1. CD1, Tr.3,4, From the Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Bernard Hermann : "prelude/outer space/Radar" 4 min
"Nocturne/The Flashlight/The Robot/Space Control" 6 min
2. CD2, Tr.3, From the Forbidden Planet (1956)
Bernard Hermann : "prelude/outer space/.." ->1.20 min -15
1. Brilliant classical film arrangements with rather dramatic effects and use of theremin. The historical setting was the paranoia of the early years of the cold war. Theremin and electronic music in those days was merely used as an effect-seeking object. One of the earliest examples for the use of the theremin as a suspense effect was of course Hitchcock's "Spellbound" (1945). But "The Day the Earth stood still" I found a better highlight and example, with wonerful arrangements.
2. the sounds of the robot were produced after an investigation study of cybernetic behaviourism. From the first pure electronic music soundtrack ever. "Forbidden Planet" was the first electronic music only filmmusic. Especially the sounds how the robot moved I think were highly succesful.
3.CD2, Tr.6, Kid Baltan & Tom Dissevelt :
"Song of the second Moon" 4 min (1957)
3. The first electronic pop music avant-la-lettre.
4.CD2, Tr.7, BBC Radiophonic Workshop :
Daphne Oram/Desmond Briscoe : "The Ocean" 2 min (1958) 18
The BBC Radiophonic Workshop however produced almost nothing else but small loops and fragments of music. This is one of the interesting pieces from 1958 based upon a boat whistle sound.
Subliminal SoundsAttilo Mineo conducts : Man in Space with sounds (US,1962)
Tr.2, "Gateway to Heaven" 4 min
Tr.3, " "Soaring Science" 4 min 8-26
Nice orchestrations for the world fair, and a track imagening the sounds of a control room. This led to inspirations for the later Star Trek series some years later (1966).
DelosClara Rockmore : The Art of Theremin (RU/US,1987)*****
Tr.2, "Song of Grusia" 5 min
Tr.5, Achron : "Hebrew Melody" 6 min 11-38
Emotional moving playing by the only artist who can fully master the theremin and play it with emotional grandeur. The theremin is a relative simple electronic instrument which is played in the air between two antennas. Clara Rockmore never liked the idea of using the theremin as an effect-seeking instrument. For her it had a place amongst classical instruments. Other serious theremin players like Lydia Kavina also recorded newly written music for use of the theremin. Clara Rockmore played classical music mostly.
DVD documentary on search for Leon Theremin starring Clara Rockmore reviewed here
DVD compilation with one live performance, and interview reviewed here
RPMJoe Meek : I hear a new world (UK,rec.'59,re.'01)**°°'
Tr.3, "Entry of the Globbots" 4 min
Tr.8, "Magnetic Field" 4 min 8 -46
Producer Joe Meek started to influence pop sounds with space effects and all. He was the first artistic producer who was aware of the possibilities of a studio influencing the sound of music. More than about effects, this included also composing.These two EP's showed stereophonic effects but also imangined futuristic sounds. Less appealing now were the use of chipmonks-voices to describe the moon creatures. Especially these two tracks showed some possibilities and visionary ideas. Some of the technical ideas were adapted in later recordings.
Joe Meek's most known hit is done with The Tornados called "Telstar". Here he further showed his visions. Joe Meek had a desire to change the sounds in pop music. Someway this happened, but perhaps almost automatically. In The Telstar hit was used electronica, studio filtering and a primitive synthesiser.
While using studio trickery was one starting point. There were other starting points, like music concrète, electro-acoustic music and pre-recorded sounds, sinus waves and tape manipulation. To overcome the authomatisation process only a few grips in reality could develop the inspirations differently. One of such grips were natural sounds on earth. Insect sounds, bird sounds and so on had their own codes that could be used for electronic music and tape manipulation discovering new music forms and compositions.
EM Rec.Jim Fassett : Symphony Of The Birds (US,1957?/1984/re.2005)***°°
Tr.4, "Third Movement (Misterioso)" 5 min -51
An attempt to make otherwordly music with an electronic effect based upon natural bird calls only.
Pogus Prod. Pauline Oliveros : Alien Bog (rec.1967) /
Beautiful Soop (rec.1966,pub.1997)***°°
The First track has something of a natural pond. But to a degree it still is a difficult piece to tune into. Therefore I will not airplay it. I have a shortage in airplay time. It is worth discovering.
part 3 : Human voice as accompaniment to electronic music and tape manipulation.
Basta (Henk) Badings : More electronic music -2CD- (INDO/NL'58-'60/'09)°°°°°
Tr.5, "Dialogue for Man and Machine" 22 min (1958)
Radio play of electronic music with spoken word by Ramses Shaffey ! It has a long intro with more electronica and sound manipulation, before the words take lead. A masterpiece, also in performance by Ramses Shaffey. Even the words become an art form. A must-have heard.
Pogus Prod. Pauline Oliveros : Alien Bog (rec.1967)/
Beautiful Soop (rec.1966,pub.1997)***°°
Tr.2, "Beautiful Soop" -> 7 min maximum (1966) 81
Interesting piece with some words coming from "Jabberwocky" (Lewis Carroll : "Alice in Wonderland"). Around this time the new "Alice In Wonderland" goes in premiere.
(I can't help it to say that the original story most probably is lost a bit Lewis Carroll's story is about the playful world between a child's mind and an adults' mind, with all its surreal confusions making fun of the adult's world illogical ways. Without an awareness of literature, English bahaviours and this psychology some of the magic is already gone-.
Pioneering electronic work with controlled perfection. A masterpiece composed in stereo. Another dialogue of human voice, human voice manipulation and so called electronic sounds.
part 4 : the commercialisation of electronic music : the creative side
While modern composers worked further in a rather academic way, some electronic music studios were still only used for producing effects. Only small compositions were made for commercial reasons or commisioned TV broadcasts.
Basta Raymond Scott : Manhattan Research (US,'59-'95/'00)***°°
CD1, Tr.3, " Bendix : the tomorrow people"2 min (1963)
Tr.2, "Baltimore gas & electric co." 2 min (1960-'62)
Tr.8, "Vim" 2 min (1960)
CD2,tr.3, General Motors : Futurama 2 min (1964)
Raymond Scott who had been a famous composer of entertaining tunes spent lots of his fortune to early electronic music equipment. He was asked to make lots of commercials which you will hear some.
CD1, Tr.19, 1 min (1960-'63)
Tr.31, 2 min electronium (1968)
CD2, tr.2, 1 min electronium with keyboard (1968)
Tr.12, 2 min electronium and clavivox ->122 14 (1960-'63)
Raymond Scott invented lots of instruments. His most remarkable instrument was the electronium. This is an ayhomatic composition machine, based upon bringing in some parameters. The clavivox a keyboard driven theremin.
Raymond's son currently is cooperating on a documenteray on Raymond Scott which is in the process.
Also the BBC Radiophonic Workshop's provided commissions. Also Daphne Oram provided some while she also worked on a machine of her own to make another parameter based machine that would make the time demanding process of tape manipulation more easy. Unfortunately for her, computer age and multitracking were easier to use tools that were developped in the meanwhile. After the two examples of commercials with electronic music, we also hear a succesful, -minimal but effective-, ballet piece she once composed.
While most serious composers kept a distance from the commercialisation process, Pierre Henry started to work with rock artists. His own work contains hardly accessible avant-garde electronic music, some of this fusing attempts were more successful than others. This was surely one of the most succesful attempts, from which I think "Psyche Rock" also made it to a hit. This music was commissioned for a ballet by Belgian ballet choreographer Maurice Béjart. .
Another less interesting rock/electronic music cooperation of Pierre Henry you can find here
While the Moog synthesizer made keyboard driven music more easily sadly this also led to numurous kitschy examples of records which I am not going to play here. Just one more record to finish the show :
Bruce Haack pub.Bruce Haack : The Electric Lucifer(US,rec.1968-1969,pub.1970,re.2007)****°
Tr.1, "Electric to me turn" 3 min
Like pre-Kraftwerk electro-pop this much more has a playful almost barrol-organ use of electronics. Bruce Haack used all self-built electronic music instruments of his own invention, and a computer voice as one of the first if not the first to do so. While some of his works balances with contradictions between seriousness and light pop abilities this album might still be one of his most succesful.
Bruce Haack's track with pop sensibilties is a good ending for the show and an even better preparation for going to a party right now which similutanuously started with my radio show. 1000 versions of the hit "Pop Corn" (Gershon Kingsley/Hot Butter) were going to be played on that party at Scheld'Apen.
V.A. : Forbidden Planets -2CD- (UK/NL/D,2009)****°