Classical versus rock guitar, and cross-pollination

Sounds like an odd title for a blog post, I guess: but here goes.

I had an interesting conversation with a friend recently. He maintained that no guitarist could be both a superb rock/hard-rock player, and a classical-style player. He felt that the styles were so different, and demanded such different techniques and skill development, that they were specializations, much like a general physician could go into either gynecology or orthopedic surgery, but not both.

I disagree with him. To defend my position, I'm going to select arguably one of the world's top rock guitarists, Ritchie Blackmore, and demonstrate how he's progressed from his early days of hard rock and heavy metal to the Renaissance/classical style of his present music - yet retained the best of both worlds, and improved them both through their mutual influence.

Blackmore began his career in the 1960's, being a founding member of the band Deep Purple. They've become legendary on the rock music scene, and justifiably so. Two of his guitar solos with the group are ranked among Guitar World magazine's "Top 100 Greatest Guitar Solos" ("Highway Star" at #19 and "Lazy" at #74, both from the album Machine Head).

Leaving Deep Purple, Blackmore founded the group Rainbow in 1975. Here's one of the first songs they recorded, 'Self Portrait', from the same year. This has become widely regarded as a classic, seminal heavy rock piece.

After re-forming Deep Purple, then re-forming Rainbow, Blackmore and his partner, Candice Night (now his wife), formed Blackmore's Night in 1997, conentrating on Renaissance-era and European folk music, with a rock overtone to the more folksy earlier rhythms. One of their early efforts was to reprise 'Self Portrait' in a folk/classical style. Here it is, with Blackmore again lead guitarist, but in a radically different interpretation of the music to what it was originally.

I think this demonstrates the move from rock to classical/folk in Blackmore's style quite well. I much prefer the second version of the song to the first, although others' taste may differ.

I think it's also true to say that Blackmore's growing involvement with and expertise in Renaissance and classical guitar playing has influenced his rock music and electric guitar playing as well. Let me demonstrate. Here are two pieces from Blackmore's Night's 2008 album 'Secret Voyage'. First, an instrumental Renaissance piece, 'Prince Waldeck's Galliard', with Blackmore playing solo in classical style.

Next, 'The Circle', a very old song updated and set to a more modern rhythm, using both old Renaissance instruments and Blackmore on electric guitar. Pay particular attention from 3 minutes 20 seconds into the music, when the finale comes up. Listen to Blackmore's guitar improvisation, and tell me whether the classical music influence to which he's been exposed for over a decade hasn't drastically improved his rock-style electric guitar work as well.

To me, the answer's clear. Ritchie Blackmore is a wonderful example of how a dedicated musician can take two seemingly very different styles of music, and blend them into greatness.

What do you think, readers? Who else would you nominate as someone who's been able to do this?

Peter