The most musically complex prog band(s)?

Magma and King Crimson come to mind.

Egg. Try to figure out the time signatures on the intro to Long Piece No.3 Part 1. Mont Campbell was an incredible composer (influenced by Stravinsky). Dave Stewart was also a very good keyboard player. On Ennegram, his left hand was mimicking Mont's 15/8 bass part in 11/8 while playing a 15/8 motif with his right hand. Egg were extremely harmonically and rhythmically adventurous for a rock band, and even for a prog rock band.

tldr

All this talk about people "lacking musical education" is a farce.  It should be mentioned that anything and everything is subjectively interpreted through each individual, hence, if one looks hard enough for something, they will find it.  i.e., if you think something is complex/not complex.... that is your right.  There is no such thing as objectivity (in anything).... because quite simply, we are not binary computers that say absolutely / not at all (even though a LOT of people do- sadly).  There is always personal bias in anything.  I have plenty of musical education and theoretical knowledge and regard most historically relevant composers as important.  Whether or not I regard them as complex is at my discretion and no insults should be hurled towards my intellectual capacity when it comes to music .  That's just myopic.  thank you. 

Wiktor Hatif wrote: if you're looking for complex but still melodic, not some totally atonal and/or mathemathic crap, you should dig impressionism - Debussy's "La Mer" symphony is tremendous

La Mer is a wonderous work-i would recommend Serge Koussevitzky's recording, as well as the two by Pierre Monteux, and the studio late fifties one with Charles Munch-it is both beautifull and deeply moving

Egg had some very complex music for anyone not in the know check out 'Contrasong" and "Long Piece no.3" these actually hurt your head too listen too!!! but probably for the most complicated music you would look at Jazz Fusion or newer progressive metal bands like Dream Theater and Symphony X who try too push it as far as they can (not too say that 70s prog bands didn't)

ProcolWho? wrote: Negoba wrote: Anyone who doesn't find Bach complex is simply lacking a little in musical education. Which is no crime. You have to have a pretty sophisticated musical brain to get why Bach is the master of all masters.  I don't buy it. This is dogma. The emperor's clothes.  I have no desire to listen to any more Bach because it's boring. Sounds like he used a sequencer badly (just half kidding).  I'll take Vaughn Williams any day over Bach.  PS I dislike RUSH and Dream Theater intensely, just in case you wanted to know.

This is not dogma. How much do you know about music theory?

Of course, just because Bach's music is complex, doesn't mean it's good.

But it is. It's the most amazing music. And not to toot my own horn, but I grew up listening to one of the largest personal collections of "classical"  music I've ever even heard of.

Of course, Bach's music is Baroque. It's hard to compare his music with Vaughan William's because they are completely different. If you don't like Bach, well, it's your right. But It does make me wonder. Maybe you haven't heard any good recordings. In that kind of music the quality of the interpretation and of the recording are essential.

Cheers.

Negoba wrote: Anyone who doesn't find Bach complex is simply lacking a little in musical education. Which is no crime. You have to have a pretty sophisticated musical brain to get why Bach is the master of all masters.

 I don't buy it. This is dogma. The emperor's clothes.

 I have no desire to listen to any more Bach because it's boring. Sounds like he used a sequencer badly (just half kidding).

 I'll take Vaughn Williams any day over Bach.

 PS I dislike RUSH and Dream Theater intensely, just in case you wanted to know.


Edited by ProcolWho? - April 27 2010 at 20:53

Anyone who doesn't find Bach complex is simply lacking a little in musical education. Which is no crime. You have to have a pretty sophisticated musical brain to get why Bach is the master of all masters.