Tull Fan Central: JT Appreciation Thread.

btw - nice review Steve

I remember not thinking much of Crest of a Knave, other than Mountain Men

 

Also, any of your reviews are appreciated.

 

In 45 years of listening to Tull I have never heard anyone come to that conclusion. There's an intriguing site called The Ministry of Information that tries to break down just what the hell is going on in A Passion Play:

 

 

It is very scholarly and a worthwhile read even I don't agree with everything there. In fact, I have offered some counterproposals and research of my own. Here is a snippet of what I uncovered regarding the mention of the obscure name Magus Perdé :

 

How odd it is to find something in context with Jethro Tull, and A Passion Play in particular, while doing research for my second book, the events of which take place in the 14th century. And the reference material I was using came from the 14th century as well!
 

I was researching a poem by William Langland (b. 1332 - d. 1400) titled "The Vision Concerning Piers Plowman" (a famous 14th century work of allegorical satire), and the text I was using referenced an old and anonymous English morality play "Hickscorner" printed by Wynken de Worde (who died in 1534, and was partner of John Caxton, the first printer in England).

A word in the reference material immediately struck me. Here is the section of the "Hickscorner" play in question:

What, sirs, I tell you my name is Freewill,
I may choose whether I do good or ill;
But for all that I will do as me list.
My condition ye know not, perdé,
I can fight, chide, and be merry;
Full soon of my company ye would be weary
An ye knew all.
What, fill the cup and make good cheer,
I trow I have a noble here!

Why is this so goddamned important, you ask? Or are you saying I've gone mad?

Well, there has been a long debate regarding the meaning of "Magus Perdé " in the final part of A Passion Play. After researching the word further based on the usage in the play, I can say unequivocally that "perdé " in this instance means "by God".

When the character says "My condition ye know not, Perdé ", he is, in effect, using a mild expletive as emphasis. He is saying "My condition ye know not, by God!"

Perdé is cognate with Middle English spellings of the same word, such as "perdie" or "pardie": 1200- 50; late Middle English pardie, Middle English parde < Old French par De < Latin per Deum by God.

Now, many folks say the word "magus" means magician or wizard; however, the original meaning comes from Persia to define the Zoroastrian priest caste (hence in the bible the "Magi" are wise men, not wizards).

So, Magus Perdé most likely means "priest by/of God". Telling a priest of God to "take your hand from off the chain" may infer back to the anti-religious, anti-clerical rhetoric of Aqualung. Priests of the Anglican or Catholic persuasion do not accept reincarnation, which of course is what Ian is referring to in that section of A Passion Play.

Therefore, I wonder if Ian did not trip across this "morality play" (which grew out of the English tradition of 14th and 15th century "mystery plays" and "miracle plays") when doing a bit of research on his "Passion Play".

I know the idea of perdé was bantered about to mean "by God" on the Ministry of Information site, but they never seemed to come up with any definitive theory (as one will notice). But the preponderance of evidence, based on an old English "morality play" no less, with the word perdé used in the actual context that someone from that era would use, seems to indicate a much stronger basis for "by God" than previously assumed.

And the fact that reincarnation is not an acceptable tenet of the Church of England, gives credence that the line

Magus Perdé, take your hand from off the chain

is a demand from Ian that the Church loose the chains that bind religion to other concepts, particularly when one looks at the lyrics that follow:

The passengers upon the ferry crossing, waiting to be born,
renew the pledge of life's long song rise to the reveille horn.

-and-

Here am I! Roll the stone away
from the dark into ever-day.

It would seem that Ian is equating the resurrection of Jesus to the reincarnation of Ronnie Pilgrim.