The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table
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| The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table | |||||
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| Studio album by Rick Wakeman | |||||
| Released | May 1975 | ||||
| Recorded | 16 Oct, 1974-10 Jan, 1975 | ||||
| Genre | Progressive rock | ||||
| Length | 44:57 | ||||
| Label | A&M | ||||
| Producer | Rick Wakeman | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Rick Wakeman chronology | |||||
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The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a 1975 progressive rock concept album by Rick Wakeman of Yes fame. The album tells the legend of King Arthur and is certainly among Wakeman's best works--as well as being a great favourite among his fans. Besides, this album includes some of the most popular and frequently performed Wakeman pieces, such as Arthur, Sir Lancelot and the Black Knight, The Last Battle, and especially Merlin the Magician. Also, the theme of Arthur has been used by the BBC since 1979 for its election night coverage (with the exception of the 2001 election)[1].
The tour in support of the album was a theatrical performance on ice, an expensive project which, despite being sold out, caused Wakeman to go bankrupt. [2] [3] The album enjoyed good reviews but the live show in support of the record was ridiculed over the years as being a bloated and overblown affair and considered as one of the most notorious failures in rock n' roll history (it made VH1s "100 greatest shocking moments in rock and roll" at number 79). [4]
Nevertheless, the music of this album stands as one of the best examples of a possible fusion between rock and classical music. Perhaps the most coherent and convincing example of the 'symphonic rock' approach favoured by many progressive rock bands, The Myths and Legends of King Arthur... also offers many beautiful themes, imaginative orchestral colours, and a considerable amount of Wakeman's best keyboard work of ever, especially when soloing at the Minimoog and accompanying at the piano.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
All tracks by Rick Wakeman
[edit] Side one
- Arthur - 7:26
- Lady of the Lake - 0:45
- Guinevere - 6:45
- Sir Lancelot and the Black Knight - 5:20
[edit] Side two
- Merlin the Magician - 8:51
- Sir Galahad - 5:51
- The Last Battle - 9:41
[edit] Personnel
- Rick Wakeman - Synthesizers & Keyboards, Grand Piano
- Terry Taplin - Narrator
- Gary Pickford-Hopkins, Ashley Holt - Vocals
- Jeffrey Crampton - Guitars
- Roger Newell - Bass
- Barney James - drums
- John Hodgson - percussion
- The English Chamber Choir
