Progigoriation (Octoccata part 6)

[Christopher Stewart]

("Nixie eight" by L. Marie)

How on Earth can a musical movement be named « Progigoriation » you ask ? Well, obviously, because it's the prog rock variation of another similar movement entitled « Igorchestral » I emphatically reply. And so it is that the music of this sixth movement of « Octoccata » is closely related to that of the aforementioned second movement, with the noticeable difference that it is orchestrated for a 5-piece rock band comprising of drums, bass, guitar, organ, and synth.

If you still entertain doubts about the virtues of O·c·t·a·T·o·n·i·c at this point, this next series of astonishing abilities should turn you into a believer, or so hopes our ever-persistent salesman who keeps on hammering out his slick speech even when the purported powers it presents border on the puzzling...

When friendship turns to enmity
Burnt bridges it does reinstate
When you miss part of the story
Plot it does recapitulate
When you betray your own country
Stranger it does incriminate
When you are scared of what might be
Future it does anticipate

« Octoccata » is an instrumental suite clocking in at a little over 16 minutes. The title comes from the combination of octatonic and toccata, and is inspired by Emerson, Lake & Palmer‘s adaptation of the fourth movement of Alberto Ginastera‘s first piano concerto, which they published on their « Brain Salad Surgery » album under the title « Toccata. »

The original intent behind this composition featuring intensive use of octatonic scales was simply to « make some noise. » While the music wasn't built around it, a narrative finally came into existence when I considered how to best present the piece. From the word « octatonic » stood out the word « tonic, » and that became the seed from which stemmed the idea of O·c·t·a·T·o·n·i·c, the miracle remedy to all ailments, infused with a touch of octatonine, and carefully brewed by a certain doctor Paul E. Graf, no doubt a good person enjoying an enviable reputation among his scientist peers, or maybe not...