Focus play Bartók

I was amazed to hear this when I happened upon the original version uploaded to YouTube by stevedr.

The band is the wonderful Focus, from the Netherlands, playing their track "Eruption". Great! Then out of nowhere... the chorale for brass, straight from the 2nd movement of Béla Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra. I couldn't sleep for wanting to match the brass to the Focus performance, so here it is.

As the tempo in the original work is a bit higher, I had to slow down the CSO/Solti version I have used here and it is that which causes the odd warbling sound. It was either that or speed up the Focus version. Of course, in the final section, Thijs van Leer decides to play at the correct tempo, so instead of cutting and adjusting the brass recording to match I just left it to make a little call and response between Hammond and brass.

It was lovely to hear one of my favourite bands play an extract from one of my favourite pieces of music. I wonder who's idea it was. Jan Akkerman certainly has a face full of mischief...

Category:

Music

Tags:

• focus
• bartók
• chorale
• brass
• mash-up

[jamirosmajicrocks]

is this like the headly grange for Focus or something?

[HD41117]

@jamirosmajicrocks I suppose it could be, but it's probably just a cool location for filming. Band member's house? Maybe stevedr, the user who uploaded this originally, could tell you.

[iononcentro]

Eruption was first released in '71 Moving Waves album. The funny thing is that back then there was no Bartok material in the song because mrs Pásztory (Bela's widow) firmly refused to allow any illegitimate use of her husband's music. 2 years later though she had serious health problems and had to be hospitalized. Needles to say that the passage was suddenly resumed taking advantage on the lady's sickness....these guys must have a weird sense of fairness.

[HD41117]

@iononcentro There is another similar comment below, describing how the band requested permission (I think a number of times) but were denied. It seems odd that they would simply go ahead and use the piece regardless. It is a beautiful passage of music and one can understand the wish to pay homage, but to have ignored the wishes (and instructions) of Ditta Bartók-Pásztory was highly questionable, whether or not she was ill. It is supposition, but you made a fair point. Thank you for commenting.

[veplaini]

I'm glad you pointed this out. When I was 14 I had the Focus at the Rainbow album and had memorized this section. Then a year or so later I got introduced to Bartok's concerto for orchestra... and this jumped at me! Straight from there, but I never went back to check that it was the same passage.

[HD41117]

@veplaini Ah, it's interesting to know a recording was actually put out on an album. Thank you.

[angie4josh]

This is the sound God makes, and not the christian one.

[HD41117]

@NerdFury Thanks for that, man.

[iononcentro]

@flaviolima91 Great concept! So, according to you, authors and composers should just survive by charity? Btw, Virgil copyrights were all payed by Augustus who commissioned the poem.

[flaviolima91]

@slowuncle Goes to show how copyright is a stupid thing anyway... It only stops good music to develop upon other good music...

If copyright existed in ancient Rome, Virgil would have never written the Aeneid...

[jamirosmajicrocks]

i love how focus has so many fans abroad, i thought they were to obscure for being uploaded,

[slowuncle]

@iononcentro I see:

ok to play Bartok in a stuffy concert hall but not ok to expose (young, working class) people who would never otherwise be exposed to the composer---the estate gets paid in both instances

[gamer966]

@LeighJW Holy shit!!! Wow