Yes’ penultimate song on 2001’s Magnification started life from an Alan White piano riff. This expertly constructed ballad, while not as adventurous as the preceding “Dreamtime,” is executed with the level of finesse expected from the world’s greatest progressive rock band.
Every element fits: White’s piano is elegantly utilized. He frequently uses the piano to compose, with the instrument being used as the basis for many of the songs on 2011’s Levin Torn White. Here, it works with the melody and Jon Anderson’s lyrics.
The first segment, “Deeper,” builds on Anderson’s lyric and orchestration. Chris Squire’s vocals are prominently supporting the melody as well. Steve Howe’s electric guitar plays a major role in the “Death of Ego” section, as it is complemented by the swirling orchestration. Howe then introduces sprinkles of steel guitar, before going on a full flight of fantasy.
Anderson and Squire match the intensity vocally, and there’s a tasty recapitulation of Yes’ main theme before the “True Beginner” section breaks in with unbridled determination. The song becomes almost anthemic at this point. “Turn Around and Remember” pulls everything together, with Howe once again providing soaring steel passages as Squire’s bass and White’s drums match the intensity.
The song is simply fantastic. Yes has also released concert recordings of “In the Presence Of” on 2003’s Symphonic Yes and 2007’s Live at Montreux, both of which match the majesty of the original.
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