Keith Emerson’s Piano Concerto

ita_prog_fan wrote: threefates wrote: ita_prog_fan wrote: Okay, I'll take the bait...What makes Keith's concerto "puerile"? I've heard the classic composers pieces (granted I didn't formally study them) and they don't sound any more "mature" or "non-puerile" than Keith's. So please, educate me, what am I not hearing that makes it substandard? I really dont' want to educate you... or anyone else. But if you want some details... here they are ! Style is incertain; themes are poorly developed or not developed at all (in some section is resembles Mozart's Musical Joke in F maj. dedicated to improvised composers); some musical gestures has been taken as they are form the composers i named before and simply put in the concert... But, as i said before, Keith is NOT a classical composer either a classical painist, so it was good enough. Again, who are you to say it was poorly developed or not developed at all... it not your taste that Keith set out to appease... it was his own!  He thought it was grand... and we all thought it was marvelous and completed,  By the way, I found no relation in sound or gesture to Mozart... and you didn't recognize Copland.... so I'm not impressed by your comments... Just MHO... It resambles Mozart's Musical Joke in (no)structure, not in sound... and there isn't much Copland in the concert but, for example, a large use of Prokofiev, especially in the third movement. One last thing, can you please tell me what is "MHO" ?  An insult ?

Okay, so what you're saying is that because Emerson's influences can be heard in the piece, it is dismissable as serious music. I don't believe that is a valid argument. I'm sure all the great composers riffed off their influences or even stole them outright! No musician creates work without influences.

What needs to be addressed here is why is the piece is poorly rendered. I think Emerson plays with astonishing skill and passion and precision. The piece has discernable complexity that takes repeated listening to truly appreciate. Not sure why you're down on this. Need better rationale.

I have listened to Prokofiev's and Bartok's piano concerto's and I can tell you from fact that he's mentioned Copland as influence... for his piano concerto... and I've never heard him mention either Prokofiev or Bartok as influence for that.  He has of course used them as influences in other pieces of music.

Evidently you can build your own music from influences.. otherwise there wouldn't be a composer on the face of this planet.  The gift comes from taking the influences and translating them and your own creations into something spectacular... Something that Keith has always been able to do!  I was just listening to the Endless Enigma... OMG!!  It still moves me after 33 years...

Edited by threefates

Jeremy Bender wrote: I found the first and second movements always a bit boring...........but the third movement is brilliant! One of the best things he ever wrote.....strangely it reminds me of the music of Star Wars.

Wow, that's a backhanded compliment!  I think it's better than the music of Star Wars, which is pretty tame stuff compared to Keith's work.

John Williams is great!

 

 

threefates wrote: Evidently you can build your own music from influences.. otherwise there wouldn't be a composer on the face of this planet.  The gift comes from taking the influences and translating them and your own creations

This is an undisputed truth... the question is absorbing influences to build something of your own... and this is what the good Keith didn't in his 1st Piano Concerto.

About Bartok, I remember an old interview, Keith was telling about his admiration for Bartok's ability to take out music from the structure of leaves !!!

P.S. Endless Enigma is a beautiful piece of music, and Trilogy was the first album i bought, when i was 12 !!!!

       

 

Lateralus_66 wrote: I’m really close to a classical pianist with an impressive professional background, and the fact is that the only prog band that she likes is ELP.

 

I got (classical) professional pianst friends too, and they all love Keith... Jarret ! 

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Ok guys, it has been a nice discussion, but here it's half past nine in the evening and i have to go

to the movie !

      

 

 

 

Edited by ita_prog_fan

I like Emo's Piano Concerto a lot.The first movement reminds me of dear ole blighty.The second is just beautifull while the third movement is what Emerson does best... sheer violence Most classical music bores me rigid to be quite honest but I can listen to this quite happily.

I think it's just great Five stars The two "Works"-albums are IMO very good

One of the best things he ever wrote.

He was heavily influenced by classical music and, of course he was an amazing virtuoso: rumors said that he was able to play classical pieces streched on the piano (then with the keyboard at reverse!).

Some exaggerations, like hammers and knives between keys, was welcome in the '70: now feels a bit silly.

prog forever!

threefates wrote:

Is this Keith last nov ???????????

Oh my God, time is not a gentleman...