Complete List Of Renaissance Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: Richard Barnes, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Renaissance stands as one of the most refined and musically sophisticated bands to emerge from the progressive rock movement of the late 1960s and 1970s. Founded in 1969 by former Yardbirds members Keith Relf and Jim McCarty, the group sought to create a sound that blended classical, folk, and rock influences in a way that emphasized melody and composition over distortion and aggression. From their earliest days in Surrey, England, the band focused on intricate arrangements, rich harmonies, and a deep sense of atmosphere that set them apart from other rock acts of the time. Their vision was to merge the technical precision of classical music with the expressive reach of rock, creating something both cerebral and emotionally stirring.

The original lineup of Renaissance featured Keith Relf on guitar and vocals, Jane Relf on vocals, Jim McCarty on drums and vocals, John Hawken on keyboards, and Louis Cennamo on bass. Their self-titled debut album Renaissance was released in 1969 and immediately attracted attention for its unique fusion of classical motifs with rock instrumentation. The record’s use of piano-driven arrangements and harmonic layering demonstrated a level of ambition rarely heard in rock at that time. However, internal changes and artistic differences quickly led to a complete transformation of the band’s lineup. By the early 1970s, none of the original members remained, yet the name Renaissance continued, carried forward by new members who would shape the band’s defining sound.

The group’s identity solidified under the leadership of vocalist Annie Haslam, keyboardist John Tout, bassist Jon Camp, drummer Terence Sullivan, and guitarist Michael Dunford. This lineup, often referred to as the “classic Renaissance,” became the foundation for the band’s most acclaimed period. Haslam’s operatic five-octave voice became the band’s hallmark, soaring above the lush orchestrations and poetic lyrics that defined their music. Dunford’s songwriting partnership with lyricist Betty Thatcher produced some of the band’s most beloved works, weaving themes of mythology, literature, and introspection into their songs.

Their breakthrough came with the album Ashes Are Burning in 1973, which marked the beginning of a run of critically acclaimed releases throughout the 1970s. The album’s title track became a fan favorite, showcasing Haslam’s remarkable vocal range and Tout’s elegant piano work. Renaissance followed it with Turn of the Cards in 1974 and Scheherazade and Other Stories in 1975, albums that represented the peak of their artistic achievement. These records were noted for their symphonic arrangements, often incorporating orchestral accompaniment and complex time signatures while maintaining an accessible melodic core. Songs like “Mother Russia” and “Song of Scheherazade” exemplified the group’s ability to balance grandeur and emotional depth.

During this period, Renaissance also built a reputation as a powerful live act. Their performances often featured full orchestras, emphasizing the cinematic scope of their music. The 1976 live album Live at Carnegie Hall captured this dynamic and remains a testament to their ability to blend rock and classical traditions in a concert setting. The album featured extended versions of their signature songs, performed with the New York Philharmonic, and received wide praise for its technical brilliance and emotional power.

By the late 1970s, the band began adapting to the changing musical landscape. Albums such as Novella (1977) and A Song for All Seasons (1978) incorporated more contemporary production techniques while retaining the essence of their progressive sound. The latter album produced their most commercially successful single, “Northern Lights,” which reached number ten on the UK Singles Chart in 1978 and became a staple of British radio. The success of “Northern Lights” brought Renaissance to a broader audience, proving that their complex and orchestral style could also achieve mainstream appeal.

Despite their success, the 1980s brought significant challenges. Changes in popular music, particularly the rise of new wave and synth-pop, left little room for Renaissance’s elaborate arrangements. The band released Azure d’Or in 1979, which leaned toward a more electronic sound, but internal tensions and declining commercial returns eventually led to a breakup in the early 1980s. Annie Haslam continued her musical career as a solo artist, maintaining the spirit of Renaissance through her performances and recordings.

Over the years, Renaissance has reunited in various forms, often led by Haslam, who remains the central figure in the band’s legacy. The group released new material in the 2000s and 2010s, including Grandine il Vento in 2013, later reissued as Symphony of Light. These releases reaffirmed their commitment to the musical ideals that defined their early years, blending poetic storytelling with lush, symphonic textures.

Complete List Of Renaissance Songs From A to Z

A Song for All Seasons – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Air of Drama – Grandine il vento – 2013
Air of Drama – Symphony of Light – 2014
Ashes Are Burning – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Ashes are Burning (BBC Radio One “In Concert”) – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Ashes Are Burning (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Ashes Are Burning (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
At the Harbour – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Auto-Tech – Time-Line – 1983
Back Home Once Again – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Black Flame – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Black Flame (New stereo mix) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Black Flame (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Black Flame (5.1 Surround sound) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Blood Silver Like Moonlight – Grandine il vento – 2013
Blood Silver Like Moonlight – Symphony of Light – 2014
Bonjour Swansong – Camera Camera – 1981
Bound for Infinity – Prologue – 1972
Bullet – Renaissance – 1969
Camera Camera – Camera Camera – 1981
Can You Hear Me? – Novella – 1977
Can You Hear Me? (single edit) – Novella – 1977
Can You Hear Me? (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Can You Understand? – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Can You Understand (BBC Radio One “In Concert”) – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Can You Understand (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Can You Understand (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Carpet of the Sun – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Carpet of the Sun (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Carpet of the Sun (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Carpet of the Sun (live) – Grandine il vento – 2013
Chagrin Boulevard – Time-Line – 1983
Closer than Yesterday – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Cold Is Being – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Cold is Being (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Cold Is Being (5.1 Surround sound) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Cry to the World – Grandine il vento – 2013
Cry to the World – Symphony of Light – 2014
Day of the Dreamer – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Day of the Dreamer (BBC Radio One session) – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Dear Landseer – Tuscany – 2001
Distant Horizons – Time-Line – 1983
Dolphin’s Prayer – Tuscany – 2001
Electric Avenue – Time-Line – 1983
Eva’s Pond – Tuscany – 2001
Everybody Needs A Friend – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Face of Yesterday – Illusion – 1971
Faeries (Living at the Bottom of the Garden) – Camera Camera – 1981
Fanfare – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Festival Preparations – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Finale – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Flight – Time-Line – 1983
Forever Changing – Azure d’Or – 1979
Friends – Azure d’Or – 1979
Fugue for the Sultan – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Golden Key – Azure d’Or – 1979
Golden Thread – Illusion – 1971
Grandine il vento – Grandine il vento – 2013
Grandine il vento – Symphony of Light – 2014
I Think of You – Turn of the Cards – 1974
I Think of You (5.1 Surround sound) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Immortal Beloved – Symphony of Light – 2014
In My Life – Tuscany – 2001
In the Sunshine – Tuscany – 2001
Innocence – Renaissance – 1969
Island – Renaissance – 1969
Island (single version) – Renaissance – 1969
Jekyll and Hyde – Azure d’Or – 1979
Jigsaw – Camera Camera – 1981
Kalynda (A Magical Isle) – Azure d’Or – 1979
Kiev – Prologue – 1972
Kindness (At the End) – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Kings and Queens – Renaissance – 1969
Lady from Tuscany – Tuscany – 2001
Let It Grow – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Let it Grow (BBC Radio One “In Concert”) – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
Life in Brazil – Tuscany – 2001
Love Goes On – Illusion – 1971
Love Is All – Illusion – 1971
Love Theme – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Majik – Time-Line – 1983
Midas Man – Novella – 1977
Midas Man (single edit) – Novella – 1977
Midas Man (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Midas Man (BBC Radio One session) – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Missing Persons – Time-Line – 1983
Mother Russia – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Mother Russia (Single edit) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Mother Russia (New stereo mix) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Mother Russia (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Mother Russia (5.1 Surround sound) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Mother Russia (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Mr. Pine – Illusion – 1971
Northern Lights – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Northern Lights (Promotional single edit) – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Northern Lights (Top of the Pops version) – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Ocean Gypsy – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Okichi-San – Camera Camera – 1981
On the Frontier – Ashes Are Burning – 1973
One Thousand Roses – Tuscany – 2001
Only Angels Have Wings – Azure d’Or – 1979
Opening Out – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Orient Express – Time-Line – 1983
Past Orbits of Dust – Illusion – 1971
Pearls of Wisdom – Tuscany – 2001
Porcelain – Grandine il vento – 2013
Porcelain – Symphony of Light – 2014
Prologue – Prologue – 1972
Prologue (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Prologue (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Rajah Khan – Prologue – 1972
Remember – Camera Camera – 1981
Renaissance Man – Symphony of Light – 2014
Richard IX – Time-Line – 1983
Running Away from You – Camera Camera – 1981
Running Hard – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Running Hard (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Running Hard (5.1 Surround sound) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Running Hard (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Secret Mission – Azure d’Or – 1979
She Is Love – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
Song of Scheherazade – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Song of Scheherazade (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Sounds of the Sea – Prologue – 1972
Spare Some Love – Prologue – 1972
Spare Some Love (Single Version) – Prologue – 1972
Symphony of Light – Grandine il vento – 2013
Symphony of Light – Symphony of Light – 2014
The Betrayal – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
The Captive Heart – Novella – 1977
The Discovery – Azure d’Or – 1979
The Entertainer – Time-Line – 1983
The Festival – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
The Flood at Lyons – Azure d’Or – 1979
The Mystic and the Muse – Grandine il vento – 2013
The Mystic and the Muse – Symphony of Light – 2014
The Race – Tuscany – 2001
The Sea – Renaissance – 1969
The Sisters – Novella – 1977
The Sultan – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
The Vultures Fly High – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
The Vultures Fly High (BBC Radio One session) – A Song for All Seasons – 1978
The Winter Tree – Azure d’Or – 1979
The Young Prince and Princess as told by Scheherazade – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Things I Don’t Understand – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Things I Don’t Understand (New stereo mix) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Things I Don’t Understand (Live at the Academy of Music) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Things I Don’t Understand (5.1 Surround sound) – Turn of the Cards – 1974
Tonight – Symphony of Light – 2014
Touching Once (Is So Hard to Keep) – Novella – 1977
Touching Once (Is So Hard to Keep) (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) – Novella – 1977
Trip to the Fair – Scheherazade and Other Stories – 1975
Tyrant-Tula – Camera Camera – 1981
Ukraine Ways – Camera Camera – 1981
Wanderer – Renaissance – 1969
Waterfall – Grandine il vento – 2013
Waterfall – Symphony of Light – 2014

Albums

Renaissance (1969): 7 songs

Illusion (1971): 6 songs

Prologue (1972): 7 songs

Ashes Are Burning (1973): 9 songs

Turn of the Cards (1974): 26 songs

Scheherazade and Other Stories (1975): 13 songs

Live At Carnegie Hall (1976)

Novella (1977): 17 songs

A Song for All Seasons (1978): 13 songs

Azure d’Or (1979): 10 songs

Camera Camera (1981): 9 songs

Time-Line (1983): 10 songs

Tuscany (2001): 10 songs

Grandine il vento (2013): 9 songs

Grandine Il Vento by RENAISSANCE (2013-05-28)

Symphony of Light (2014): 11 songs

Top 10 Renaissance Songs

Check out similar articles and more…all on ClassicRockHistory.com

Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain Creative Commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Album Cover Photos are affiliate links and the property of Amazon and are stored on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.