Rick Wakeman-The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur And The Knights Of The Round Table Music (1975)

Two years after his grandiose solo debut (aside from his main band, Yes), Rick Wakeman embarked on another ambitious project, this time centered around King Arthur and the sword Excalibur. Wakeman had already explored the sounds and textures of a symphony orchestra, fusing it with rock in the previous and brilliant "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", so in this new release he attempted to follow a similar path, but giving greater prominence to the sumptuous orchestral arrangements and enveloping choirs, all underpinned by energetic rock and fundamentally adorned with his signature cascades of Mellotron, Moogs, electric keyboards, and other state-of-the-art synthesizers. In addition to the New World Orchestra conducted by David Measham, the English Chamber Choir, directed by Guy Protheroe, is also featured, along with a rock section comprised of Ashley Holt and Gary Pickford Hopkins (vocals), Barney James (drums), Jeffrey Crampton (guitars), Roger Newell (bass), John Hodgson (percussion), and Terry Taplin as the narrator. The stunning orchestration, the narration that tells each part of the story, and the talented instrumentation of all the musicians involved immerse us in a rich soundscape of diverse musical atmospheres that at times reaches a grand grandeur, resulting in an album that is both triumphant and creatively brilliant.