) (1948 - ).
Running Time: 2 min. 56 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

McCartney, Paul : Live and Let Die, song (for the film Live and Let Die)

Performers: Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); David Garrett (Violin); David Lipstein (Drums); Jeff Allen (Drums)
Running Time: 3 min. 25 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary
Written: 1973

Van Der Heijden, Franck : Vivaldi vs. Vertigo

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); David Lipstein (Drums); Jeff Allen (Drums)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with David Garrett (Violin) (1981 - ), Nick Carter (1980 - ).
Running Time: 3 min. 14 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Burton, Cliff : Master of Puppets

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with James Hetfield (1963 - ), Kirk Hammett (1962 - ), Lars Ulrich (1963 - ).
Running Time: 3 min. 48 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Van Der Heijden, Franck : 80s Anthem

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); David Lipstein (Drums); Marcus Wolf (Guitar); Jeff Allen (Drums)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with David Garrett (Violin) (1981 - ).
Running Time: 3 min. 33 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

David Garrett / Franck Va : Toccata, for violin (after Bach)

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums)
Running Time: 3 min. 51 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Isaac Albéniz (1860 - 1909) : Asturias (Leyenda), instrumental arrangement after Suite española no 1, Op. 47/5

Performers: Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums); Marcus Wolf (Guitar); David Garrett (Violin); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar)
Running Time: 2 min. 58 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic

Page, Jimmy : Kashmir

Performers: Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums); Marcus Wolf (Guitar)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with John Bonham (1948 - 1980), Robert Plant (1948 - ).
Running Time: 3 min. 37 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Garrett, David : Rock Symphony

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums); Marcus Wolf (Guitar); David Lipstein (Drums)
Running Time: 4 min. 4 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Orbit, William : Peer Gynt, remix (after Grieg)

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums); Marcus Wolf (Guitar)
Running Time: 2 min. 34 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Schifrin, Lalo [Composer] : Mission Impossible

Performers: David Lipstein (Drums); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums); Marcus Wolf (Guitar)
Running Time: 3 min. 17 sec.
Period Time: Modern

Fogerty, John : Rocking All Over the World

Performers: Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); David Lipstein (Drums); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Garrett (Violin)
Running Time: 3 min. 44 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Segura, Antonio : En Aranjuez con tu amor

Performers: David Lipstein (Drums); Jeff Allen (Drums); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); Marcus Wolf (Guitar); David Garrett (Violin)
Running Time: 3 min. 17 sec.

Hynde, Chrissie : I'll Stand By You

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums)
Notes: This work was written in collaboration with Tom Kelly (Vocals), Billy Steinberg.
Running Time: 3 min. 54 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Garrett, David : Mahler #5 (after Mahler)

Performers: David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums)
Running Time: 4 min. 4 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Paich, David : Child's Anthem

Performers: Marcus Wolf (Guitar); Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar); David Garrett (Violin); Jeff Allen (Drums); David Lipstein (Drums)
Running Time: 3 min. 23 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary

Unspecified : Untitled CD-ROM Track

Performer: Franck Van Der Heijden (Guitar)
Period Time: Modern

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