Ars Longa Vita Brevis (album)
Encyclopedia
Ars Longa Vita Brevis is the second album by the English
progressive rock
group The Nice
.
Guitar
ist 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 "Art is long, life is short
"; Keith Emerson
's interpretation of this can be gauged from his sleevenote:
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.
Furthermore this album contains one of the few songs in which Keith Emerson sings lead vocals: he shares the singing duties with Lee Jackson in "Daddy, Where Did I Come From" and "Happy Freuds" and sings the bridge in "Little Arabella".
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".
, Emerson
, Davison
except where noted.
Bonus tracks on the 1998 rerelease
Bonus track on the 2005 rerelease
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group The Nice
The Nice
The Nice were an English progressive rock band from the 1960s, known for their blend of rock, jazz and classical music. Their debut album, The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack was released in 1967 to immediate acclaim. It is often considered the first progressive rock album...
.
Guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist David O'List
David O'List
David 'Davy' O'List is a rock guitarist, vocalist and trumpeter.Most notably, he played with The Attack, The Nice and Jet.- Career :...
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
Steve Howe (guitarist)
Stephen James "Steve" Howe is an English guitarist, known for his work with the progressive rock group Yes...
, later to join Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
), The Nice decided to carry on as a keyboard-led trio. The title is an aphorism
Aphorism
An aphorism is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form.The term was first used in the Aphorisms of Hippocrates...
attributed to Hippocrates
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
usually rendered as "Art is long, life is short
Ars longa, vita brevis
Ars longa, vita brevis are the first two lines of a Latin translation of an aphorism by Ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. The words are commonly translated in English as art is long, life is short. The full text in Latin is:...
"; Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
's interpretation of this can be gauged from his sleevenote:
NewtonIsaac NewtonSir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
'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
Five Bridges
The Five Bridges Suite is a modern piece of music, written in the 1960s, combining classical music and jazz. Written about the UK city of Newcastle upon Tyne, it was released as an album by The Nice which achieved the number two position in the UK album charts...
Suite.
Furthermore this album contains one of the few songs in which Keith Emerson sings lead vocals: he shares the singing duties with Lee Jackson in "Daddy, Where Did I Come From" and "Happy Freuds" and sings the bridge in "Little Arabella".
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".
Track listing
All tracks credited to JacksonLee Jackson (bassist)
Lee Jackson is a British bass player and singer, best known for his work in The Nice.-Biography:...
, Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
, Davison
Brian Davison (drummer)
Brian Davison , nicknamed "Blinky", was a British drummer, best known for his work in The Nice. He was born in Leicester and died in Horns Cross, Devon....
except where noted.
Side one
- "Daddy, Where Did I Come From" (Emerson, Jackson) - 3:44
- "Little Arabella" (Emerson, Jackson) - 4:18
- "Happy Freuds" (Emerson, Jackson) - 3:25
- "Intermezzo from the Karelia Suite" / "Don Edito el Gruva" (Davison, Sibelius, Emerson, Jackson) - 9:09
Side two
- "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
- Keith EmersonKeith EmersonKeith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocals on 1,2,3 - Lee JacksonLee Jackson (bassist)Lee Jackson is a British bass player and singer, best known for his work in The Nice.-Biography:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals on 1,2,3,5 - Brian DavisonBrian Davison (drummer)Brian Davison , nicknamed "Blinky", was a British drummer, best known for his work in The Nice. He was born in Leicester and died in Horns Cross, Devon....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Malcolm Langstaff – guitar (on "2nd Movement - Realisation")
- Robert Stewart – orchestral arranger/conductor
- Don Brewer – engineer/consultant
- Gered MankowitzGered MankowitzGered Mankowitz is a British photographer of the rock music scene over the last 40 years. Some of his portraits of rock musicians, such as The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix and Slade, are now part of the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery.-Personal life:His father was the late...
– cover photograph and X-rays of The Nice