21st Century Schizoid Man
In the Court of the Crimson King starts with a terrifying introduction for those unfamiliar with King Crimson’s musicality or progressive rock. In fact, it’s a punch in the gut. Obviously, nothing on this album came from a creative vacuum—the influence of Sgt. Pepper’s on this track is notable. The band members made it clear — King Crimson wouldn’t have existed without The Beatles. The dissonance and sound collages, for example, are strikingly similar to ‘A Day In The Life.’ I think the most incredible thing about this song is the polyrhythmic sections. It’s quite difficult for musicians to execute this as well as it’s done on this track. ‘A Love Supreme’ (1965) by John Coltrane was also a starting point when it comes to harmonic exploration, which evidently influenced many bands during this period.
What I find particularly fascinating and unmatched is how classical music was utilized. In this track, for example, chromaticism and dissonance are clear influences from contemporary musicians such as Edgard Varèse and Bartók (I intend to write an article about Bartók later on). Greg Lake and Robert Fripp are self-proclaimed fans of the genre, and they incorporated classical music into their later works.
The parameters of progressive rock were established right at the beginning of this album. It was evident — the polyrhythms and dissonance became defining criteria for what was to come, along with elements of jazz fusion and classical music. 21st Century Schizoid Man is, in my view, a great summary of progressive rock.
However, an album of this magnitude brought influence beyond progressive rock. I often ask myself if industrial music would exist without In The Court of The Crimson King, for example. When I listen to Nine Inch Nails, the muffled and distorted vocals clearly remind me of this track. Other tracks outside of prog that I could mention include War Pigs (Black Sabbath, 1970) and Bleak (Opeth, 2001). There is much debate over what truly defined progressive metal — and while the album Red solidified this, I believe the ideas were already laid out in this track.
I Talk To The Wind
At the end of the first track, the anxiety and guttural despair are muffled by a melancholic and hopeless sound. I Talk to the Wind is sad, and filled with morbidity. “The wind does not hear” gives us the idea that death might be the best solution for a soul troubled by pain. The comfort of eternal rest is not a fatalistic idea, but rather beautiful and comforting for the character embedded in the album. Here, I find it interesting to highlight something. Being a fan of medieval music, I see a very clear influence here. The medieval revival was already evident in the music and fashion of the late ’60s, but here it is represented in a distinct, more complex way. The harmony is quite modal, not strictly following the chord patterns of Western music. Here, the influence of folk and classical music is clearly evoked.
Lamento di Tristano (Minno Amor, Cantiga 29) by the 14th-century musician Carlos Magraner reminds me of this track. La harpe de mélodie by Jacob de Senleches also clearly comes to mind. As a fan of the medieval revival music of the ’70s, I believe this track was an essential influence on later works by bands like Steeleye Span, Midwinter, Forest, and Spirogyra, which evidently became a significant influence on post-rock and shoegaze, for instance.
The Court Of The Crimson King
The Tyger (1794), by William Blake, questions the duality of divinity. How could God, so perfect in His mercy, create the Lamb of God — and, on the other hand, create evil? How can something so perfect also create something so destructive? After all, what is His true nature?
The Court of The Crimson King is Peter Sinfield’s great masterpiece. Here, we witness the grand farewell of the work. Indeed, the entire piece is steeped in theology and mysticism, somberly and gloomily, contrasting with the mysticism bathed in positivity that emerged in the ’60s. The album’s farewell, marked by this track, also unintentionally marks the farewell of the hippie generation. The poetry, characterized by a medieval aesthetic but with deep roots in Romantic literature, is implicitly filled with layers of criticism and anguish about a period full of wars and conflicts, especially the Vietnam War and the Cold War. “One soft morning windows cry, the wise men share a joke” made that quite evident.
The keeper of the city keys
Put shutters on the dreams
I wait outside the pilgrim’s door
With insufficient schemes
The black queen chants the funeral march
The cracked brass bells will ring
To summon back the fire witch
“I wait outside the pilgrim’s door with insufficient schemes” is, like Blake’s poetry, a question about the very nature of the divine. If Blake’s work questions His morality, in this track the lyrical voice questions the very nature of its salvation. What must we bargain for?
Relayer (Yes, 1974) and Turn of the Century (Yes, 1977) are examples that I believe continue Sinfield’s magnificent work, combining baroque poetry and protest within the musicality of progressive rock. King Crimson made it possible for young writers, not afraid of embellishment and exaggeration, the liberty to speak and replicate their passion through rock music.
From: https://rocknheavy.net/in-the-court-of-the-crimson-king-a-historical-analysis-0bbe3f59f78a
