A Brief History of Early Electronic Music

When does electronic music history begin?

Many argue that the history of electronic music began with the invention of the record player in the 1870s. Certainly the invention of the phonograph by Thomas Alva Edison. Yes, the same Edison who invented the lightbulb. The record player allowed music lovers to enjoy a concert without leaving their living room! Of course, the music establishment worried that the record player would reduce overall sales, but instead record players allowed further expression of ideas. Not only could music be distributed internationally, for the first time in history, music could be preserved and archived for study.

Phonograph Recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv7i-gkSWn0

Early Electronic Instruments

There were a number of early electronic instruments from the 1900s. Among them were the Theremin (still in use today), the Ondes-Martenot, the Trautonium, and the Hammond Organ. Each of these instruments brought musicians one step closer to digital explosion of the late 20th century.

Theremin plays Legend of Zelda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJYho56INKU

There were a number of notable electronic composers during the early part of the 20th century. Many of these composers embraced the concept of noise equals music. Often cited as one of the founders of electronic music, composer Edgard Varese experimented with percussive sounds to create the work "Ionisation" in the 1920s, which set the musical groundwork for experimental sound and composition.

As you listen to Ionisation, think about the similarities between electronic sound, timbre, and the sounds of the percussion instruments.

Ionisation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9mg4KHqRPw

Notable Electronic Composers of the Early to Mid-20th Century

Karl Stockhausen (Cologne. Germany at Northwest Broadcasting Studios) "Gesang der Junglinge" 1950s (Song of the Youths)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XfeWp2y1Lk

Elektronische Studie II—the first electronic piece to be published as a score.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXqvBvOXV3U

John Cage "William's Mix"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ql4Ophbt7k

Musique Concrete: Music composed by mixing samples.

Composer Pauline Oliveros "Bye Bye Butterfly" 1960s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFaoCfCiEh0&feature=related

Sonic Soundscape

Deep Listening Institute

Vladimir Ussechevsky (Columbia-Princeton Studios) NY

"Sonic Contours"

Combination of traditional instruments with electronics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og3QDR-gMWY

Iannis Xenakis

Famous for electronic work, but most famous work was for orchestra "Metastasis" which had many electronic music components and sounds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZazYFchLRI

Much of his work was based on mathematical principles or

If it seems that much of this music sounds "sci-fi" to you, this is directly due to the fact that the evolution of electronic music correlated with growing excitement for the space race, aliens, and science fiction movies like Forbidden Planet, which had an electronic score by Louis and Bebe Barron.

Forbidden Planet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIuc1_Qg4A8

1970s Nam June Paik: Electronic Opera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIBEaszndLA

EDGY New Film : Special Needs Revolt! A man with Down syndrome is on a mission to save America from a racist dictatorship

Special Needs Revolt! Is an action-horror-comedy film. The film's hero, Billy Bates, who will be played by up-and-coming actor Samuel Dyer, is a young man with Down syndrome. Billy wakes up from a two-year coma and discovers that the United States has been turned into a brutal dictatorship thanks to President Kruger, to be played by award-winning veteran actor Bill Weeden ( Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D. ). Kruger has put all people with disabilities into institutions. Billy becomes the leader of a diverse group of resistance fighters committed to ending Kruger's reign of terror. "Special Needs Revolt!" is also a satire on our current political situation, done in the style of Troma Entertainment. Lloyd Kaufman of Troma will appear in the film. CHECK OUT THE INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/special-needs-revolt#/ Adrian’s latest work Special Needs Revolt! may seem edgy and even shocking to some. However, it demonstrates that he is grow

Music Secrets: The Music School Survival Guide

Music Secrets: The Music School Survival Guide Don't have any time to balance rehearsals, exams, and a social life? Then read on! So you find that between playing in orchestra, the school musical, a solo recital or two, joining Sigma Alpha Iota or Phi Mu Alpha , playing in the alternative band at night, pep band, and marching band that you can't keep your eyes open, let alone study for the music history midterm next week or even begin to write your term paper on Debussy? Then read on and learn to balance life in Music School. 1) Musicians DO need to Sleep Yes, you need to sleep, even if it is only five hours a night plus catnaps. Your brain cannot function if you do not sleep. So sleep, even if that means that you can't play in that awesome alternative band that jams every other night till 5am at the local bar. 2) Eat right and exercise Okay, so I sound like your parents, or Oprah, but I am serious. My biggest mistake as an undergrad (well, one of my bigges

Percussion Instruments 101: How to Play the Concert Triangle

PHOTO"wikimedia.org Percussion Instruments 101: How to Play the Concert Triangle There are literally hundreds of concert percussion instruments in use every day throughout the world. Whether you are playing percussion in a drum circle in Ghana , a jazz band in New Orleans , or a symphony orchestra in Sweden, you are playing an instrument that has traveled and mutated throughout the globe. The percussion instrument the triangle , is a metal rod bent into the shape of a two dimensional geometric triangle with one of the bottom corners disconnected to allow sound waves to escape. The concert triangle often has a slight difference, in that it may have a hole in one corner to loop a piece of nylon to hang the concert triangle. If it is an Alan Abel triangle, it will have a slight difference in the open end. That angle will end in a different thickness, supposedly to help the triangle sound to escape better acoustically. The triangle may be struck near one of the closed an

Search This Blog