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Friday 7 April 2017

Sysyphus suite Review - Pink Floyd


Written in 2008 Rick sadly passed on 15th September 2008.

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Sysyphus Parts I - IV

Composed by Richard Wright

Performed by Richard Wright and Pink Floyd

From the 1st side of LP One of the Two LP set of Ummagumma.




What is Sysyphus? On the album Ummagumma it is an avante garde suite of songs that have no lyrics, and derive all their energy from Richard (Rick) Wrights various instruments, and extends to 13.28 minutes. Wright plays Farfisa Organ, Melletron, Piano, Bass guitar, Timpani and Percussion on this suite of musical pieces.

There is a assertion that the name Sysyphus derives from the Greek God of a similar name, Sisyphus and the pieces mirror the Sisyphean challenge. This is the purpose of this challenge. Sisyphus was the son of King Aeolus of Thessaly and Anarete, and the founder of and first king of Ephra (Corinth). Sisyphus repeatedly broke the laws of hospitality by killing travellers and guests. He seduced his niece, took his brothers throne and betrayed Zeus secrets. Zeus then asked Hades to chain Sisyphus to Tartarus. Anyway, to cut a long story short, Sisyphus was doomed to the Sisyphean Challenge whereby he was ordered to roll a rock uphill until he reached the summit, but nearing the top, the rock always rolled back down to the bottom again. He was bound to go back down and continue to try and achieve that task. Of course, he couldn’t meet that task but kept trying. He was doomed to repeating the task and to this day this challenge is likened to an act of continued persistence or the sea rising and falling everyday, the mundane, but persistent. (Wikipedia)

Wikipedia excerpts intonate that the Sysyphus of Rick Wright is a close correlation to the challenge, with the pieces ebbing and flowing accordingly. “Part I consists of featuring a tympani and a Melletron chords resembling an orchestra” which when I played this for the first time in eons is exactly the way I felt. “a piano solo that dissolves into a raucous dissonant performance as Sisyphus struggles uphill” which makes sense to that part of the song, it’s almost manic in nature, very un-Rick Wright.

My music knowledge is very limited despite that fact I love music of all genre. I know what “sounds” good and what “feels” good. I know I have bitten off a huge chunk of lack of knowledge to tackle these pieces as far as the music goes. But I feel Echoes is too long to do a decent attempt of a review, and the others (Shine of you Crazy Diamond Pts 1 – 9, Interstellar Overdrive, Saucerful of Secrets, etc) I find very eclectic and I’m not willing to use them. Sysyphus sounds very different, and I feel worthy of a review. Besides I have challenged myself to deal with a song that has no vocals and that’s way out of my depth.
Before starting, one should note that this is a sole Rick Wright suite of pieces. Apart from accompanying drums and percussion (I assume Nick) the rest of the pieces are devoid of Bass, Lead Guitar, and vocals, though there are recorded sound bites in some of the pieces, no doubt also done by Rick. The reference material for this review is solely Wikipedia, as searches on the internet failed to reveal any essays or other writings and Mason and Schaffer didn’t deal with Sysyphus. So the review is largely personal interpretation.

Sysyphus Part I

This piece as the intro features Rick on Farfisa Organ playing a very dramatic piece with low notes, accompanied by what sounds like a Kettle Drum (Nick maybe) and cymbals. The music, if aligned to the Sisyphean Challenge, dictates a struggle, and reflects the start of the challenge (Sisyphus being chained in Hades). This is a short piece (at 1.08 minutes) and conjures images in the mind as to how and what is happening to the rest of the pieces. I like the piece, very orchestral in timbre, and very Pink Floyd in texture, especially their earlier stuff and just goes to show how much influence Rick had in the group then.

Sysyphus Part II

This piece opens with a very classical sounding piano. The playing is superb, the keys fair zinging with Rick’s elegance. I was surprised by this level of playing, as I hadn’t heard anything quite like it in the Pink Floyd catalogue till this time. I’m a great lover of classical piano (avid Concert listener) and Rick fairly took me on an opus ride with such skill and poise. But as the piece builds to a crescendo, timpani is heard, and coupled together the piece dives headlong into a manic state, possibly as intimated in Wikipedia, the rolling of the rock uphill (piano) and then the disarray as the rock tumbles back down (the manic phase). The timpani could quite well serve to personify Sisyphus as he deals with the rock and it’s foibles.
The manic piano has almost Jazz like qualities, a sound reminiscent from the Jazz records I have. There is also another sound, a deeper one, which could be the Melletron, though I suspect it’s more like a heavy bass tone on the lower piano registers. Nonetheless, the sound is chaotic. I did, however, read somewhere that the actual sounds created are with someone belting the piano strings with a solid object, creating an orgasmic interlude to the piece. What it does do however is emphasise that struggle Sisyphus is having with his challenge and no matter how hard he tries, he’s doomed not to succeed.

This song runs for a shortish 3.30 minutes, but is nonetheless one of the better constructed songs so far. It’s a strong follow on from Part 1 and leaves one gasping for more, especially the classical nature to start with and the jazz infusion towards the end.

Sysyphus Part III
This song is also a short one and runs for 1.49 minutes. It’s a jazz fusion sound throughout, something Pink Floyd were renowned for and something that may solely attributable to Rick and his ability to arrange such material. Maybe there needs to be a deeper significance to Pink Floyds later work accorded to Rick, such is his input.
I suspect the main instruments in play with this piece are the Farfisa Organ (the driving sound), the Melletron (Sound Affects), cymbals and snare drum. I can’t discern any other instruments and feel that this is the main catalogue for this piece.
How it relates to the Sisyphean challenge. I guess the sounds echo the running down of the hill of Sisyphus and he then manhandling the boulder to begin the challenge again. The music is hectic, almost manic, and very different to what I have endured so far. It’s a section that serves to echo the pieces that have gone before leading up to the finale.
Sysyphus Part IV

This song (piece) is the longest of the four tracks at 6.59 minutes. It’s the last of the four pieces. Once again, this track too starts with a classical sound. The Farfisa is making what sounds like a violin sound, leading into the rest of the song. There is also a woodwind sound, floating in the background. The woodwind sound may be lower register keys on the Farfisa, the violin upper register. The song then fades away, and the manic organ takes over, perhaps the sign that Sisyphus has tried rolling the boulder again and once again fails. Once again Kettle Drum and cymbals enter the fray, also in a very classical way for a short interlude, then back to the organ and a very Pink Floyd sound (Rick’s sound). Sound affects (Melletron) also enter the piece and the jazz fusion affect takes over as Sisyphus tackles the boulder once again. The whole affect is desperate and calls for a lasting ear to continue listening.
Then the piano intro from Part 1 resurfaces, as well as the kettle drum and a reprise is formed. The sound is very space aged and could have been used in any science fiction movie. The song then dies out to the crescendo of Kettle drum and cymbals and the experience that is the Sisyphus Challenge completes.

In conclusion, the four pieces are Rick Wright stretching himself and giving birth to the seeds that would follow in later albums. He derives sound and sense and drives his works as a master of his craft. The key here is that he not only uses the odd one or two instruments to get his sound, he’s willing to stretch out a bit and go further for the sake of the group, even though this was essentially a solo piece. The music is a delight to the ear, and should be ready listening to any Pink Floyd fan, and maybe even any jazz or classical lover.
Overall I was wholly satisfied I had refound this piece. It really does drive home the point that Rick Wright was a master at his craft, and an integral part of the Band that was Pink Floyd.

Bibliography




This review is dedicated to the memory of Richard (Rick) Wright.

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