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Ars Longa Vita Brevis

 
Album Review: Ars Longa Vita Brevis
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Ars Longa Vita Brevis

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  • Artist: The Nice
  • Rating: StarStarStarStar
  • Release Date: 1968
  • Total Time: 46:11
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

The Nice's second album, and their first as a trio, was a genuinely groundbreaking effort, and now it sounds the way it was always supposed to. The 1998 Castle Communications reissue (ESM 646), part of its Essential Masters series, puts even the version in the 1995 Charly box to shame -- that was clean and clear, where this is bright, with a much more solid high end and richer bass as well. The energy of the band's playing comes through, along with enough detail to allow you to hear the action on the keyboards in some instances. This is not only the first Nice album to sound as good as the ELP remasters of a couple of years ago, but to match the best of the latter for substance. The "bonus tracks" are merely the monaural single masters of "Daddy, Where Did I Come From" and "Happy Freuds," when ideally "America" would have been on this CD where it belongs (and where it was, on the American version of the original LP). ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Daddy, Where Did I Come From? Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (3:43)
Little Arabella Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (4:16)
Happy Freuds Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (3:27)
Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite Jean Sibelius The Nice (8:57)
Don Edito el Gruva Brian Davison, Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (:13)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis: Prelude Brian Davison, Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (19:25)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis: 1st Movement - Awakening Brian Davison, Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (4:26)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis: 2nd Movement - Realisation Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (3:26)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis: 3rd Movement - Acceptance "Brandenburger" Brian Davison, Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (4:39)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis: 4th Movement - Denial Brian Davison, Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (4:42)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis: Coda - Extension to the Big Note Keith Emerson The Nice (3:24)
Acceptance Bradenburger (3rd Movment) [Single A-Side][Edit][*] Brian Davison, Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (:47)
Happy Freuds [Single B-Side][Edit][*] Keith Emerson, Lee Jackson The Nice (3:27)

Credits

The Nice (Main Performer), Brian Davison (Drums), Keith Emerson (Piano), Keith Emerson (Keyboards), Keith Emerson (Vocals), Don Brewer (Engineer), Don Brewer (Consultant), Mike Brown (Remastering), Davy O'List (Guitar), Davy O'List (Vocals), Robert Stewart (Arranger), Robert Stewart (Conductor), Robert Stewart (Orchestra Assembly), Robert M. Corich (Liner Notes), Robert M. Corich (Remastering), Robert M. Corich (Research), Hugh Gilmour (Art Direction), Hugh Gilmour (Design), Gered Mankowitz (Photography), Gered Mankowitz (Cover Photo), Mick Carpenter (Project Coordinator), Lee Jackson (Bass), Lee Jackson (Guitar), Lee Jackson (Vocals)
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Wikipedia: Ars Longa Vita Brevis (album)
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
For the Latin phrase, see Ars longa, vita brevis.
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Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2008)
Ars Longa Vita Brevis
Studio album by The Nice
Released November 1968
Recorded 1968
Genre Progressive rock
Length 46:11
Label (Original) UK Immediate IMSP020
  • US Immediate Z12 52020 (1968)
  • UK Castle Communications (ESM 646) (1998)
  • US Repertoire REP 4289-WY (1992)
Producer The Nice
Professional reviews
The Nice chronology
The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack
(1967)		 Ars Longa Vita Brevis
(1968)		 Nice
(1969)

Ars Longa Vita Brevis is the second album by the English progressive rock group The Nice.

Guitarist David O'List left the band during the recording of the album, leaving the remaining three members to complete it. After flirting briefly with replacement guitarists (including Steve Howe, later to join Yes), The Nice decided to carry on as a keyboard-led trio. The title is an aphorism attributed to Hippocrates usually rendered as "life is short"; Keith Emerson's interpretation of this can be gauged from his sleevenote:

Newton's first law of motion states a body will remain at rest or continue with uniform motion in a straight line unless acted on by a force. This time the force happened to come from a European source. Ours is an extension of the original Allegro from Brandenburg Concerto No. 3. Yesterday I met someone who changed my life, today we put down a sound that made our aim accurate. Tomorrow is yesterday's history and art will still be there, even if life terminates.

Structurally the album started where its predecessor left off- shortish songs and extended work-outs based on classical themes- but a step forward was taken with the addition of an orchestra and the extended length of Ars Longa Vita Brevis itself, forshadowing the later Five Bridges Suite.

The US release of the album added "America" which was originally a single in the UK.

Allmusic's Bruce Eder described the album as "a genuinely groundbreaking effort".[3]

Contents

Track listing

All tracks credited to Jackson, Emerson, Davison except where noted.

Side one

  1. "Daddy, Where Did I Come From" (Emerson, Jackson) - 3:44
  2. "Little Arabella" (Emerson, Jackson) - 4:18
  3. "Happy Freuds" (Emerson, Jackson) - 3:25
  4. "Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite" / "Don Edito el Gruva" (Davison, Sibelius, Emerson, Jackson) - 9:09

Side two

  1. "Ars Longa Vita Brevis" - 19:20
  • "Prelude" (Emerson) / "1st Movement - Awakening" (Davison) – 5:50
  • "2nd Movement - Realisation" (Jackson, O'List, Emerson) – 4:54
Ars Longa Vita Brevis
Life is too short to paint a kiss
So sing a picture, paint a song
Take it home and bang your gong
Life is an ill cast comedy for fools.
Ars Longa Vita Brevis
A caption to a life of bliss
A rose too beautiful to see
Jumped off the bush to speak to me
Of life that's an ill cast comedy for fools
  • "3rd Movement - Acceptance "Brandenburger"" – 4:23
  • "4th Movement - Denial" – 3:23
  • "Coda - Extension to the Big Note" – 0:46
Bonus tracks on the 1998 rerelease
  • "Daddy, Where Did I Come From" (Mono single mix)
  • "Happy Freuds" (Emerson, Jackson), (Mono single mix)
Bonus track on the 2005 rerelease
  • "Happy Freuds" (Emerson, Jackson) - 3:27

Personnel

References

  1. ^ "allmusic ((( Ars Longa Vita Brevis > Overview )))". www.allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fyxqe5ld6e. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  2. ^ "Nice, The - Ars Longa Vita Brevis at Discogs". www.discogs.com. http://www.discogs.com/Nice-Ars-Longa-Vita-Brevis/master/53118. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 
  3. ^ "Ars Longa Vita Brevis". 13 July 2005. http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:cefibkj96akn. Retrieved 2008-11-08. 
  4. ^ Although it is clear from examination of the cover that the three x-rays are identical
v • d • e
The Nice
Brian Davison  · Keith Emerson  · Lee Jackson  · David O'List
Albums
The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack (1967)  · Ars Longa Vita Brevis (1968)  · Nice / Everything As Nice As Mother Makes It (1969)  · Five Bridges (1970)  · Elegy (1971)  · America - The BBC Sessions (1996)  · The Swedish Radio Sessions (2001)  · BBC Sessions (2002)  · Vivacitas (2004)  · Live At The Fillmore East December 1969 (2009)

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

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