I've never actually been a big fan of PaaE, for some reason. It's not bad, but it doesn't grab me in a big way; part of it may be, especially compared to BSS and especially KE9 - but I'd say the same for the Tarkus suite and a lot of Trilogy - is that, as original compositions, the level of sophistication in Emerson's writing, in particular, is miles ahead of adapting a classical piece as they did with PaaE - and as Emo had done a lot with The Nice.
In fact, I think part of why I would definitely say I prefer BSS over KE9 is because (and I make an exception for Toccata, because that is a positively stunning adaptation) it's original music, and Emo had already done plenty as an interpreter with The Nice, so I think the drawing card of ELP was in its original music. I think ELP (but particularly Emo) had reached a point, very quickly, where they were far more compelling as writers of original music rather than adapters of the music from other pens.
Their adaptations aren't by any means bad; but I just think they were so much more compelling, so much more sophisticated, so much more imaginative, as writers of original music rather than interpreters of other folks' compositions.
Bookmarks