Time Distortion
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Forum Name: Music and Musicians Exchange
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37621
Printed Date: November 29 2024 at 14:35
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Topic: Time Distortion
Posted By: condor
Subject: Time Distortion
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 13:31
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Can anyone suggest examples where a piece of music is signifcantly shorter than the time period it attempts to represent? Representation being purely through music, not description by lyrics. Don't suggest pieces which jump between time periods, they shouldn't count.
To me, time distortion is the best criteria of greatness in music, when it becomes more than the sum of its parts. Not that music must use this to be great, before anyone misinterprets me. Obviously, there are probably lots of examples. Which piece leaves you with the greatest sense of time travelled compared to actual time? Counter-examples would also be interesting. |
Replies:
Posted By: Angelo
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 13:32
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I'm not sure I fully understand what you mean, but would the Darwin album by BMS be a good example? It attempts to cover the entire evolution within the time frame of a single album. ------------- http://www.iskcrocks.com" rel="nofollow - ISKC Rock Radio I stopped blogging and reviewing - so won't be handling requests. Promo's for ariplay can be sent to [email protected] |
Posted By: condor
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 14:50
| Yes, that sounds like a good example. |
Posted By: debrewguy
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 15:40
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How about Ange's Seve Qui Peut which was written to commemorate the French Revolution. The story line (if I remember correctly) is of a tree planted that year, & the things it has seen humanity do.
------------- "Here I am talking to some of the smartest people in the world and I didn't even notice,” Lieutenant Columbo, episode The Bye-Bye Sky-High I.Q. Murder Case. |
Posted By: thellama73
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 15:43
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What about House of Four Doors by the Moody Blues? Or would you consider that jumping between time period?
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Posted By: akin
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 15:48
And add Procession, by The Moody Blues also.
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thellama73 wrote:Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 20:40
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How about Magma's debut? It covers the period of time from the founding of Kobaia through all of its techonological and spiritual progressions up to the point where they meet travelers from earth.
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Posted By: Atomic_Rooster
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 20:43
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Nektar's Remember the Future covers the evolution of man from sea creatures all the way to the present (and perhaps into the future) Moody Blues' entire Days of Future Past album presents an entire day, but lasts only 45 minutes or so ------------- I am but a servant of the mighty Fripp, the sound of whose loins shall forever be upon the tongues of his followers. |
Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: May 05 2007 at 21:56
No, it tells the story of a blind boy and his marvelous pet, a giant bird from outer space. ------------- |
Posted By: condor
Date Posted: May 06 2007 at 09:03
| By the way, you can include examples not explicitly stated. Pieces you think use time distortion; use your imagination. |
Posted By: nightlamp
Date Posted: May 07 2007 at 16:15
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I'm not sure I understand the question... Do you mean "time distortion" in the sense that you feel like you've listened to something for an hour when in fact it's only been 15 minutes? Examples of such I've encountered wherein I've completely lost track of time: David Hykes & the Harmonic Choir - Hearing Solar Winds Coil - Time Machines Earth - Earth 2 Alvin Lucier - Music on a Long Thin Wire There's just something about drones, methinks... |
Posted By: paolo.beenees
Date Posted: May 07 2007 at 16:24
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I read your question just as Nightlamp does, and I feel like quoting this example: "Breve Immagine" by Le Orme. This song, taken from their "Uomo di Pezza", doesn't even last three minutes, but it's so intense that somehow it manages to "crisstallize" (right spelling?) time. ------------- 
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Posted By: Atomic_Rooster
Date Posted: May 07 2007 at 16:28
WhAt!1!1?/?/? be this blasphemy?/? ------------- I am but a servant of the mighty Fripp, the sound of whose loins shall forever be upon the tongues of his followers. |
Posted By: purplepiper
Date Posted: June 20 2007 at 16:31
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thick as a brick! You feel as if you've grown up with the young man who is the focus of the song. I know 20 mins is a long time for a song, but no one grows up in 20 mins! I also get a similar feeling from floyd's echoes. The quality of 'time distortion' does seem make for a good song indeed! ------------- for those about to prog, we salute you. |
Posted By: progismylife
Date Posted: June 20 2007 at 16:35
| Lots of albums I listen to seem to stretch time and make the music seem to go on forever..... |
Posted By: rileydog22
Date Posted: June 20 2007 at 16:56
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"A week went by, and now it's July" Frank Zappa oh-so-subtly dialated a week into a few seconds on Stinkfoot. ------------- |
Posted By: Leningrad
Date Posted: June 20 2007 at 19:54
"I finally got it off, and my girlfriend cried..."
All together now!
For my contribution, The Battle of Epping Forest. What kind of hundred man gang fight lasts 11 minutes?
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: June 20 2007 at 20:02
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^ talking of Genesis...
from Genesis to Revelation
that's about the biggest time distortion you can possibly get I would imagine.
or conversly
Yes - Time and a Word.
The song lists 4 minutes 32 seconds and deals with a single moment in time (i.e. now)
------------- What? |
Posted By: Leningrad
Date Posted: June 20 2007 at 20:07
Whoa, that's different from all the others. Nice change.
 Although its progginess is debatable, David Bowie's 'Space Oddity' is another one of these. If it took 5 minutes to fly to space, we'd be very happy people.
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Posted By: A B Negative
Date Posted: July 05 2007 at 06:50
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One Million Billionth Of A Millisecond On A Sunday Morning by the Flaming Lips lasts slightly longer than the time period it describes... ------------- "The disgusting stink of a too-loud electric guitar.... Now, that's my idea of a good time." |
Posted By: penguindf12
Date Posted: July 07 2007 at 23:06
| Almost anything of Bob Drake's on his "Shunned Country" and "Skull Mailbox" albums. Each song is roughly a minute or less and they all tell horrifying stories/narratives, pretty much all of which have to be "time distorted" to fit in such a tiny musical space. Plus the complex instrumentation extends the perceived time as well. |