Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best solo works by a former Yes - man, December 30, 2001
When Yes broke up the first time in 1975, interestingly enough all the former members of the band came out with solo or duo albums. All of them produced their albums at about the same time and all of them combined an orchestra with their works.I like Steve Howe's "The Steve Howe Album". Double Rondo is a work that Steve composed and highlights his guitar prowness. However, Wakeman's work is more impressive. Rick also composed every song and instrumentation. While he composed in such a way as to highlight his own skills also; the overall level of the composition is such that Wakeman's keyboarding is much more integrated into the overall composition than his fellow former (and future) bandsmen from 'Yes' integrated their skills into their albums. Each title of this album focuses on one of the characters of the King Arthur legend - except for the final title entitled "The Final Battle". Wakeman captures his interpretation of the character in each title. For example, 'Merlin the Magician' has some very whimsical parts to it sounding like a player piano playing in a old US Western movie. Wakeman has the English Chamber Chorus supplying vocals in each title - sometimes producing a very dramatic effect. Rick plays a variety of keyboards: grand piano, mellotron, synthesizer, electric organ, lyritron. Trumpets from the orchestra in 'The Final Batlle' remind me of wakeman's syntesizer towards the end of the yes song 'Heart of the Sunrise'. If you like early Yes (The Yes album, Fragile, CTE,TO Topo Oceans), then I think you will like this work by Wakeman - even though it has a more ochestral sound then Yes. out of all the works by former Yesman in ~1975; I think this has the most 'Yes' sound to it.
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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Most Quintessential British Masterworks!, June 29, 2001
Question: What do you get when you combine classical music with a Victorian edge and progressive rock? Why, you get one of the most brilliant pieces of musical geniusness ever put on record! The result is "The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table", by one of (progressive) rock's most gifted keyboardists - Rick Wakeman. A rather quaint, well versed British-esque narrative sets the tone of "Arthur" in grand fashion. The rather brief "Lady Of The Lake", the lengthy "Merlin The Magician" and the timely adequate "Sir Galahad, all display the same introductory Victorian choir chant and piano stylings. "Guinevere", "Sir Lancelot And The Black Knight" and "The Last Battle" each display a unique pattern of progressivism, which is a perfect compliment to the Victorian-styled classical music and Shakespearean themes etched throughout this CD. If you like these four titles by Genesis: "Trespass", "Nursery Cryme", "Selling England By The Pound" and "A Trick Of The Tail", then you'll most likely enjoy "Myths and Legends..." Of the four above mentioned titles, "Selling England" would make the best companion CD to "Myths", due to its' very British lyrical and musical nature. The shock value of "Myths" will be surprising to many Yes fans, because the progressive chords featured on it don't sound anything like the typically progressive instincts provided by Yes, of which Rick Wakeman was a member during the early and late '70's, and also during the early '90's on the group's '91 release "Union". Also, another perfect companion CD to "Myths" would be the Yes solo compilation title "Affirmative: The Yes Solo Family Album", which features two Wakeman tracks, the above mentioned "Merlin The Magician" and "Catherine Howard", with the latter track also featured on another of Rick's solo efforts, titled "The Six Wives Of Henry VIII". "The musical theme of "Catherine Howard" would have fit in with the other songs on "Myths and Legends.." as well. Since it is very rare to hear such exceptional musical genius really shine through on "Myths", by no means should any hardcore fan of progressive rock, or in some cases, classical music, be without this title in their must have CD collection(s). A rare find, to say the least.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Justice has been served to King Arthur, July 27, 1999
By A Customer
A master piece by Rick Wakeman telling the epic story of the legendary King Arthur and his knights of the round table. One of Wakeman's best albums and an album that still compete with albums in today's rock.
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by Rick Wakeman 
