David Runnion ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>In the mid 80's Emerson, Lake and Palmer recorded an album and did a
>full-scale tour with a full symphony orchestra.

This of course being the same Keith Emerson who, when a member of The Nice,
perpretrated a version of America from West Side Story that was in 4/4
rather than the original 6/8.

>Also, Phil Spector talked the Beatles into using an orchestra to create
>his wall-of-sound on the Let It Be album.  Neither of these bands were
>what you would call Heavy Metal, but it was still probably the first time
>many people had heard what a violin sounds like.

You think so? The charts have always had recordings featuring fiddles.
Practically every 1960s Nashville recording for instance (I gather some
traditionalists used to refer to "the massed strings of the Nashville
Philharmonic" when talking of recordss by artists like Crystal Gale and
Lynn Anderson.  Plenty of violins there.

Deryk Barker
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