The Barbarian (song)

"The Barbarian"
Instrumental by Emerson, Lake & Palmer
from the album Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Released	1970
Recorded	1970
Genre	Progressive rock heavy metal[1]
Length	4:27
Composer(s)	Béla Bartók arr. Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, Carl Palmer
Producer(s)	Greg Lake

"The Barbarian" is the opening track on the eponymous debut album of British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer, released in 1970.

Description

This piece of music is instrumental, and it is the shortest one on the album (4:27). Although the composition of "The Barbarian" was attributed to the three band members, it is an arrangement for rock band of Béla Bartók’s 1911 piano piece Allegro barbaro.[2][3] Although the original piece is for piano only, the band arranged the song for organ, piano, bass, and drums.[4] The music of the song is aggressive with a heavy metal style. Greg Lake used a fuzz box to give his bass a fuller, guitar-like sound. The band members did not give credit to Bartók, thinking that the label would arrange the matter. Bartók's family sued ELP for copyright infringement,[3] but eventually, the band gave equal credit to Bartók.[5]

Personnel

• Keith Emerson - Hammond organ, piano
• Greg Lake - bass guitar
• Carl Palmer - drums, gong

References

1. Romano, Will (2010). Mountains Come Out of the Sky - The Illustrated History of Prog Rock.
2. Stump, Paul (1997). The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock. Quartet Books Limited. p. 98. ISBN 0-7043-8036-6.
3. "The Barbarian by Emerson, Lake & Palmer". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
4. Gecevičiūtė, Agnė. "A plastic approach to musical meaning : An analysis of the Barbarian by Emerson, Lake & Palmer". Actes Sémiotiques. 119.
5. "Emerson, Lake & Palmer - the Barbarian Lyrics". Letssingit.com.