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Rating: As someone who listens to music with the trawl method, but with an in-depth knowledge of British history, I invite you to the exceptional spectacle of the review of a 1973 LP. A few years after its release, it was recommended to me by my older brother, a great music expert and fan of prog but especially of Yes. At the time (and more or less still now) I abhorred prog but especially Yes, and decided to ignore his advice.
Fast forward to the late '80s: I find the CD at a stall in Camden Town and decide to give it a chance. Let's start with the terrible cover that in the monochromatic stamp-sized image seemed to depict a blonde in front of a (nonexistent) portrait of Henry with all his wives. I later discovered it was Mr. Wakeman, of whom I had never seen any photos, walking among the statues of Madame Tussaud.
The music: six tracks, one per wife. An ambitious concept album and, surprisingly, still one of my favorite listens.
- Catherine of Aragon: A strong and majestic start, with the first wife. Strangely for me, the shortest piece that condenses 24 years of marriage with Henry into a few minutes, with elegance and without smudges.
- Anne of Cleves: Aggressive, rich in percussion, almost chaotic. For the fourth "passing" wife of an unconsummated marriage that lasted only six months, this track is a twist: Wakeman elevates her to an unexpected protagonist with the longest track.
- Catherine Howard: Sadness, triumph, and tragedy in an intricate and poignant piece. One wouldn't expect such intensity for a teenager who lasted just over a year and a half as the fifth wife before being beheaded, but here’s where Wakeman surprises: he forces you to remember her.
- Jane Seymour: Solemn and spiritual, with an organ recorded in church. An impeccable tribute to the queen who gave Henry the only male heir, but at a high price. The music seems to reverberate the respect Henry had reserved for her.
- Anne Boleyn - who also boasts the subtitle of a funeral hymn "The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended": A mix of melancholy and strength, with echoes of Anne's sad fate. It's a complex portrait, worthy of a figure as controversial as she is fascinating.
- Catherine Parr: Keyboards and percussion in freedom for the woman who had the last word over Henry. The triumphant tone seems to celebrate her survival, even if she didn’t sing victory for long.
Despite my initial mistrust, this album has won me over. Its longevity in my playlist is precisely due to that curious dissonance: Wakeman interprets the six queens differently from how I imagine them, and each listen is an opportunity to discover new details.
PS The work has already been reviewed on the site on July 29, 06, by "the green manalishi" who certainly knows much more than I do, but with the incorrect title "The six wiFes". The plural of Wife is Wives". Could you correct it? (https://www.debaser.it/rick-wakeman/the-six-wifes-of-henry-viii/recensione#!)
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