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A Suite vs. A Medley
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The Dark Elf View Drop Down
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    Posted: September 24 2023 at 07:00
In simplest terms a medley is a combination of short or abbreviated songs originally presented separately and not necessarily thematic (a medley of a band's greatest hits, for instance). A suite is a series of songs composed on an interrelated theme.

Side 2 of the Beatles Abbey Road is considered a medley, where the songs flow one into the other, are not really related to one another, and are bits and pieces of songs Lennon and McCartney were developing separately in studio.

"Baker St. Muse" on Jethro Tull's Minstrel in the Gallery is considered a suite in that the songs are interrelated (concerning the aforementioned street in London), and is bookended by the main theme.
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Points: 28070 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 24 2023 at 03:02
Kansas - Magnum Opus . That one is a medley because it was bits of music that they couldn't use elsewhere so rather than throw out they stithce it together. Its pretty horrible and the main reason I struggle to take that album seriously. 

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells. Similarly to the above this has never been my favourite work by him although some of the bits are way more inspired!

ELP , well this is tricky! Tarkus has been described as a concerto. Not really a suite at all and hardly a medley. Karn Evil 9 on the other hand is a true suite in classical terms. Of the most successful prog bands ELP and Yes were more in touch with classical music and truer to the idea of symphonic prog. Genesis were more art rock IMO.
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Points: 4801 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote I prophesy disaster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 23 2023 at 19:40
^ Like this:
 
 
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Points: 65268 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Atavachron Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 23 2023 at 19:33
Originally posted by Frets N Worries Frets N Worries wrote:

I've been doing a but of research, and I'm curious, how are esch of these defined. Here are the definitions.

A suite, in Western classical music and jazz, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes and grew in scope to comprise up to five dances, sometimes with a prelude, by the early 17th century. The separate movements were often thematically and tonally linked.

In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces played one after another, sometimes overlapping

Does this mean several famous suites (prog or not) are actually medleys?

No--  But if you were ever at a Rush show and they started doing the 'Book ll:Hemispheres' suite and suddenly 80 seconds into it they're on to 'Circumstances' followed briskly by a severely edited 'The Trees' and you were like "Hey what the bloody heck happened?" 

That's a medley.
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Points: 4202 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Frets N Worries Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 23 2023 at 19:20
I've been doing a but of research, and I'm curious, how are esch of these defined. Here are the definitions.

A suite, in Western classical music and jazz, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes and grew in scope to comprise up to five dances, sometimes with a prelude, by the early 17th century. The separate movements were often thematically and tonally linked.

In music, a medley is a piece composed from parts of existing pieces played one after another, sometimes overlapping

Does this mean several famous suites (prog or not) are actually medleys?
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