Behind the Score: Keith Emerson Piano Concerto No. 1 SCORE ANALYSIS & REACTION | The Daily Doug
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- Опубліковано 30 чер 2022
- #keithemerson #pianoconcerto
In this episode of #thedailydoug, I'm analyzing and reacting to Keith Emerson's Piano Concerto No. 1. This video was first published in March, 2022 on my Patreon site. I'm happy to now share it with all of you. I have many more Behind the Score videos like this available via my Patreon. I do two of these every month. I hope you enjoy! (Episode 425)
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keith had so much more to offer ... for me his passing is one of the saddest in rock and roll history
ELP took Works on tour with a complete orchestra. They ran out of money after only 10 dates, and had to finish the tour as a 3 piece without the orchestra because it cost so much to travel with all the equipment and personnel. I was fortunate to see them in Cincinnati with the orchestra. I feel very lucky because so few people actually got to see it. It was a phenomenal experience. Their rendition of "Fanfare for the Common Man" sent chills down my spine.
Saw the same tour in Indy. It was fantastic! Wish there were some videos of that tour made.
@@tonypeterson1679 ua-cam.com/video/IOMx60ZxFxE/v-deo.html
The audio totally sucks, but it's still cool to see.
I saw them at Ford Auditorium in Detroit with the orchestra. Lucky that they started that tour in the Midwest. It was fabulous.
@@tonypeterson1679 There is at least one video of the concert with the orchestra. It looks amazing!
I was fortunate to have seen that tour twice: once with full orchestra at MSG in NY and the second paired down in Hartford, CT. Fantastic!
When Keith was writing this, his house burnt down between the 2nd and 3rd movement.
He said the 3rd movement definitely had a "fuck you" attitude conveying the loss of his scores and instruments.
I was hoping someone would post this comment. Finding that out really opened up my understanding of the Toccata con Fuoco! (I can hear both the house on fire and the response of the fire department, and the triumphant "F--- you - I'm the f'ing _phoenix,_ baby!")
Correct. Imagine having to rewrite all the pages after they went up in smoke. No wonder the 3rd movement was FY.
We were lucky enough in Montréal, Canada to see ELP with the whole orchestra and they played one of the best show I've seen. But the best moment of the night was when the full moon appeared near the end of the show at the Olympic Stadium.
I have that concert on VHS
Yes, please do an episode on “Pirates”, Doug!
2nd listen through with your assessment, Getting closer to your thought process. After more than 100 listen' through, and seeing him perform it live 3 times with the orchestra and twice with just ELP, form a classical point only, I praise his ability to pull it off . There is nothing to compare it to, he is an anomaly. Not even Mr. Wakeman tried this. so KUDOS Keith, and Kudos to you for doing this, Thank You!!!!!!!
I played this in my HS band room in 1977 waiting for my lesson. My band director borrowed my Works album for a month before I got it back.
Thank you for that fair and comprehensive review. I’ve always enjoyed different performances of Emerson’s concerto. I wonder if anyone noticed that the final two notes in the first movement are the first two notes of that movement’s main theme … or in the third movement, the 10/8 bit near the end, and the grand theme at the very end, are both derived from one of the main themes exposed early in that movement.
It’s a shame Emerson didn’t get to compose more major works like this. Imagine if Beethoven died right after his first symphony-or Mahler just after his early quartet for strings and piano-or Saint-Saens right after his first symphony. I understand Emerson composed a second concerto but it exists only in indecipherable sketches. Too bad.
Again, thank you for giving deserved attention to this concerto. Jeffrey Biegel had been promoting it just before Keith Emerson’s death.
A side note on the "con fuocco" (with fire) section: Emerson wrote this right after his house had burned to the ground.
I was lucky enough to see ELP perform the 1st and 3rd movements with orchestra during the Works tour in 1977. It was a joy to behold. The piccolo player changed the way I watch music because she moved joyfully while she played. I love this piece so very much. Thanks for sharing this.
I saw them on that tour here in Nashville. I may be mistaken but I seem to remember them dropping the orchestra after Nashville due to cost and only brought them back for the larger venues at the end of the tour.
@@murff625 I think that's correct. But. I don't remember them bringing back the orchestra. I was so sad when that happened because it worked so well. One of my favorite concerts, too.
@@Liz.Green789 I checked Google. ELP played nine more shows after Nashville with the orchestra. They brought the orchestra back for three shows at Madison Square Garden and one show at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
@@murff625 Thank you for checking that. I saw them in Indianapolis in June of 77. Such a special evening.
I saw that tour, my first ever ELP show 🥳, but unfortunately they had dropped the orchestra before they made it to Seattle. Awesome show anyways and some of the arrangements they did as a trio for pieces I was used to listening to on the album with full orchestra were quite nice and even preferable at times. I wonder if there are any releases or bootlegs out there of that tour as a trio?
This was absolutely lovely, Doug. Thank you for all the hard work you put into the channel and every thing you do. Nothing is fluff or filler. You pour your heart into every reaction and analysis and all your attention as well.
That's a certain kind of special and why people flock to your channel. It's got heart and soul, just like you. It's 100 percent authentic and it's evident.
You really care. And that goes such a long way.
Appreciate you so much!
Got to do Pirates! It's amazing and the orchestration is wonderful.
Greg Lake's vocals are truly fantastic. IMHO he owns this piece.
Yeah, that song has always been a favorite of mine. I'm so glad they played it during the Black Moon tour.
@@DavidLazarus I recorded it myself in Arena di Verona on 1992.06.29.
Love Pirates. It's done so well that I can picture everything that the lyrics convey.
Agreed, buddy. The lyrics really do not matter (although they are pretty good, and Greg is great as always!). Pirates perhaps showcases the band at its very best, and shows what a talent we lost when the brilliant Keith did what he did ☹
Really enjoyed this. This piece has been a constant through my life since heating it as a 17 y/o (am now 64). Would love to see you do a piece on Keith's "Five Bridges Suite" by The Nice, which came much earlier in his career but is also a piece I adore to this day.
UK In The Dead Of Night epic Friday episode
THANK YOU SO MUCH !
i'm listening this concerto for 45 years, that's my "madeleine de Proust", and i'm so pleased you analyse it, and proud to think the same that you, because i'm not a musician, just an listener . Today, i watch your post just in front of the mont blanc in the french alp, and you give me a great moment !!
Regarding the cadenza in the 1st movement, Keith often employed left-hand ostinato patterns in his music while soloing with his right-hand (see also Take A Pebble, Tarkus, KE9, "piano improvisations" from the 1973-4 tour, Creole Dance, etc).
I have loved this piano concerto since I first heard it back in the late 1970s. I was still a neophyte with regards to 'classical' music, so could not appreciate all of its complexities. I have revisited it a few times over the years, but just recently decided to give it another listen. I'm even more blown away by it now than 40-some years ago. Thank you for your awesome analysis, as it has helped me understand and appreciate this well-loved piece even more!
Absolutely love this piece. For a rock musician to pull something like this off is amazing and uncommon. Clearly Keith had some classical training. He was a supreme talent IMO. You are unlikely to find anyone these days who would even come close. Additionally, none of the current producers would likely greenlight it. I saw Emerson, Lake and Powell (Cozy Powell was playing percussion because Palmer was playing with Asia at that time). At one point in the concert, the roadies came on to the platform and removed all the band equipment, dimmed the lights and they then lowered a concert grand piano down to the stage from the rafters. Keith, all alone on the stage, sat down and played one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have ever heard. I did not recognize it and to this day have no idea what it was. It was amazing.
Only one musician of today that I think could pull something like this off; Jacob Collier.
@@KenBreadbox Jonny Greenwood, perhaps
Keep in mind Emerson did a LOT of film music, mostly orchestral. That might be where that piece came from.
Get "Emerson Plays Emerson." It's a bunch of little piano pieces that he came up with while on the road, and the tune you're looking for might be on there.
Emerson, Lake and Powell was a fantastic concert! Their single studio album is on my list of 10 desert island discs. It's utterly perfect.
@@soggytom Keith didn't start doing film scores until around 1980, about 5 years after this concerto. I hear a lot of influence from his film scoring on his later rock pieces (ELPowell, etc)
Yours is one of the few YT channels that I plan to watch/pause for later, but sucks me in for the duration.
Thank you Doug!
You Ned to checkout Rachel Flowers cover of this. She plays piano and flute at the same time. Keith Emerson took her under his wing before he died, he even give her one of his Moog synthesizers
I saw Rachel playit at the Keith Emenrson Tribute concert in Birmingham - truly amazing. Unfortunately the show was not recorded
Rachel is a fantastic musician.
ua-cam.com/video/cAR8CBmoI38/v-deo.html
@@jonathangray6825 ua-cam.com/video/BZ-PfScWWT4/v-deo.html
for sure. rachel is the best.
I think this my favorite of your reactions / reviews / analysies thus far, and of course the piece itself contributes to that, but all of your observations about the piece also contribute to the listener's enjoyment and appreciation of it, or at least that was true for me. This was one of Emerson's pieces that I hadn't heard before and I'm glad that I finally did hear it. And happy to have benefitted from your analysis along with hearing the music. PS - Yes were my favorite prog rock band and I especially enjoy your reactions to them as well.
Awesome! You should checkout Fanfare and Pirates. 😎👍
Totally agree. Listen all of side four at the same time!!
But if you have to choose go with Pirates because it’s magnificent.
Cont.: The orchestration may have been designed knowing they wanted to tour with an orchestra, and so the parts were kept deliberately simple. Plus, the percussion orchestration was probably written with Carl's participation in mind. Finally, I've always wondered if Kieth half wrote this as sort of a portfolio piece to help him get soundtrack work down the road. He may have been hedging his bets, knowing ELP was on shakier ground going into the late 70s, and he may have been looking ahead to where his career would go post-ELP. Re: the "rock musician playing classical vs classical musician playing rock", Kieth DID attempt something like this already when he was with the Nice with the Five Bridges Suite. Plus there were lots of times he dabbled with orchestral arranging with ELP ("The Three Fates", the Fugue in "The Endless Enigma", etc.), so I always felt he saw his mission as synthesizing rock, classical and jazz music into a new form. I personally feel he was the most successful of all the great prog composers at it. It's just a shame that his work hasn't had a greater impact with modern orchestras and been adopted into the repertoire.
Modern version of “travelling with orchestra” is enlisting (paying) local orchestras (&/or choirs) to play with the group at venues. Cheaper than traveling with the orchestras even though thousands of musicians have to learn the parts. This incentivizes the orchestras to add this to their repertoire but at the cost of replacing the composers’ group’
Doug. This belongs in the musical canon. Regarding your critique of his first movement, I'd comment as follows:
Shostakovich had similar tone rows and no one raised an eyebrow. As for key changes, who said you couldn't and yep, I agree your references to Vaughn-Williams and Gershwin are spot on. As for your reference to his interlude as simple I'd just say, try playing it! Mozart wrote many more playable pieces in his sonatas than that.
Regarding the second movement, you appear to make no criticism. You shouldn't. It's faultless. If you played that blind to any music student and asked them to identify the composer they'd be floored.
The third movement in my opinion tries to break boundaries. Emerson tried to do that with his rock music, and for me this was a natural extension of the classical and jazz influences upon him, particularly in the fusion of the time signatures he employs in the first few minutes. For me the cleverness of the time signatures in this part of the composition lies in the seamless way it's integrated.I disagree with you that it doesn't work. I think the time signature disjunct you refer to is intentional on his part and adds excitement to the work.
I'm not saying that this is a work of eternal brilliance. However, it's good enough to go into the canon. So it belongs there, which is probably what the composer would have wanted.
The live recording of the 3rd movement arguably hangs together even better than the studio recording, it does work. Sad there isn't a live of him playing all of it.
You HAVE to do a show on ELP's Pirates ... please.
Thank you Doug! I have been waiting for this a long time. Next, for a fun experience - "Pirates", also from Works (not the live version). Note the wonderful lyrics and stage play character. Saw ELP live in the 70's, Emerson with Lake in 2012, and was at the amazing tribute to Keith in 2016. Been listening on records, 8-tracks, cassettes, CD's, digital and streaming - ELP has been 'the soundtrack of my life', as they say.
Though I'm a basement rock and folks guitar pretender, this concerto has mesmerized me since I first heard it in 1977!
"Pirates"! Analyze "Pirates"! It will blow your mind.
Love "Pirates"! Love to see you do it.
Please do Pirates. It's one of my favorite ELP pieces.
Thank you Doug! Keith and ELP's work is so wonderful. Please do more..
The four-hand piano music (which I have) includes Keith's intro, where he describes the music as being influenced by twelve-tone and British folk music, as well as being partially written in the former home of J.M. Barrie. So you immediately caught the tone-row opening... I'm writing this as I listen, and you're immediately going in great depth.
Yes, Barrie and Emerson both lived at Stonehill House in Chiddingley. Writing this on Keith's birthday (he'd have been 79 today!), I recall that the epigram on his tombstone reads 'You've got to keep it flying'; reminds me of Peter and the Lost Boys in Barrie's 'Peter Pan'.
Hi Doug, enjoyed your waxing of Emerson Concerto no 1, there are many things in there that are about his life & experiences,
eg. 3rd movement, Toccata con fuocco ( lit. to touched with fire) was about his house burning down, - you can hear the fire-engines' bells, you can hear the screams & the cascades of water over the flames.... you can also feel the utter desperation, especially as the entire score (and his place of dwelling) dissappear in the flames, but yet, the dispossessed
composer gathers his thoughts and courage and begins to recall thoughts and themes & memories, and rebuilds.
Music, like art, isn't always about notation, tonality or musical 'sense', true art is a projected feeling from the page & the
canvas . Keith put his whole self into that project and my word does it manifest itself.
(Massive ELP fan)
Graham from Co Kerry, Ireland
of what becomes piano concerto number one perished in the flames, but then how
the
I was lucky to see Keith play this with the full orchestra. It was such an amazing experience)) It was phenomenal!!
When you take into account Keith's career starting with The Nice, he always took classical pieces and put his own stamp on it, gave it his own interpretation. I think he was both a rock musician playing classical music as well as a classical composer. (Look at the pieces you have analyzed before). Keith was one of a kind.
Thank you Dr. Doug so much for doing this!!
So glad you approve, I do too. He does pilfer his way through many, Many, MANY,... classical pieces. But hey don't we all, we're only as good as our last heist. I'm in the mind frame that Mr. Emerson is a man in a successful and huge money maker band that has let his head explode with ideas of grander. He is great, probably the best prog genius ever, Hell he writes his masterpieces out in long hand, Attention Novices!!!! But he is a rocker who knows classical music, NOTHING wrong with that. The skill in music is to make a living out of it, Good luck. He still is my favorite and even though I know the secrets behind his Concerto, that doesn't make me love it less, it inspires me more to put pen to manuscript paper and keep plugging away. As always thank you for even playing Keith and ELP, unabashedly my favorite band, I do believe your a fan in the making. Give side four a listen especially Pirates, such an evocative piece. Cheers, Greg
In addition to Copland, et al., I can hear the influence of Ginastera in the third movement. As Mr. Helvering so insightfully discusses in his 03 June 2022 piece, ELP had covered Ginastera's "Piano Concerto No. 1" on the their previous album, and I feel like Emerson's "Toccata con Fuoco" is a nod to Ginastera's composition which ELP called "Toccata."
Keith was a huge fan of Aaron Copeland, thus "Fanfare for the Common Man" on Works.
I remember Contemporary Keyboards magazine commemorated Copeland's birthday, somewhere around 1980 with several composers contributing interpretations of Copeland's music. As I recall Keith's piece was a combination of Simple Things played with the right hand and Fanfare played with the left hand.
Excellent video! I love how much more musical information you pack into these Behind the Score episodes!
Though you really need to review some King Crimson. Specifically the song "Lizard" would be awesome, but anything off of "In the Court of the Crimson King" would be excellent as well.
Thank you, Doug!
Amazing piece!
While this is well above my level of musicianship I seriously love following the score and your expertise certainly adds to the pleasure of the experience while blessing me with quality education. Thank you so much.
Wow. impressive first hearing. Like it as it is. did catch a paraphrase from a Williams score. Emerson writes a large concerto. I appreciate the color. through his orchestration, Yes Bernstein piece. as well as Copland and Prokofiev, Ravel and Stravinsky . Love to hear it in the repertoire
A masterly analysis that has enhanced my appreciation of Emerson's work.
An analysis of Pirates is definitely in your future! You cannot resist...
Doug - thank you for this review/analysis. I’ve been listening to and enjoying Keith’s Concerto since Works 1 was released. It was a singular treat to hear it with the score this time - what a difference that made. Your insights into the details and nuances of classical composition made the Concerto new again. And for that I thank you.
Really pleased you’ve done this one. I’d love to see you look at Alan Parsons Project The Fall of the House of Usher 👍
Yes that would be fantastic.
By all means. APP, like ELP, are wonderful at giving listeners the best of both worlds -- classical and rock.
Hey, Doug. I've listened to this piece since I was a teenager. But now I have ...far more.. of an appreciation for it because of your analysis. So, thank-you for doing this video. It makes me happy.
Deep Purple Concerto For Group & Orchestra should be next. :)
Also their song "April"
yes. That would be awesome
Indeed that must be next.
And also for this piece of music is a score available
@@jeffpose2135
Masterpiece indeed
Concerto for Group and Orchestra
Three movement piece.
Movement 1 orchestra and band doing their own thing in a kind of music battle
Movement 2 both kind of learning and listening from each other’s. And working in more or less cooperative way
Movement 3 orchestra and band are working together and have found a more respectful way of making music together
Ending in ways of separation and going their own thing
Masterpiece that needs to be included in a Friday masterpiece evening
Because it is one of the first pieces specially written for Group and Orchestra by Jon Lord.
I've been waiting months for you to get to this.
To me this piano concerto has the quintessential British pastoral sound imbedded in the classical format. It couldn't have been written by anybody but a British composer like Keith, specially the first movement.
except for the fact that the intro sounds like Lutoslowski!
Also the big theme of the first movement reminds me of Holst and Elgar much more than Copeland.
Of course there's other influences, from jazz to atonal to more jagged eastern European rhythms.
@@thebonesspecifically?
stravinsky
During the 70s I was finding my way in listening to music with the advent of punk, metal etc and this piece by Keith Emerson came across my path and it literally blew me away!! In saying that my house was immersed in classical music and to hear something along those lines with a modern twist made me appreciate what I heard!! This piano concerto has been a life long companion even though my tastes in classical music where refined to listening to Baroque and I could almost say the 2nd part had the air of being a baroque minuet or influenced by it!! A great break down of a piece of which enhances the enjoyment!! It does not get played too often internationally because of what you mentioned and personally it should be played and appreciated more!!
I've loved this piece since I first heard it on the Works Vol 1 album in the mid 70's . Thanks for your analysis. I love seeing the sheet music.
Thanks so much for this! I've been waiting for this since I first found your channel. Definitely lots of good information I wasn't aware of including the tone-row stuff in the first movement. Keep it going!
Enjoyed this very much!!!
I am learning so much from this. Thank you, Doug. Keep 'em comin'.
Second movement starts with echoes of the "Five Bridges Suite" to my mind.
That was great, thank you!
Thanks! Far more enjoyable following along with the score AND your analysis.
Doug, love your videos, if u have never watch the 77 works your in Montreal Keith plays the third movement their. He is unreal with talent, watch it.
Thanks Doug. It's been about 25 years since I've heard this. I have forgotten how good it is. Great commentary
Doug, I would love to see you reacting to some of the parody classical music of 'P.D.Q. Bach' the fictitious composer whose bizarre pieces are created by Peter Schikele who constructs Spike Jones-like compositions with ludicrous instruments and arrangements. I was fortunate to see him live with the Kansas City Philharmonic back in the 80s. One of his best known bits is to do a play-by-play sports commentary of a performance of Beethoven's 5th. But he has a number of hilarious pieces. Would be cool to watch you react to these.
I enjoyed listening to this so much. It was great to hear what you thought of this piece and how you reviewed it. i value your opinion Doug.
Thank you, Doug. I'm learning a great deal.
I never picked up an instrument, but a very patient music Teacher (thanks, Mr. Poe!) taught me how to read sheet-music.
It's a joy to 'read along' as the music is being played!
Thanks for the journey!
This was an interesting analysis, I’ve never actually listened to this piece through before and I got the album when it came out. I just never got classical in this sense, so well done for taking me through the piece
Doug, Not just Gershwin and the others, but Stravinsky inspired also 👏🏽👏🏽 Magnificent as only Keith could write it
and maybe a little bit of Varese ?
And a bit of Ginastera of course (in the 3rd part).
@@Madiewski234 Absolutely Ginastera 👌🏽
14:00. Solid ‘rite of spring’ riff
I had to go do the vinyl again, thanks Doug
I made an extract of the second movement as a ring tone for my cell phone. Sounds pretty cool. I always know its my phone ringing because I m sure no one else has it..
Welcome back my friend, to the show that never ends
He's 50% classical, 50% rock, and 50% jazz (Seinfeld math).
But seriously, I think they are not mutually exclusive.
I think he is all three at once.
Yes, I agree about the jazz. It's much clearer in his earlier playing & composing- eg with The Nice (like when the horn section comes in towards the end of the Five Bridges, or in the improvisation in Hang on to a Dream). In later works, such as this, it's kind of filtered through Gershwin, so it's less explicitly "jazzy".
I hear a lot of Copeland-esque influence in this piece, particularly in the rhythms.
I saw ELP do this this on stage at Madison Square Garden with full orchestra. Each instrument was individually miked and mixed. Sounded pretty amazing - although it was the first time I ever got deeply stoned, so, maybe not objective.
Hi Doug. Thanks for doing this piece. ELP is my all-time favorite and is my "desert island" band. In an interesting documentary on ELP, Keith commented that writing this piece was in part, an answer to some critics who said that he basically copied other composer's work-Mussorgsky (Pictures), Copland (Hoedown), Ginastera (Toccata) etc. So when you mentioned the tone rows in the opening movement and that he had something to prove, it reminded of what Keith said about those critics. Always look forward to your next video..
Great job Doug. Love the sheet music and your input. Was very fortunate to see ELP do this with full orchestra in Minneapolis in 1977, still have the t-shirt! The next night Iowa concert is on youtube somewhere. Fantastic show, from this piece to Keith doing Fanfare for the Common Man on a B3 on top of him, playing upside down and backwards - all three laughing and being nuts. You do need to check out the rest of this album. btw, nice tribute to Alan White with Turn of the Century and CTTE.
I saw ELP with the Orchestra . How lucky I was .
I really hope you checkout "Pirates". This is music that evokes a movie in the mind. The lyrics are almost not needed. (And yet they tell an interesting story.) The music alone gives the feeling of being on the open sea. This is a song that could be used as a film score.
Interesting that you say that. It was started as a film score. It was Emerson's proposal to get the contract for the music for the film of Fredrick Forsyth's The Dogs of War. If you ignore the lyrics you can hear it as a theme for a film about modern mercenaries.
Damn, I miss Keith Emerson! What a genius, what a talent.
Awesome video. You must do this kind of videos more.
It was great taking a deep dive into this piece with you, Doug; an hour well spent! Very interesting to hear your observations as a composer and arranger. I don't know if it's still available, but I have a copy of an arrangement for two pianos by Daniel Dorff, published in 2001 by Leadchoice. This is in printed - as opposed to handwritten - notation, and untransposed, making it easier to follow if you're not used to reading full orchestral scores with parts for B flat clarinets, etc.
If you want a suggestion for the next album to listen to, i highly suggest Concerto Grosso per i New Trolls, especially because you are a classical composer, this album is a mix of classical and progressive rock and in my opinion one of the best albums of all time, i hope you give it a try!
Parts of this sound like their song Trilogy. Worth checking it out.
Emerson had not completed the concerto when it was consumed in a fire that took down the cottage where he was staying. This resulted in the third movement sounding as angry as it does. Speaking about the recording of the piece, Emerson recalled, "When I recorded the Piano Concerto with the London Philharmonic, to them it was just a joke. It was ridiculous. The brass section at the back would be reading porney magazines and the conductor wouldn't even see it. They couldn't give a damn about this new piece of music. So I was pretty stubborn. I booked studio time in London for six sessions. I said, 'You're not taking me seriously and I'm going to book 'em until they get it right.'"
Cheney Coker I truly believe those Tubular Bells represent the Fire Truck and/or firehouse.
Doug - Thanks for analyzing this piece. I hadn't listened to Works and, thus, Keith's Piano Concerto #1 in over a year. So, it was good to hear again and I enjoyed your commentary.
I'd love to hear your analysis and thoughts on some of Peter Gabriel's New Blood stuff. I think the orchestrations on those pieces are amazing! If you like, you can choose the instrumental versions. Nevertheless, you might like to hear how Peter's vocals mesh with orchestra.
Been so looking forward to your reaction to this piece. And, as always, I learned a lot - thanks yet again, Doug! The third movement was always my favourite, and learning (back in the day) of the tragedy that inspired it gave me perhaps the reason why. I just LOVE the part where it morphs from menace to celebration - when I first heard it, back in the 1970s, that transition just totally took my breath away. It still does. Please consider "Pirates". The lyrics do not really matter, it is IMO just a brilliant piece of classical/rock fusion. And I will always be indebted to ELP, for introducing me to the music of the wonderful Aaron Copland, which I now love so much!
He has already done Pirates
Pirates!!
I like the melodies of the first movement the best; the moment where the piano first appears, and the chorale, are favorites for me just for their pleasant harmonics and the beauty of the piano part. But you're right, the second and third movements hang together *as orchestral pieces* better, and the second movement really is lovely.
So Rick Wakeman releases Journey To The Center Of The Earth in May of 1974 , and Keith unveils Concerto no.1 in March of 1977 . I wonder if there was a bit of “ Yeah , I can do that , too “ in there somewhere … ; )
Cool. I had asked for this. Fanfare and Pirates are very good pieces also. Hope you can react to them soon!
He said he wrote it to prove to the critics that he just didn't rearrange classical tunes as they said that that was all he did, so he said I'll show them I can write my own stuff.
Emerson was an explorer. He commences with a tone row; yet, it never reappears, at least in its initial form. (Perhaps he just extrapolated that row out of subsequent harmonic material and inserted it in the beginning?) I think the interruptions are effective at the beginning and create some uncertainty. I appreciate the piece as not just piano pyro-technics with orchestra accompaniment, but as a more balanced work. Plenty of piano, but also other moments where the piano is more supportive, or not even playing at all.
It's like it starts with a tone row as that's meant to be music stripped of style in a way, and then he looks at the many possibilities after that. Then the second part settles on a style before the whirlwind last movement shakes things up.
I understand you're literally the Professor, and all the science and math and structure that goes into building a piece like this. But please do not forget how an audience will react, especially emotionally. A lot of classical concertos leave me cold, but this sucks me right in, bounces me around, lays me down, then scares the bejeezus out of me before leaving me in tears at that final, repeated progression. Every. Single. Time. And I've heard this hundreds of times over the last 40 years.
Some will say it's too conventional (prog side?) and some that it's not conventional enough (classical side?). But the generosity of the piece with the conversation of all these ideas seems to grip enough people.
Thank you for getting to this, Doug. Keith is probably my all-time favorite musician, and I've always loved this piece. You do an amazing job of analyzing this work (as always). Again, thank you. Also, here's a look at Keith performing the 3rd Movement during ELP's Works Tour: ua-cam.com/video/n3JEaXQ18kA/v-deo.html
I remember feeling that live performance made the third movement even better than the studio version. Unfortunate there wasn't a live recording with him of the whole work.
@@starry2006 Agreed. One wonders if in fact there IS a live recording of the whole work that simply hasn't seen the light of day--yet!
There is an alternate universe where Keith Emerson composed the Star Wars soundtrack, I'm sure of it.
Yes! You need to check out "Pirates".
Doug, listen and enjoy Pirates. Perhaps their greatest piece in my opinion.
Like most of the great keyboard players of early prog music (late '60s and '70s) Keith was a classically trained musician/piano player so that shows not only on this piece but on most of his rock oriented music.
I think Keith was the best rock keyboard player ever. There might be a few who are as technically proficient, but they all lack the finesse that Keith had before the nerve damage took hold. Even Rick Wakeman, as amazing as he is, is a notch or two below Keith.
I agree with others about Rachel Flowers. She's a powerhouse! Excellent multi-instrumentalist!
I only know a bit of ELP stuff but after only the first few bars this is instantly recognizable as their sound.
Thank you so much for this analysis. I was surprised by the analogy to Gershwin and Vaughn-Williams, but I see it. I thought Prokofiev and Bartok might be mentioned as well as Copland/Bernstein, but that assumes the concerto fits into the classical tradition.
I really like this concerto, and always thought of it as a tour of the 20th century in classical music concertos - perhaps explaining the episodic nature of the first movement. I supposed the 12 tone start is a representation of what classical music sounded like to the audience at the time of writing, and demanded the audience of the time stoped any expectations of a blues/jazz based piece, to allow the listener to hear the piece in a different context.
Also, I wonder whether the 'ELP Emerson', had been searching for this transition from blues to classical tradition from the start - see the 5 Bridges piece or the Allegro Barbaro on ELP I (not to mention Pictures at an Exhibition of course). Keith was trying to carry the fans into the modern classical world.
Unfortunately, I think he failed to make the transition, and he was trapped in his, wonderful, performances. I live in walking distance from his grave, and I visit it to honour him and his spirit. This passionate spirit of his is here in this concerto, which is why it is always worth a listen.
My college roommate and I used to listen to this and identify each influence. Starts out Schoenberg. Now a Bach chorale! Now Gershwin! And the end of the cadenza, with the ostinato left hand, is classic Keith Emerson. All those styles, and the movement ends with a traditional 5-1 cadence. Hilarious!! (In a good way.) And that’s just the first movement.
Emerson trained as a classical musician: Like Zappa he went the rock route as a young musician, as that was the way it generally went in the 70’s. Similar to Rick Wakeman of Yes.Though I believe that being a classical musician/composer is what he always to be. I also heard a story regarding the Orchestra musicians snubbing him on the session… like… “Who is this guy, coming into our world”. Apparently, their attitude really upset him at the time. Secondly, other than together with himself, I don’t think that he particularly wanted or expected the Symphony to be played otherwise. Hence the extra instrumentation. I feel that Keith overall, wanted to prove that he could write & play an exceptional piece of music of merit, & that he wasn’t just a rock musician “per se”. The cost of the recording may have been paid for by the record company at the time. Though not perhaps the full touring schedule. Hence the funds ran out.