Glenn Cornick, has made about just the only one bass solo I can stand to listen to for repeated amounts of time. Bourée from Stand Up. Hymn 43 is considered by many, as one of the filler materials on Aqualung. Lots of "b-sides" acoustic guitar with Ian singing over it, apart from Hymn 43. The album has just 2-3 really great and legendary tunes on it, Aqualung, Locomotive Breath, and maybe Crossed Eyed Mary (covered by Iron Maiden later on, no less). I think Hymn 43 is not one of them. The bassist on Aqualung was Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond but the bass line is probably (as everything else) composed and made up by Ian Anderson, if not even played by himself too. The Aqualung "band" had shifted, from previous line up. Clive Bunker, the drummer couldn't really cut the more intricate and harder parts and Ian had to play some of them (!). So Barrie Barlow was brought in into the next album. Jeffrey had not the "quick-on-the-take-up" knack as the rest of the band had. He always had to walk that extra mile in rehearsals to be able to make it in the end, even the simpler things. That's why he left Tull later on, it wasn't his core, or bona fide thing. Painting was. He was a tad stiffer, and daft playing as opposed to Cornicks more fluid style, albeit limited too in some ways.
My fave album, and bass part of Tull, came 5-6 years later on on "Songs From The Wood" where John Glascock had took over the bass. "
Hunting Girl" bass line at the break at the tricky (and long) intro section makes my day, just before the double bass drums rolls in... seems superficial pentatonic, but try to cut the syncopated and accented notes if you can... properly...
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Today, I can't still fathom why Aqualung is considered their apex and highlight album. Just because one or two songs. There are too many snorefests and filler material on that album IMHO. "Thick As A Brick" is far better in spite of its tounge in cheek "concept" send up orientation, and "Songs From The Wood" more refined, finesse, and thorough arrangements. Albeit in a more folky way, than medieval as was the thing with Aqualung with its "Gothic" themed songs. Even "Crest Of A Knave" from 1987 I hold higher than Aqualung. The one album that didn't had any thing on that struck a nerve with me was the "yellow" one... "too old to rock'n'roll... too many concession towards the record company and US market" as I call it.
Hymn 43 is a filler song, by my standards. Glad that it makes waves with some other person.
