Renaissance were unlike any other band of the progressive era — a group who built their music not on heavy riffs or virtuoso solos but on the soaring, crystalline voice of Annie Haslam, set against richly classical, often fully orchestral arrangements. Drawing deeply on European art music, folk and romantic melody, they created some of the most graceful and distinctive music progressive rock has produced.

The short version

Renaissance began in 1969 as a project of two former members of The Yardbirds, before the name and band passed to an entirely new line-up fronted by the remarkable soprano Annie Haslam. From 1972 onward, this classic incarnation crafted a series of elegant, orchestral, classically infused albums — peaking with “Scheherazade and Other Stories” (1975) — that earned them a devoted following and a famous concert with a full orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Theirs is a uniquely beautiful corner of the prog world.

Two bands, one name

The story of Renaissance is really the story of two different bands. The original group was founded in 1969 by singer-guitarist Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty, both fresh from the influential rock band The Yardbirds, as a vehicle to fuse rock with classical and folk influences. This first line-up — which also included Relf’s sister Jane on vocals — recorded the albums “Renaissance” (1969) and “Illusion” (1971) before the founding members gradually drifted away. Rather than fold, the band was reconstituted around a completely new set of musicians, most importantly the soprano Annie Haslam and the composer and guitarist Michael Dunford. It was this second, classic Renaissance that would define the name and win the band its lasting reputation.

A voice and an orchestra

At the centre of classic Renaissance stood Annie Haslam’s astonishing voice, a pure, soaring soprano often described as spanning some five octaves. Around it, the band built lush, intricate arrangements rooted in European classical music: John Tout’s grand piano, Jon Camp’s melodic bass, Terence Sullivan’s drums, and Michael Dunford’s acoustic guitar and compositions, frequently augmented by full orchestra. The literate, romantic lyrics were supplied by Betty Thatcher, a writer who, like a number of prog wordsmiths, never appeared on stage. The result was music of rare elegance — closer at times to art song or chamber music than to rock, yet always melodic, emotional and accessible.

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Scheherazade and the classic albums

The classic line-up’s run began with “Prologue” (1972) and the beloved “Ashes Are Burning” (1973), which established their signature blend of voice, piano and orchestral grandeur. “Turn of the Cards” (1974) deepened the drama, and then came their crowning achievement: “Scheherazade and Other Stories” (1975), whose side-long “Song of Scheherazade”, performed with a full orchestra, remains one of the great symphonic-prog compositions. The band’s classical ambitions reached a spectacular height when they performed with an orchestra at New York’s Carnegie Hall, a landmark captured on a celebrated live album. For a few years in the mid-1970s, Renaissance were at the peak of their powers, beloved especially in the United States.

Hits and the end of an era

“Novella” (1977) continued the orchestral approach, and “A Song for All Seasons” (1978) gave the band an unexpected UK hit single in the shimmering “Northern Lights”, broadening their audience. But as the 1970s ended and musical fashions shifted, the classic era began to wind down with “Azure d’Or” (1979). The band would continue in various forms into the 1980s and beyond, experimenting with a more contemporary sound, but the run of lush, orchestral albums from the 1970s remains the heart of their legacy.

Album by album

This is the classic 1969–1979 run, spanning both the band’s original incarnation and its beloved Annie Haslam era. Tap any title for its guide.

The players

Annie Haslam (lead vocals) is the voice and enduring face of Renaissance, her extraordinary range and purity of tone the band’s defining feature. Michael Dunford (acoustic guitar) was the principal composer of the classic era, shaping its melodic identity until his death in 2012. John Tout (keyboards) supplied the grand piano textures central to the sound, Jon Camp (bass, vocals) gave the music its melodic drive, and Terence Sullivan (drums) anchored the classic line-up. Lyricist Betty Thatcher provided the romantic, literary words. The band’s founders, Keith Relf and Jim McCarty of Yardbirds fame, set the whole project in motion; Relf’s life was tragically cut short in 1976.

Where to start

Begin with “Scheherazade and Other Stories” (1975), the band’s orchestral masterpiece and the fullest expression of their classical ambitions. From there, “Ashes Are Burning” (1973) offers a perfect introduction to the classic line-up, while “Turn of the Cards” (1974) is another high point. For the band’s most famous song, “A Song for All Seasons” (1978) contains the lovely hit “Northern Lights”. Those albums capture Renaissance at their most beautiful.

Why they still matter

Renaissance proved that progressive rock could be graceful, melodic and unashamedly beautiful, drawing on the European classical tradition more fully than almost any of their peers. In Annie Haslam they boasted one of the most remarkable voices in all of rock, and in their orchestral arrangements they created a sound of genuine elegance and emotional depth. They were never the loudest or flashiest band of the era, but few were as distinctive or as lovely. For anyone drawn to the symphonic, classically minded heart of progressive rock — and to one of its truly great singers — Renaissance are essential listening.

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