Satyagraha
Group: Musicians
Posts: 103
Joined: June 2003 |
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Posted: Aug. 17 2003, 18:25 |
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I believe the main reason why Hergest Ridge is under-rated, overlooked and neglected in the canon of MO, is its subtleness. While TB starts with an instantly recognizable ostinato, and Ommadawn and Incantations (and Amarok, in its twisted way) boldly takes you directly into their respective worlds, Hergest Ridge just gives you several minutes of cool highland breeze and the odd ray of sun before anything at all happens. And even then, everything is misty, grey-green and vague. This is ambient music.
Everyone loves Ludwig van Beethoven's third, fifth and ninth symphonies. Because they grip your attention immediately. But the others are just as great (my personal favourites are 2, 4 and 7), but a lot subtler. They all go on a bit before the main theme is presented, just like HR. (I'm not comparing MO and LvB, though. Ludwig is Zeus, Woden, Jahveh. Oldfield is merely super-human.)
It's a lot easier for the masses to embrace noises, bells and whistles than shepherds chanting in the distance, however great their tunes are. Note how everyone seems to dig HR's rainstorm.
-------------- Byrði betri berrat maðr brautu at en sé mannvit mikit
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