Journey to the Centre of The Earth by Rick Wakeman

Journey to the Centre of The Earth by Rick Wakeman from 1974

I have spoken at length about Richard Christopher Wakeman, known as Rick Wakeman, in the article “The Sophisticated Symphonic Rock of YES” but I like to recall that he is an immense keyboardist and composer, a great improviser, master of ambitious and grandiloquent symphonic progressive rock that makes extensive use of keyboards, an instrument of which he is among the most virtuosic, trained as a classical pianist, later moving on to keyboards and synthesizers, with a long and prolific solo career, characterized by some successes especially in the mid-Seventies: the instrumental album The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973, over six million copies sold), The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (1975) and Journey to the Centre of the Earth (1974, over twelve million copies sold). He has often played as a guest or session man for very different artists, such as David Bowie, Elton John, Cat Stevens, Lou Reed, the Black Sabbath, John Williams, Al Stewart and the Brotherhood of Man. His latest work Yessonata from 2024 is beautiful, in which he retraces on piano the most important themes of YES and his solo career. Seen live in Rome on March 4, 2025, it was a fantastic concert.

Journey to the Centre of The Earth is his second solo album, which is a live album, based on Jules Verne's story “Journey to the Centre of the Earth", recorded in concert at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Friday, January 18, 1974 with the London Symphony Orchestra and the English Chamber Choir conducted by David Measham and narration produced by David Hemmings.

The liner notes of Wakeman's album are very interesting:

"Undoubtedly, mixing a live album is the most delicate operation of all. Faced with a 16-track master, which hopefully contains good music and a live atmosphere, there are also the infamous unwanted additives, namely occasional "out of place" notes, hums and clicks. The latter can be resolved and some out of place notes masked, but all this must be done without ruining the atmosphere. It was one of the most difficult, but also most enjoyable mixes I have ever done. I owe a lot to Paul Tregurtha and Guy Bitmead, without whose expertise I would now be a mumbling heap of beer-stained jeans.
I would like to thank Grieg for "HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING". Because I stole a few bars."

It is a long suite divided into movements

- The Journey / Recollection is a long epic suite with a powerful opening and begins the narration with rock and orchestra of the story of Jules Verne, beautiful melodies.

- The Battle / The Forest is a great fusion of progressive rock with the orchestra, a track with a dramatic and atmospheric mood with great synthesizer work.
 

Beautiful album, composed of progressive arrangements performed with a symphony orchestra and choir and in which, in the numerous solos, Wakeman dominates several synthesizers at once. An excellent album!

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS below the article title or on the "Artists" page

Tracklist

1. The Journey / Recollection (21:11)
2. The Battle / The Forest (18:57)

Duration 40:08

LineUp

-Rick Wakeman - piano, RMI and Rhodes electric pianos, Hammond, Hohner clavinet, Mini-Moog, synthesizers, Mellotron, producer

With:
- Garry Pickford-Hopkins - lead vocals
- Ashley Holt - lead vocals
- David Hemmings - narration
- Mike Egan - guitar
- Barney James - drums
- Roger Newell - bass
- The London Symphony Orchestra
- The English Chamber Choir
- David Measham - choir and orchestra conductor
- Danny Beckerman - choir and orchestra arrangements
- Wil Malone - choir and orchestra arrangements
- Lou Reizner - production coordination