Sysyphus
October 25, 1969
Sysyphus (based on Sisyphus ) is an avant-garde piece of music from the 1969 double album Ummagumma published by the British band Pink Floyd, which consists of a live and a studio LP. Sysyphus is the opening title of the studio album, and is divided into four parts.
The content covers the work of Sisyphus, a legendary figure in Greek mythology, who was imposed as a punishment of the gods, the task eternally roll a boulder up in the underworld a mountain. Just before reaching the top, and thus the salvation of the torments, the stone rolled down again and Sisyphus had to begin his work again unsuccessful. ( See also: Sisyphean task ).
Music and Thematic implementation
The instrumental piece was solely written by Richard Wright, the keyboardist of the band Pink Floyd, forming a suite. It takes a good quarter of the first studio LP of the album Ummagumma. The album was designed so that each of the four band members got asked a quarter of the running time available to make it freely according to its musical needs. Sysyphus forms Wright's musical interpretation of the ever repeating a Sisyphean task, which he painted in different sounds.
The listener can find clear patterns in the structure of the piece: Strong, but raised partly indignant acts the music in Part I, if the rock is transported to the mountain. Part II symbolizes the madness of Sisyphus, the constant attempts the impossible task to master. This is also signed by accelerated recordings of voices. In contrast, the melody is harmonious in Part III, if the summits seems to come in sight. Shattering music starts in Part IV, when the rock rolls down. Finally, repeat the sounds of Part I and indicate that the rock is carried up again.
Publication and performances
Sysyphus appeared once on the studio LP of the album Ummagumma and changed into his parts on the album -making CD. The piece was played only a few months after its publication four times live, a version was recorded at a Pink Floyd show in the Town Hall of Birmingham in 1970.
Trivia
- Sysyphus was used in the movie Salome by Clive Barker to accompany the dance of Salome.