The Grand Vizier's Garden Party
Encyclopedia
"The Grand Vizier's Garden Party" is a three-part instrumental from Pink Floyd
's Ummagumma
album. All three parts are written by Nick Mason
following the structure of the album in which each band member made his own composition. Like the majority of songs on the album, it is a highly experimental track and is divided into parts: "Entrance", "Entertainment" and "Exit".
The name refers to the Grand Vizier
of the Ottoman Empire
, who was the first minister
of the Sultan
.
"Entrance" (Part 1) consists of a short flute
melody, followed by a drum roll
and cymbal, comprising the first minute. "Entertainment" (Part 2) follows, containing a variety of percussion, including the standard kit and timpani
. A drone is made out of a heavily reverbed timpani, followed by tape loops of drum rolls on the different parts of the drum kit and a drum solo. The final portion, "Exit" (Part 3), concludes the piece with several flutes in harmony for the final 40 seconds. Parts 1 and 3 were composed by Ron Geesin
and played by the flautist Lindy Mason, then Nick Mason's wife.
"Entertainment" was one of the many tracks which were played at some point or another in the concert piece The Man and the Journey
under the name "Doing It!" Others included "Syncopated Pandemonium
", "Up the Khyber
", and "Party Sequence
", as all of these prominently feature drums.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
's Ummagumma
Ummagumma
Ummagumma is a double album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in 1969 by Harvest and EMI in the United Kingdom and Harvest and Capitol in the United States...
album. All three parts are written by Nick Mason
Nick Mason
Nicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
following the structure of the album in which each band member made his own composition. Like the majority of songs on the album, it is a highly experimental track and is divided into parts: "Entrance", "Entertainment" and "Exit".
The name refers to the Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, who was the first minister
First Minister
A First Minister is the leader of a government cabinet.-Canada:In Canada, "First Ministers" is a collective term that refers to all Canadian first ministers of the Crown, otherwise known as heads of government, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial and territorial premiers...
of the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
.
"Entrance" (Part 1) consists of a short flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
melody, followed by a drum roll
Drum roll
A drum roll is a technique the percussionist employs to produce a sustained sound on a percussion instrument. Rolls are used by composers to sustain the sound and create other effects, the most common of which is using a roll to build anticipation.- Snare drum roll :The most common snare drum roll...
and cymbal, comprising the first minute. "Entertainment" (Part 2) follows, containing a variety of percussion, including the standard kit and timpani
Timpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
. A drone is made out of a heavily reverbed timpani, followed by tape loops of drum rolls on the different parts of the drum kit and a drum solo. The final portion, "Exit" (Part 3), concludes the piece with several flutes in harmony for the final 40 seconds. Parts 1 and 3 were composed by Ron Geesin
Ron Geesin
Ronald 'Ron' Geesin is a British musician and composer, noted for his quirky creations and novel applications of sound. He is probably best known as the orchestrator and organizer of Pink Floyd's "Atom Heart Mother" in 1970, after the band found themselves hopelessly deadlocked over how to...
and played by the flautist Lindy Mason, then Nick Mason's wife.
"Entertainment" was one of the many tracks which were played at some point or another in the concert piece The Man and the Journey
The Man and the Journey
The Man and The Journey are the names of two album-length suites of music performed in concert by Pink Floyd during their 1969 tour. They consist of several of their early songs coupled with material that would appear on Soundtrack from the Film More and Ummagumma, as well as unreleased songs...
under the name "Doing It!" Others included "Syncopated Pandemonium
A Saucerful of Secrets (song)
"A Saucerful of Secrets" is a multi-part instrumental composition by the rock band Pink Floyd from the album A Saucerful of Secrets, released in 1968. The track lasts 11:52 and was composed by band members Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason, and David Gilmour...
", "Up the Khyber
Up the Khyber
"Up the Khyber" is an instrumental by the British rock band Pink Floyd. It was written by their drummer Nick Mason, and keyboardist Richard Wright.-Overview:...
", and "Party Sequence
Party Sequence
"Party Sequence" is the seventh track by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd on their third album, Soundtrack from the Film More. It is a short instrumental credited to all members of the band, and consists of a sequence of tribal percussion, and a penny whistle playing the melody to...
", as all of these prominently feature drums.
Personnel
- Nick MasonNick MasonNicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
— 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 ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, MellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music... - Lindy Mason — fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...