Who was the first rock band to perform live with a full symphony orchestra?

Gnomon

The first one I can remember is Mike Oldfield performing Tubular Bells with a symphony orchestra. The Beatles used string quartets, but I don't think they used a symphony orchestra. Sep 20 02, 9:03 PM

k	The Who - Tommy. Sep 20 02, 11:21 PM

Kainantu

The credit goes to you 'k'. We had, for example, lots of orchestral works - mainly classical music but also the rock opera Tommy by The Who, performed with the London Symphony Orchestra http://www.divaaudio.com/diva/gurubook/buena.html In 1968, Pete Townshend of the Who told Rolling Stone magazine that he planned to write a 90-minute rock opera called 'Tommy,' about a deaf, dumb and blind boy. The opera was released as a double LP in April, 1969, and was hailed by the New York Times as the first pop masterpiece. Other critics found the work pretentious. But 'Tommy' caught on, the album sold a million copies and a single from it, 'Pinball Wizard,' became a hit. The Who performed the complete opera only twice, although excerpts from it were included in their concerts. In 1972, Pete Townshend supervised a new recording of 'Tommy' by the London Symphony Orchestra and an all-star cast, including Rod Stewart, Steve Winwood and Richard Harris. 'Tommy' was made into a movie, directed by Ken Russell, in 1976. In 1993, a Broadway version won five Tony Awards. http://www.th-marschall.de/music_history/september/texte/14.htm Sep 22 02, 11:35 AM

aardvark

What about Deep Purple, Concerto for Group and Orchestra, 1970 or Moody Blues, Days of future Passed, 1967? Sep 22 02, 8:01 PM