Classical Composer Reaction/Score Analysis to Take a Pebble (ELP) | The Daily Doug (Episode 477)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- #emersonlakeandpalmer #takeapebble
In this episode of #thedailydoug, I'm publishing one of my exclusive Patreon videos for the first time on TH-cam. In early August, 2022, I listened to and analyzed Take a Pebble by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Follow along with me and some sheet music to uncover this beautiful song's secrets! I hope you enjoy!
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The magic and musical excellence of Emerson, Lake and Palmer will never be duplicated. They stand alone as the masters of progressive rock.
The tradgedy of ELP, in my view, was how the English music press constantly attacked them during the period when prog rock was on the way out. They were held accountable for everything that was seen to be wrong with the genre and I believe it had a huge impact on the band and in particular Keith who tragically commited suicide some years later. They should be remembered as a great collective of talent and imagination spearheading the prog rock movement in the early days.
I had heard or read somewhere that, toward the end, Keith was struggling with arthritis as well.
So sad😢… Keith was loved by so many for his contribution to the prog genre.
RIP😢 Keith & Greg 😢 You both are sorely missed 😢
I too read that somewhere. That Keith's aggressive playing over the years gave him nerve damage in his hands/wrists to the point he felt his music was compromised. That was something he couldn't deal with, as he felt he was letting the ELP fans down. Rachel Flowers carries on his legacy, truly brilliant in her own right.
Indeed, sad to see another musical genius tormented by criticism, self doubt and depression. Nevertheless he left his mark and one which has, unlike the progrock successors, aged very well. In my opinion of course.
I'm not sure how much of a role their critical reception in the prog era played in Keith's suicide. It was so much later. I think it was probably mostly what Deborah said, the discouragement of not being physical able to play how he still wanted to. I don't know, but maybe he suffered clinical depression as well.
@@JohnBrooking4 - yes, fair point. I don’t suppose we will ever know exactly how it impacted his mind and depression but I certainly feel it played some part. As a sufferer myself, I know that things that happened long ago can play on your mind and add to the overall feelings at your low points,
For my money, the most talented skilled musicians of the last 50 years. This is is one of the very best. Greg lake a ridiculously aprpopos vocalist.
Actually, my favorite ELP song and album! As much as I love Keith's Electronic playing, I Truly LOVE his Acoustic Piano playing!
His wonderful quotes from Bach and many other composers showed the depth of his knowledge - equally steeped in classical as jazz and a terrific showman. Even to the band performing live PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION!
You gotta admit it some of the best music ever written in the history of music
I was 15 and a classically trained pianist when this album came out. This, and the subsequent albums, changed the trajectory of my life. I am 67, and I remember to this day slowing down my Magnavox reel to reel from 7-1/2 to 1-3/4 so I could learn these tunes, as it would be years before transcriptions would become available. One of my projects, when I retire from my law practice next year, is to re-learn these tunes.
LOL. I learned it similarly. I would put the needle on the record, write down a few notes, then go down to the pianos in the conservatory on camputs, repeat, repeat . .
James, we look forward to your recital of Take A Pebble!
Exactly the same !
Same age
This is the first song I hear from them !
It’s change completely my vision of the music with the improvisations and new sounds (synthesizer )in the others songs of the album !!
I immediately work the double croches that are the images of the ricochets on the water 😊
I had a similar reaction at the same age. What people don't understand is that folks like Emerson were important role models for young players like us who were studying classical music and jazz. Prog showed us how those influences could be used to create exciting popular music.
When ELP are firing on all cylinders, they are very hard to beat! There are videos here on YT with Greg's vocals isolated, he is pitch perfect and his words are beautifully executed, fantastic vocalist indeed!
Such a wonderful vocalist and musician, RIP Greg
This most delightful piece is expertly driven by Carl Palmer’s exquisite drumming.
Emerson is a legendary pianist, for sure, but I am always amazed at the beauty and complexity of the bass guitar arrangements in these songs. So easy to overlook under the keyboards, yet absolutely fundamental to the overall sound.
Greg Lake is a criminally underrated bassist. I actually place him in my top 3 all time.
You really should listen to the isolated bass + drums of 21st Century Schizoid man... knowing that, at the time he recorded it, Greg had been playing bass less than a year (he was 1st a guitar player).
th-cam.com/video/E_7Db-Q7XoU/w-d-xo.html
@@ScienceTalkwithJimMassa Greg Lake just wasn't as bombastic as Chris Squire. The difference is that Squire couldn't play with lesser musicians, but Lake was a bassist for musicians that couldn't tolerate anything less than the best.
Doug, thank you for this analysis! Emerson was a genius and this song showcases the immense talent of the band right from the starting gate!
Piano, bass, drums and an acoustic guitar interlude. Basics...and 12 mins of a beauty. Epic!
One of their best pieces of work.
All three on top form. Keith’s solo is beautifully structured as well as perfectly played. His instinctive note and timing choices just work so well.
More than anything, it is the freshness, honesty and inventiveness the band had in the early 70’s era, that I find the most moving.
A beautiful song from ELP. Probably the nicest piano work from Keith in all of ELP's existence.
The studio version of Take A Pebble is incredible, but the live version of Welcome Back My Friends . . . . is absolutely mind blowing! I think it deserves to be analyzed separately sometime down the road.
That whole album, which I classify as their "greatest hits", was one of a kind! Plus, they included the full version of "The Minotaur" during the latter part of Tarkus, and it fit perfectly! Dick Hyman would have been proud.
I loved to see how much pleasure you gained by the professional analysis of this song. So not only the natural beauty of the song can entertain but the structure of the song was a joy.
So far, one of the best songs from ELP! Also Gregs bass playing is underestimated!
Reading on the members, both Lake & Emerson had got formal training on guitar and piano respectively, and according to wikipedia Carl Palmer " took lessons with Britain's best-known classical percussionist of the twentieth century, James Blades." So no wonder they knew what they were doing from the beginning ( no pun intended).
Hell yes, they were all both ridiculously talented AND experienced when they met even tho they were still very young... and Carl was even younger but already a talked about, up and coming drummer. They were established musicians from the start.
Such a beautiful song. Just love Greg's voice, so powerful. Emerson Lake and Palmer put out some amazing music.
I agree; Greg Lake had one of the most beautiful voices in modern music, period.
you'll get a KICK out of seeing them having so much FUN the live perf in Zürich, 1970! 15minutes+++ (includes a song about Greg's dog)
Emerson, Lake and were genius, so many masterpieces.
I saw ELP in 1974 and Keith used the a large white feather to strum the piano strings during this song. I was really amazed at his creativity and loved the sound it produced. Greatest concert I ever saw.
Carl was a bit hesitant at first to join Greg & Keith. Greg told him, "listen, if you don't join us you'll not only hurt yourself, but you'll be hurting me".....
They wanted Carl bad, but had already had discussion with Mitch Mitchell, which didn't work out. Reason being ? Mitch showed up to talk things over one day & brought along his friend/bodyguard.
The friend sat down & plunked down a hand gun on the table in front of Keith & Greg.
It changed the vibe from open & honest to foreboding immediately.
On this, they passed on Mitch based on the company he kept at the time.....
Weird to think what might have been, huh ?
As always, the Dougfest here is top notch- so, thank you ❣❣❣❣
🚬😎
“Emerson, Lake & Mitchell” just doesn’t sound right.
Keith would pedal dampen the chord and then strum the piano strings inside. He would then voice the second chord, pedal dampen, and strum and pick the notes with his fingers. Saw him do this live. Was, of course, blown away by the technique. Thanks, Doug. Great analysis.
Funny, I always assumed it had been a zither or an auto harp!
They were unhappy, I think, at how very, very good these 3 were.
Yes. We saw them in Champaign, Illinois, for the Brain Salad Surgery tour, and it was just so cool to see him reach in and strum the grand piano strings while his other hand kept playing.
Then, of course, he would wow us by playing different keyboards simultaneously - and even in reverse, upside down. They were all great musicians, but Keith Emerson was a savant.
Sill one of my favorite bands of all time. Innovative and brilliant.
P
⁰😊
The bass guitar parts in this song are awesome
I still remember seeing them at Hershey Arena, in quadraphonic, 15 Aug 1974. I still get goosebumps.😊
After a long absence from the music of my 1970s this one has aged well. A wonderful canvas for the classically influenced piano (with some undercover strumming!), the delicate and precise percussion effects which build tension, and Greg's beautiful voice and sad lyrics. I had to choke and decide to, like Doug, take time to listen again in an intimate setting to the timeless beauty of ELP's first hit.
This is one of my most appreciated melodies from ELP. Greg Lake vocals are simply stunning. By the way, It would be very interesting too to hear a Rick Wakeman version of Close to the Edge on the piano. You can find it here in TH-cam.
absorbing this at age 12 really helped me establish a deep appreciation of real music!
Thank you, Doug, for another excellent analysis. I'm definitely awed by your musical understanding and the depth of your breakdowns of some very complicated ELP music. I truly believe Keith would have loved your analysis of his playing (and composing, especially).
BS he’s 40 years too late
@@TheLastOilMan What are you talking about? And why are you being obnoxious when talking about it?
Only 40 years latevhaha
Finally you've got into Take a Pebble! I'm so happy! One of ELP's masterpieces, and definitely one of my favorite songs by them! The armonica analysis was so interesting, and I'm delighted you've got how Keith achieves his sound at the beginning so fast :)
Absolutely superb video of one of the best bands of time!
Fun fact about the "kettle" drums: I happened to be watching a live 1970 ELP show on TH-cam (as one does), and noticed that Carl is at this time is not using kettledrums (he would a few years later), he's using felted mallets on his floor toms, which he's apparently tuned to adequately resemble kettledrums. No special gear needed, just clever use of properly tuned equipment.
One of my favorite tunes.....this song got me interested in modal jazz. I can hear influences of McCoy Tyner in there and some quartal harmony. Thank you for breaking it down. I was always interested in hearing a more technical analysis of this tune so THANK YOU!!!
Thanks Doug, for this reaction. I’ve been listening to this song for about fifty years, and it has a timeless quality to it. Perhaps this reflects the profundity of this piece. Watching the ripples unfolding and the effects/affects they have is both uplifting and sad, but there is a beauty in this contrast, captured so well by these amazing musicians.
Doug, I've listened to this song for decades and have always enjoyed it. I've also watched several of your videos and have enjoyed them too. But watching you analyze this song and break it down, along with your facial expressions was priceless. So much so, I watched it twice in a row.
It's great seeing you get excited over the prog music we love. A much enjoyed reaction.
I’ve been practicing this piece since I was a teenager… occasionally stepping away from the piano for a decade or two and never really understanding what I’ve been playing. Naturally this video of yours has been invaluable to my personal music education. Thank you ever so much!
I use this track often for audio system evaluation due to the exceptionally lifelike quality of the recording. Handclaps in particular can be very revealing.
You mentioned ripples, take a iat Ripples by Genesis. Probably one of the most beautiful songs ever written.
You definitely need to watch live performances from them.
Zurich, 1970!
Yes definitely !!!
Carl Palmer was in a great prog rock band called ATOMIC ROOSTER. And before that the extraordinary CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN who had surreal theatrical goings on as much as humour and great musicianship. I saw them in Norwich in a park and Arthur used to do a number, which became a hit, called FIRE. The gimmick was that he wore a crown of actual fire. To make his entrance he had bribed a crane driver having noticed a crane conveniently nearby to lift him up just before their slot and swing around and lower him on stage. What Arthur didn’t know was how slowly the crane would drop him. The band had started playing the amazing keyboard player VINCENT CRANE playing wonderfully doomy chords. The crane swung the bucket with Arthur over the stage and proceeded to lower him at a glacial pace. The band was improvising. Arthur had already lit the headdress eventually a triumphant entry but the headdress disappeared pretty quickly! Crane and Palmer then went on to found ATOMIC ROOSTER who are worthy of your time. Check out DEATH WALKS BEHIND YOU - somewhere between metal and prog!
How much ELP had already made history as soon they performed live at the Isle of Wight… the were instantly the best!
Live was home for them!
The first album was a proof of their musical and melodic powers!!
…Take a Pebble is just fantastic !! Thank you Doug for this beautiful musical encounter!👌
Yes, Carl toured with full percussion. He was a very busy man on stage, as we're they all. This was wonderful! Grazie!
Awesome first album. Truly amazing ostinato. Love it!
The first ELP album is just fantastic. This song, The Barbarian, The 3 Fates, and one of my favorites: Tank, which also explores quartal/quintal harmony. Beautiful synthesizer solo at the end. (I have a score of Tank, Doug, if you want to do a reaction video to it.)
Regarding this Take A Pebble score, it would have been nice if they added the bass part (below the piano grand-staff), especially during the piano solo rather than dozens of blank vocal measures. Obviously, there is no vocal part in the solo section and the bass part is very important. So a glaring omission there.
ELP? You've traded up a level, Doug :)
He's done a lot of ELP.
This album is amazing! My older brother braught it home from college. I was blown away! I later saw the very first concert, in Montreal, at Place des nations in 1970. They played the whole album.
I was listening to the short track "Fugue" from Trilogy... such a masterpiece.
I often listen to the live version of this song. Stunningly fabulous. ELP has another masterpiece from Works Vol. 1 called Pirates. Listen to it and it’ll be 13 of the best minutes of your life
Doug, you HAVE to see the new King Crimson movie "In the Court of The King Crimson"? BLEW my mind and you added a key piece to the movie. You explained why Greg Lake left. Robert Fripp is a TRIP !
Doug - Fantastic analysis. I especially like how you interpreted the lyrics. Though I've sung this song a lot over the years, I never really focused much on the meaning. I guess you could say I'm a bit more like Jon Anderson that way. I just like the way words flow within a song.
A good pressing of the self-titled or Tarkus, are as good as anything ever laid down on vinyl.. Absolutely stunning production
I am so fortunate to have seen these guys in November of 1975 in Wichita Kansas at the Henry Levitt Arena... All these years and concerts later and they remain in the top 5... Probably top 3.... I will never forget...
Saw them in 1978 works tour! 2nd row floor seat in front of Greg!
Thanks Doug
Amazing first album
I was lucky enough to see Greg with King Crimson in Norwich - mind blowing - I went straight out and bought the first album
Thank you Dr. Doug for this excellent analysis. This was one of the first pieces by ELP that I learned to play (I'm a keyboardist). I did so by listening to the record over and over. If I had the sheet music, it would have been so much easier as then the subtleties in the harmonies become apparent (though I was able to figure things out because I did study music theory). One of ELP's best songs. Though I have always wondered why Keith did not get a writing credit for this song given how the piano portions were his contributions and they are integral part of the song. I always love it when you analyze/react to an ELP song))
I have always found this music superb, and your analysis is equally excellent. Keith was a genius, but like a lot of geniuses - sadly suffered great internal complexity.
Two members of King Crimson left after the first album because they didn't want to tour any longer. Lake left because he didn't want to be in a studio band, which is what KC was shaping up to be. He sang all but one piece on the second album in exchange for touring equipment Fripp didn't expect to need. He didn't play bass on that one, though.
Great choice for a score analysis, Doug! Thank you. An extremely beautiful piece of music. 'From the Beginning' off of the 'Trilogy' album would be another good one to take an extended look/listen to.
Hi, Doug. I like your presentations. Very informative and entertaining. Would you please share how you acquire the scores that you sometimes put on your screen, such as this one and some of Frank Zappa's songs? Thank you in advance. Keep up the good work. R.
Fantastic Doug! You can't go wrong with Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and this was the earliest example of each of the three bringing their own creativity to complete a whole song. After we all heard "Lucky Man" on the radio, I went straight to the record store, and bought this album. When I got to this second track, I was totally captivated, and had to put the needle back and have a second and then, third listen. The only thing better to hear was going to Side 2, and hearing "The Three Fates", especially "Lechesis" where, again, had to put the needle back and listen to it more than once.
Loved your analysis as well as your enthusiasm throughout the listen.
Why wouldn't you like the vocal at the end😮 to me that was always amongst the strongest vocal work that man did along with the Endless Enigma and Jerusalem😊
These reactions with the score are some of the most interesting and entertaining content I have ever seen. Highlight of any week when one appears.
lol, no idea how to use telegram but something sounds interesting and as I'm stressed out with trying to move home the prospect of good stuff like this is perfect timing.
😃😃😃
When I first heard this, I thought it was an autoharp, but no, Emerson is strumming his piano. Back in the 1980's, when my friend found this album in his late brother's record collection, I thought his some rare obscure music.
one of my favourite Emmerson Lake & Palmer tunes, It gripped me on the day I bought the album & still does today. The Nice's cover of Tim Hardin's "Hang on to a Dream" is my other top tune of Emmerson's.
Always been my favorite ELP song since I heard it in 1976.
I learned and played this piece in college.. A lot of Right hand over the left hand while that F ostinato is playing. Keith does this A LOT
Lake is my favourite singer, dunno why but I guess it's because he was the singer in two seminal groups
With Karn Evil 9 and Tarkus the top 3 compositions from ELP.
Thank you Doug for this interesting look at " Take a Pebble." I wonder if you would consider sharing a few of your own pieces sometime, provide analysis and let us hear what you're doing with your own music?
Doug has shared his music a couple of times. Behind the Score on Patreon and also during the Christmas season he has shared one of his holiday pieces. Daily Doug Episode 73 and 295
You know what would be AMAZING
to watch you react to?
Rick Wakeman's
Journey to the Centre of the Earth
I wonder if a score exists for that ? 🤔
Great great analysis of the harmonic structure. Thanks!. There's also a mini-cosmos there around the elegant and sophisticated way Emerson plays with the rythym in the solo, against the obstinato. More than anything, his solos aren't just a collection of random scales or mode shifts, but little stories, with multiple tensions and resolutions. Still sounds good after more than 50 years!
So well put,..his knowledge of music theory is top shelf, truly lyrical, animated and brooding almost simultaneously...
I suggest you check out their Pictures At An Exhibition (Mussorgsky) album....
Yes !! I second this.
Doug! Pictures is an absolute must do..
Hey Y'All. Doug reacted to the entire album Pictures At An Exhibition on his Patreon. Check the Daily Doug Directory in this video's description for links to all Doug's reactions.
He’s reaching inside the piano and strumming the piano strings in the intro
I would be very interested to see you react to Keith Emerson's Piano Concerto on Works Vol. 1. I have heard that it stands up well for classical musicians and critics, and I can hear some of Keith's classical composer influences in it. I wonder what you would make of it.
Funny you should mention; Doug has done the full Emerson concerto already.
He did that already: th-cam.com/video/9P8jxK0I5PA/w-d-xo.html
@@phred23 Thanks - I'll look it up immediately!
Thank god we have dozy too late Doug to tell us that this is lovely music !
You can't know what you don't know.... And obviously he appreciates it now he DOES know. Not everyone was lucky enough to discover this stuff the first time around.
Jimi Hendrix is rumored to have in talks with them to join the band as well but died before that idea could be explored.
Keith is reaching in to play the strings there. Good call.
It occurs to me that the E natural in the left hand at 10:33 (which could more easily have been scored as an F flat, considering the key sig) is setting up the modulation to F minor more than the C chord two bars earlier - ie, a first inversion of C7flat10 (that most jazzy of jazz chords) which has been stripped, like many jazz piano voicings can be, of quite a few of the constituent notes of the chord.
Doug thank you for this! It’s a beautiful song.
Please consider doing “Closer To Believing” from their album Works Vol. 1
It has full orchestra, choir and a lovely shirt oboe (maybe English horn) solo.
I think you would find the harmonic structure in places fascinating.
Lyrics? A broken relationship, the passage of time, melancholy. Delicious.
An interesting note about Carl Palmer is that he used brushes on this cut and the first cut on the album. How many drummers do you know that use brushes?
PLEASE do some king crimson videos! Specifically, do all of the album The Court of the Crimson King, as its lyrical and musical content is very interesting as a full concept album, or the song Lizard (off of the album Lizard).
This a live video of Keith strumming those strings th-cam.com/video/IaYsgjn82GA/w-d-xo.html
Fun fact! At 23:02 Emerson is making a Bach reference. It is the C major invention BWV 772.
Carls drumset was stainless steel and weighed around a ton
Ringo Starr purchased that drum set at an auction😮 Carl Palmer ended up getting it back from Ringo which ended up with Carl attempting to donate it to the Hard Rock Cafe or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but I'm almost certain it was the Hard Rock Cafe. Naturally they were happy to get it until they found out the weight of that thing and the exorbitant price they would have to pay to have it shipped over from England😅 from what I understand a private owner has it nowadays😊 of course due to the cost of shipping the donation was turned down😢
Thanks for this great review Doug, I love it when you have a score to work with. Hopefully you'll also get round to listening to the 3 Fates from the same album sometime.
Such an amazing piece of music, with fantastic playing from everyone. I do believe it is somewhat tarnished by that middle section with the acoustic guitar that is a bit extraneous. And I agree about the final vocal harmony. Other that that -- a masterpiece.
Your students should be thankful that you are their teacher and can include a broader range of music to their studies.
Doug, I really enjoyed this!!! I know enough about theory to follow along plus I learned a ton from watching you! This is an excellent song…so beautiful! Strange question…if Mozart was sitting beside you listening to this, what do you think he’d say? I truly think he would love Keith’s playing and creativity!!
Love your channel🇨🇦🇨🇦
I'm glad songs like this can be seen for what it is. Umderrated!
Knife edge is another great one off that album
My favorite voice. Lovely song.
Concerto for Group and Orchestra from Jon Lord is also in the list for quite a long time. There is also a score available for it. So it might be time to have a look on it.
Doug, I'm thinking the basic construction is akin to the sonata-allegro form: exposition, development, recapitulation.
Love it when you do ELP..
There is a cool YT video of Keith Emerson playing on Oscar Peterson's TV show back in the day. I have never seen any other Emerson interviews so not sure if he is a nervous interviewee, but it was interesting that someone of Keith's talent was nervous in the presence of Oscar. Great stuff
It's the only time I've seen him obviously nervous during an interview.
Doug your the Daddy, wish you could drum keyboard basics into a 69yr old fool with 3 software synths and a mellotron with 4of 6 banks ,and enough IC's to build a eurorack analoug synth. not enough hours in the day. And ELP were my teenage heros alon with Yes and the Floyd.
You definitely need to do 'Pictures at an Exhibition'. It's one of the monumental works of progressive rock, taking the classical heritage from Mussorgskij and Ravel into modern time.
Doug reacted to the entire album Pictures At An Exhibition on his Patreon. Check the Daily Doug Directory in this video's description for links to all Doug's reactions.
@@Arrow2theACL Thanks!
52 years since I first heard it, this remains my all time favourite ELP track, for the depth of the lyrics , the tones of the bass guitar, the qualities of Greg's vouce, and for the way the tune moves through the piamo improvs before that incredible final cadence. Every time I listen to it I have to sit in silence and contemplate it for a minute or two afterwards. Greg Lake's song, 'The Sage' leaves a similar impression on me of both wonder at the beauty, but also a sense of slight melancholy in the telling of the story.
I also really liked “The Sage.” I remember writing out the lyrics from memory in my freshman Chem notebook during a lecture. I carry the dust from that journey.
Hey man, great video. You’ve gotta do some more of these ELP analysis vids as they are so informative for people trying to learn ELP, as there are hardly any other vids of how to play their tunes.❤
Doug reacted to the entire album Pictures At An Exhibition on his Patreon. Check the Daily Doug Directory in this video's description for links to all Doug's reactions.