The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music

Music for Plants

Episode 67
Music for Plants
 
Playlist
In this episode, we feature electronic music created for, inspired by, or generated by plants.
The following music was created as a stimulation for plant growth, sometimes based on the “latest” scientific data and in keeping with the artist’s interpretation of that data. Or simply, inspired by plants but not actually based on any science whatsoever.
Mort Garson, “Rhapsody in Green” from Mother Earth's Plantasia (1976 Homewood Records). Moog Modular Synthesizer, all compositions, and performances by Mort Garson. Produced at Garson’s Patchcord Production in Hollywood. One of the last great Moog Modular Albums before the onset of polyphonic and computer-controlled synthesizers. The album had a very limited distribution upon release, only being available to people who bought a houseplant from a store called Mother Earth in Los Angeles or those who purchased a Simmons mattress from a Sears outlet, both of which came with the record. From the liner notes: “Full, warm, beautiful mood music especially composed to aid in the growing of your plants.” “It has been proven beyond any doubt that harmonic sound waves affect the growth, flowering and seed yield of plants.” (Dr. T. C. Singh, Dept. of Botany, Annamalai University, India)”
Jerry Cammarata, “Opus 1000” from Plant Serenade (1975 Jerem). "A Collection Of Tonal Experience For Your Lawn, Vegetable Garden And Exotic Plants.” Electronic frequency tones to stimulate plant growth. Yes, this record was actually released. It shows a violin player and some house plants on the cover. But the sounds are purely electronic. Each of the seven tracks features a tone of a different frequency. That’s it. It is apparently based on theories in the book The Secret Life of Plants (1973, Avon), for which a film was also made a couple of years later and inspired Stevie Wonder to create his more musical soundtrack of the same name (1979 Tamla). From the line notes: “You are encouraged to provide a program of good nutrition to your plants during your stimulation program with this album.” “Pure tones, particularly those in the higher range, have been more aggressively used in recent years to stimulate plant growth because they apparently change the physiological state of the plant and permit it to function in a accelerated manner.”
Baroque Bouquet, “Moses on a Raft” from Plant Music (1976 Amherst Records). Music by Baroque Bouquet; produced by Tom Shannon, Tony Di Maria. This album refers to various academic studies linking music to plant growth, coming to the conclusion that music which departed from loud, percussive sounds and toward harmonic, uniformly structured forms, such as baroque music, was ideal for plants. From the liner notes: “Within the limitations we have described, it appears that growing plants respond both toward and away from contrasting sound energies introduced into their environments.” We know our music will stimulate a favorable response within your growing plants.”
Vale of Pnath, “Heart of the Deep Forest” from Hymn of the Plants (1998 Self released). A self-released, single-sided cassette by American independent artist Dale Tomel.
Burkard Schmidl, “Part 04,” “Part 05,” and “Part 06” from KlangGarten Vol. II (Music For Plants And Humans) (1993 Innovative Communication). Music for a special project commissioned by the IGA Expo 93 in Stuttgard, the international gardening exhibition. This was one of the tracks of music composed for the SoundGarden portion of the exhibit, presented using a 12-speaker system in a garden setting. This track is one of 16 released on an exhibition CD.
Marco Madia, “Photosynthesis” from Music For Plants (2013 Dewtone Recordings). This Canadian release is by Italian electronic music producer Madia, based in Berlin since 2006.
Modern Biology, “Swordfern in the Morning ((Raag Bhairavi)” from Plant Music Vol 1 (2021 Self-release). Modern Biology is a Vancouver based artist who bioelectricity, Indian raga, and analog synthesis. He says, “This is not science, this is art. I think of these pieces as sketches of some of the plants in my environment. All tracks were recorded live, in nature, in the northern Gulf Islands of British Columbia.”
Joshua Bonnetta, “Cactus (Cactaceae Sp.)” from The Folklore of Plants Vol. 1 (2017 Folklore Tapes). A UK compilation of short compositions around local plants of the southwest region of the England. Researched and executed by 31x artists. This is one of them.
Zoe Naylor, “Nettle (Urtica Dioica)” from The Folklore of Plants Vol. 1 (2017 Folklore Tapes). A UK compilation of short compositions around local plants of the southwest region of the England. Forty-page pamphlet included plant-lore and illustrations from artists and herbal medicine section by herbalist Zoe Naylor.
Mary & David, “Rowan (Sorbus Aucuparia)” from The Folklore of Plants Vol. 1 (2017 Folklore Tapes). A UK compilation of short compositions around local plants of the southwest region of the England. Devon Folklore Tapes is an ongoing research, storytelling and musical project covering and soundtracking the folklore of the southwest county of Devon in volumes of tapes housed in bespoke books. Exploring mysteries, myths, legends, and strange phenomena of the old county.
Mice Parade, “Guitars for Plants” from Obrigado Saudade (2004 FatCat Records). Performed and recorded by Adam Pierce.
Paul Chihara, “Logs XVI” from Tree Music (1970 CRI). Bass, Bertram Turetzky; Moog Modular Synthesizer and Buchla Modular Synthesizer, composed by, Paul Chihara. Realized at the electronic music studios of UCLA. “Logs XVI was so named because it was the sixteenth “take” in the recording studio. Meaning that this is a real-time performance by Chihara using two famous modular synthesizers, the Moog and Buchla. Douglas Leedy was also recording in this studio around that time. The end of the previous work, “Driftwood,” is heard first before it blends into the electronics of “Logs XVI.” The piece uses bass previously recorded, remixed, and modulated using the synthesizers. Chihara was inspired by trees and made this homage to their lifecycle.
The following music was generated by plants, using electronics, amplification, and audio processing.
Plasma Palace, “Music of the Plants” (2013 Self Release). Created with a device called Bamboowhich is connects directly to a plant, perceiving its electromagnetic signals and translating it into musical harmonies. This recording was made with two Bamboo devices connected to house plants. I guess you’d call it a duet.
Shane Mendonsa, “Lavender (Generative)” from Plant Music (2021 Digital release). “Lavender” is a Generative Music performance featuring a Lavandula angustifolia. The Plant is connected to the Eurorack modules and the Moog synthesizers through a biofeedback sensor which distributes the data from the plant to the instruments allowing the plant to the instruments. The pulsating Bass is a result of the Raw data output from the sensor that is modulating the Pulse width on the Moog Oscillators. More about Shane’s plant music can be found on his website.
 
Background music:
Jerry Baker, “House Plants” from Plants are Like People (1973 Lion Records). With the appearance of popular books around the subject of house plants, came the inevitable audio recordings to accompany them. This is a spoken word album by “America’s Master Gardener.”
Maria Sabína, Excerpt from the “Mushroom Ceremony Of The Mazatec Indians Of Mexico” (1957 Folkways).
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.

Those We Have Lost—Electronic Musicians Who Passed in 2021

Episode 66
Those We Have Lost—Electronic Musicians Who Passed in 2021
 
Playlist
In this episode, we pay tribute to electronic composers and musicians who passed in 2021. I’ve put together what I hope will be a satisfying playlist of these diverse artists and their works.
Alvin Lucier, “Vespers” from Electric Sound (1972 Mainstream). This work was performed by Lucier and other members of the Sonic Arts union, David Behrman, Robert Ashley, and Gordon Mumma. The musical instrument was a device not intended for making electronic music. It was the Sondol, a hand-held pulse oscillator designed for “boat owners, acoustic engineers, and the blind.” Lucier bought a few of these devices and worked out a piece for echolocation. Each performer was equipped with a Sondol and asked to move blindfolded inside a defined performing space. This resulted in a work comprised of four independent streams of percussive pulses that sound as if they have their own relationship to one another as each musician moves about in the space. VESPERS is written as a prose score in which Lucier invites the performer to explore the world beyond human limits: “Dive with whales, fly with certain nocturnal birds or bats (particularly the common bat of Europe and North America of the family Vespertilionidae), or seek the help of other experts in the art of echolocation.”
Richard H. Kirk, with Cabaret Voltaire, “Let it Come Down” from International Language (1993 Plastex). This album was released during a period of transformation for CV. Founding member Chris Watson had left to pursue other sound interests, while Mallinder and Kirk remained and headed into the instrumental direction embodied by dance music. The liner notes for this album state, “Abandon thinking. Everything you will hear in the next seventy-four minutes is true. This music is dedicated to the Merry Pranksters past present & future.” Not sure what that means, but hey. This group was fantastic.
Richard H. Kirk, solo, "Information Therapy" from Disposable Half-Truths (1980 Industrial Records). This was from Kirk’s first solo cassette release while he maintained his parallel work with Cabaret Voltaire.
Joel Chadabe, “Rendevous” from Rhythms for Computer and Percussion (1981 Lovely Music). Joel had such a long list of accomplishments in electronic music, a pioneer of analog systems as well as computer music. On this album, his collaboration with percussionist Jan Williams was startlingly fresh. Electronics, computer synthesizer system (Synclavier), Joel Chadabe; percussion, wood block, vibraphone, marimba, slit drum, log drum, temple block, cowbell, singing bowls, Jan Williams. "The equipment used in RHYTHMS is a portable minicomputer/digital synthesizer system designed and manufactured by New England Digital Corporation in Norwich, Vermont, expressly for making music."
Jon Hassell, “Abu Gil” Last Night The Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes In The Street (2009 ECM). Trumpet, keyboard, composed by Jon Hassell; bass, Peter Freeman; Live sampling, Jan Bang; guitar, Rick Cox; drums, Helge Norbakken; violin, Kheir-Eddine M’Kachinche.
Jon Hassell, “Wing Melodies” from Power Spot (1981 ECM). Trumpet, composed by Jon Hassell; guitar, electronic treatments, Michael Brook; electric bass, Brian Eno; electronic keyboards (bass, percussion, string sounds), Jean-Phillippe Rykiel; percussion, acoustic and electronic, alto flute, J. A. Deane; produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.
Sophie, Eeehhh” from Nothing More to Say (2012 Huntleys & Palmers). Electronics, vocals, composed and performed by Sophie Xeon. I chose a couple of earlier tracks that were largely instrumental experiments.
Sophie, “Elle” from Bipp/Elle (2013 Numbers). Electronics, vocals, composed and performed by Sophie Xeon. Sophie was primarily known for electronica dance music.
Malcolm Cecil, “Gamerlonia Dawn” from Radiance (1981 Unity Records). Composed By, Performer, Producer, Engineer, Malcolm Cecil. English bassist and inventor of the unique TONTO synthesizer ("The Original New Timbral Orchestra"), a massive integrated synthesizer system that was used on many analog electronic albums in the early 1970s. Episode 36 was devoted to Cecil’s work so you might want to catch-up with that to get more detail about this amazing musician and producer. This track uses TONTO and also features the “golden flute” of Paul Horn.
Peter Zinovieff, “M Piriform” from Electronic Calendar—The EMS Tapes (2015 Space Age Recordings). Computer music from 1981 by the founder of EMS, Peter Zinovieff, with composer/conductor Justin Connolly. Collaborating with classical composer Connolly, Zinovieff created the electronic music in his Putney studio, using computer-controlled audio generators, and combined it with instrumental parts written by Connolly for soprano, flute, and violin. This performance of the work was staged in 1969 and featured Jane Manning (soprano), Judith Pearce (flute) and Pauline Scott (violin), who all played along with a tape recording of the electronic part.
Murray Schafer, “Threnody” from Threnody (Youth Music by R. Murray Schafer) (1970 Melbourne). This Canadian release features an instrumental work with electronic sound by Schafer, who is perhaps more familiar to us as a creator of soundscapes and ambient audio experiments. But he also worked in traditional instrumental music and featured electronics in some of these. There are not many recordings such as this example from 52 years ago.
Background music:
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.
 

Testing, Testing: A Collage of Hi-Fi Test Recordings

Episode 65
Testing, Testing: A Collage of Hi-Fi Test Recordings
Playlist
In this episode, we pay tribute to those producers who were charged long ago with coming up with test recordings for high fidelity record players and tape players.
The Measure Of Your Phonograph's Performance (1955 The Dubbings Company). Full range of frequency tests, no narrator.
Allied Radio Stereo Setup - Test And Demo Records (1955 Allied Radio Corp.). 3-LP set with sound effects, frequency tests, and musical selections.
The Science of Sound (1958 Folkways). Not strictly a test record, this exploration of sound and recorded sound was produced at Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc.
..Out Of This World (1958 Omega Disk). Frequency, phasing, and balance tests plus musical selections such as Paul Tanner’s Up to Jupiter and the finale theme from Destination Moon.
Stereo Test Record (1959 Audio Fidelity). Including metronome, frequency testing, balance testing with piano.
Stereo And Monophonic – Audiotester (1959 Audiotex Hi Fi Accessories). “The first full range High Fidelity Stereo and Monaural test record made in accordance with official standards of the industry. The recording was made in one of the best equipped audio laboratories using the newest HYDROLATHE recording devices. This pressing has been made to extremely close tolerances, and of the finest materials.”
Stereo Check Out (1960 Command).
Stereo Test Record For Home And Laboratory Use - Model 211 (1963 Hi Fi/Stereo Review).
Seven Steps To Better Listening (1964 CBS Laboratories). Operational notes by Edward Tatnall Candy of Audio Magazine.
Stereo Demonstration (1965? Philips). “Stereo-Revue In Musik Und Geräusch” is a demonstration piece with various sound effects (excerpts). Engineer, Gene Ryland, Ludwig Bender; H. Gerhard Lichthorn, William Hamilton. Narrator, Heinz Piper.
An Audio Obstacle Course - Shure Trackability Test Record (1967 Shure). “Issued especially for promoting, testing and adjustment of the "Shure V-15 Type II" cartridge. Do Not Play This Record With A Monophonic Cartridge!”
Akai stereo reel-to-reel test tape. (1968 Akai). From Japan, in English.
This Is Stereo (1970 EXP Technical Series). Electronic Sounds And Sound Effects Devised By Clement Brown, John Wright.
RCOA Stereo Systems Test Record (1972 Yorkshire Records). Producer, Harold L. O'Neal Jr. “The Ultimate High-Fidelity Test Record.”
Bib Hi-Fi Stereo Test Cassette (1972 The Decca Record Company Limited). Commentators, David Gell (“David”) and Maroussia Frank (“Mary”).
Panasonic Discrete 4-Channel Record CD-4 Quadradisc: Introduction to CD-4 (1973 RCA). Special collector’s edition.
Micro-Acoustics TT 2002 Transient & Tracking Ability Stereo Demonstration Record (1978 Micro-Acoustic Corporation). Percussion tracking, frequency tests, and a little electronic music by Perrey and Kingsley.
Sonic Hologram™ Demonstration-Calibration Test Record C-4000 (1980 Carver Electronics Corporation). Demonstration record for the Carver C-400 Sonic Holography/Autocorrelation Preamplifier.
Background music:
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.
 
 

Electronic Music by Design: The Instruments and Music of Hugh Davies

Episode 64
Playlist
Hugh Davies, “Shozyg I” from the National Sound Archive of The British Library. The file was produced in Davies’ home studio and dates from 1968. 8:16
The Music Improvisation Company, “Tuck” from The Music Improvisation Company (1970 ECM). Electric Guitar, Derek Bailey; Live Electronics, Hugh Davies; Percussion, Jamie Muir; Soprano Saxophone, Evan Parker. Recorded on August 25th, 26th, 27th, 1970 at the Merstham Studios, London. 3:14
Gentle Fire, “Group Composition IV” (excerpt) from Explorations (1970 - 1973) (2020 Paradigm Discs). Recorded live At ICES 72 (The Roundhouse, London, 14th August 1972). Cello, Michael Robinson; Springboard, Hugh Davies; Performer, Gentle Fire; Recorder, EMS VCS3, Graham Hearn; Tabla, Richard Bernas; Trumpet, Cello, Stuart Jones. 4:33
Gentle Fire, “Edges” from Earle Brown, John Cage, Christian Wolff – 4 Systems, Music For Amplified Toy Pianos, Music For Carillon, Edges (1974 EMI Electrola). German recording of the Christian Wolff piece “Edges,” performed by Gentle Fire. Graham Hearn, Hugh Davies, Michael Robinson, Richard Bernas, Stuart Jones. 10:17
Hugh Davies, “Music for Bowed Diaphragms” from the National Sound Archive of The British Library. The file was produced in Davies’ home studio and dates from October 7, 1977. 10:08
Hugh Davies, “Salad” from the National Sound Archive of The British Library. The file was produced in Davies’ home studio and dates from February 19, 1977. Davies performs on four different egg slicers, two tomato slicers and one cheese slicer. 13:55
Hugh Davies, “Toads” from the National Sound Archive of The British Library. The recording dates from 1980. 5:50
Hugh Davies, “Spring Song” from the National Sound Archive of The British Library. The recording dates from 1980. 4:56
Borbetomagus, “Concordat 7” from Work On What Has Been Spoiled (1981 Agaric). Live Electronics, Hugh Davies; Guitar, Donald Miller; Saxophone, Don Dietrich, Jim Sauter. 4:57
Hugh Davies, “Porcupine” from Warming up with the Iceman (2001 GROB). Solo work from 2000. 5:08. Porcupine was a more recent instrument invented by Davies in 2000. It comprised a disc shaped contact microphone and some wires that create a glissandi when touched with a finger. 5:08
Hugh Davies, “From Trees and Rocks” from Tapestries: Five Electronic Pieces (2005 Ants). Music for an installation at the Diozesanmuseum in Cologne called Walkmen that ran from April to September of 2000. A work in which “all the sounds were related to the processes that would have been undergone in order to transforms trees and rocks into works of art, especially sawing and chiselling; to these sounds I added others which were produced by treating the tools themselves as if they were simple musical instruments” (Davies). This CD is noted for the generous and informative biographical notes by David Toop, a friend and sometimes collaborator of Davies. 9:49
Background music:
Karlheinz Stockhausen, Mikrophonie I (excerpt) (1967 Columbia). A key work for which Davies contributed while he was working as an assistant to Stockhausen. Filters, Potentiometers, Hugh Davies, Jaap Spek, Karlheinz Stockhausen; Microphones, Harald Bojé, Johannes Fritsch; Tamtam, Fred Alings, Aloys Kontarsky. 13:02
Notes: Many of the works attributed to the National Sound Archive of The British Library are also available on the following commercial recording:
Hugh Davies, Performances 1969 – 1977 (2008 Another Timbre), a UK CD
The Hugh Davies Collection: live electronic music and self-built electro-acoustic musical instruments, 1967–1975. Researcher/scholar James Mooney, of the University of Leeds, UK, keeps the Davies flame alive with his contributions around Davies handmade instruments and music.
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.
 

An Electronic Poetry Slam

Episode 63
An Electronic Poetry Slam
 
Playlist
Roland Giguere, “Les Heures Lentes” from Voix De 8 Poètes Du Canada (1958 Folkways). Spoken poetry intermixed with musique concrete by Francois Morel. The electronic music and poetry are never heard simultaneously on this album, but the music was composed to set the tone for each work that followed. 1:29.
François Dufrêne & Jean Baronnet, “U 47” from A Panorama Of Experimental Music, Vol. 1: Electronic Music / Musique Concrete (1967 Mercury). Dufrêne was a French sound poet and visual artist who performed what he called "crirythmes," a style of vocal noises. The electronic music on tape was composed by Baronnet, who was a co-founder, with Pierre Henry, of Studio Apsome, their private studio for electronic music, after their break from the GRM studios of Pierre Schaeffer in 1958. Recorded under the supervision of Pierre Henry, in collaboration with the sound laboratories of the West German Radio (Cologne), Italian Radio (Milan), French Radio and Television (Paris), and the Studio Apsome (Paris). 3:33
Intersystems, “A Cave in the Country” from Peachy (1967 Pentagon). This was the Canadian experimental music band that produced some radically original music and performed live events mostly in the Toronto area from 1967 to 1969. Poetry and vocals by Blake Parker. Electronic music using the Moog Modular synthesizer by John Mills-Cockell. Performers, Blake Parker, Dik Zander, John Mills-Cockell, Michael Hayden. 1:50
Intersystems, “Carelessly Draped in Black” from Peachy (1967 Pentagon). This was the Canadian experimental music band that produced some radically original music and performed live events mostly in the Toronto area from 1967 to 1969. Poetry and vocals by Blake Parker. Electronic music using the Moog Modular synthesizer by John Mills-Cockell. Performers, Blake Parker, Dik Zander, John Mills-Cockell, Michael Hayden. 4:32
Bruce Clarke, “Of Spiralling Why” from The First See + Hear (1968 See/Hear Productions). From See/Hear, a quarterly publication of recordings of contemporary sound arts. There were three issues total. All from Canada. When there was electronic music, it was provided and created by Wayne Carr using a Buchla Box. Carr was associated with all three of the See/Hear albums/issues. This piece was commissioned for the Adelaide 1968 Arts Festival by the Melbourne ISCM, fragments of poetry were chosen at random from the unpublished works of the late Ann Pickburn, whom I believe you hear performing her words on this track. 9:35
Jim Brown and Wayne Carr, “Blues for Electric” from Oh See Can You Say (1968 See/Hear). Poetry and synthesizer. Poetry and voice, Jim Brown; engineer, Buchla Box, Wayne Carr. The second LP of this quarterly LP/magazine that seemed to only have three issues. “Wayne Carr plays synthesizer whenever it happens.” This is noted on another LP as a Buchla Box, so I’ve assumed that’s what he used on all three albums. 3:09
bill bissett & Th Mandan Massacre (sp), “fires in th tempul” from Awake In Th Red Desert (1968 See/Hear Productions). Poetry and voice, Bill Bissett; Toy Flute, Roger Tentrey; Flute, Tape Recorder, Ross Barrett; Guitar, Terry Beauchamp; Percussion, Gregg Simpson, Harley McConnell, Ken Paterson, Martina Clinton; Producer, Jim Brown; Buchla Box, engineer, Wayne Carr. 3:32
bill bissett & Th Mandan Massacre (sp), “now according to paragraph c” from Awake In Th Red Desert (1968 See/Hear Productions). Poetry and voice, Bill Bissett; Toy Flute, Roger Tentrey; Flute, Tape Recorder, Ross Barrett; Guitar, Terry Beauchamp; Percussion, Gregg Simpson, Harley McConnell, Ken Paterson, Martina Clinton; Producer, Jim Brown; Buchla Box, engineer, Wayne Carr. 2:40
Ruth White, “The Irremediable” from Flowers Of Evil (1969 Limelight). Electronic music, translations, and vocalizations by Ruth White. Words by Charles Baudelaire. Legendary American electronic music pioneer, most noted for her early explorations of sound using the Moog synthesizer. "An electronic setting of the poems of Charles Baudelaire composed and realized by Ruth White." 4:55
Ruth White, “The Cat” from Flowers Of Evil (1969 Limelight). Electronic music, translations, and vocalizations by Ruth White. Words by Charles Baudelaire. Legendary American electronic music pioneer, most noted for her early explorations of sound using the Moog synthesizer. "An electronic setting of the poems of Charles Baudelaire composed and realized by Ruth White." 3:27
Charles Dodge, “Speech Songs: No. 1 When I Am With You (Excerpt)” and “Speech Songs: No. 2 He Destroyed Her Image (Excerpt)” from from 10+2: 12 American Text Sound Pieces (1975 1750 Arch Records). Realized at the Bell Telephone Laboratories for computer music in 1975. 3:45
William Hellermann, “Passages 13 – The Fire (For Trumpet & Tape)” from Peter Maxwell Davies / Lucia Dlugoszewski / William Hellerman, Gerard Schwarz, Ursula Oppens, The New Trumpet (1975 Nonesuch). Composed by William Hellermann; voices, Jacqueline Hellerman, John P. Thomas, Marsha Immanuel, and Michael O'Brien; words by Robert Duncan. This poem was first published in 'Poetry,' April-May 1965. Tape realized by Hellerman at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. 25:28
Robert Ashley, “In Sara, Mencken, Christ And Beethoven There Were Men And Women (Excerpt)” from 10+2: 12 American Text Sound Pieces (1975 1750 Arch Records). Lyrics By – John Barton Wolgamot; Moog Synthesizer,Paul DeMarinis; Voice, Robert Ashley. Excerpt from an album-length work released in 1974 on Cramps Records. 3:53
Robert Ashley, “Interiors with Flash” from Big Ego (1978 Giorno Poetry Systems). A study for what would become Automatic Writing, a longer work by Ashley. recorded at Mills College, Oakland, California, May 14, 1978. Voice, Mimi Johnson; Electronics, Polymoog, Voice, written, produced, and mixed by Robert Ashley. 3:05
Joan La Barbara, “Cathing” from Tapesongs (1977 Chiaroscuro Records). Composed, produced, edited and sung by Joan La Barbara. The story behind this piece is a great one. In the 1970s, La Barbara, along with Meredith Monk, emerged in America as two of the premiere practitioners of avant garde vocalizing. Some might recognize the name of this piece as possibly a tribute to Cathy Berberian, the earlier generation’s version of an avant garde diva (La Barbara and Monk would never consider themselves as divas in the sense that Berberian was). Rather than being a tribute to Berberian, La Barbara was responding to a radio interview (apparently broadcast during the intermission of her concert at the 1977 Holland Festival). Berberian was outspoken about the new generation of vocalists and wondered out loud how any respectable composer could write for “one of those singers.” La Barbara’s response, composed in response, took excerpts from the interview (20 phrases), edited and rearranged them, altered them electronically to compose this piece. In her liner notes, she only identifies Berberian as another “professional singer.” Take that! 8:01.
Laurie Anderson, “Closed Circuits” from You're The Guy I Want To Share My Money With (1981 Girono Poetry Systems). One of Anderson’s tracks from this 2-LP collection of text and poetry that also includes works by John Giorno and William Burroughs. I think this was the tenth album from Giorno that began in 1975 with the Dial-A-Poem Poets. Electronics (Microphone Stand Turned Through Harmonizer), Wood Block, voice, Laurie Anderson. 7:23.
Background music for opening
Laurie Anderson, “Dr. Miller” from You're The Guy I Want To Share My Money With (1981 Girono Poetry Systems). Another of Anderson’s tracks from this 2-LP collection of text and poetry that also includes works by John Giorno and William Burroughs. This is another version of a track that later appeared on Anderson’s Unted States Live LP in 1984. Saxophone, Perry Hoberman; Synthesizer, Percussion, voice, Laurie Anderson. 4:19
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.

An Eggnogstic Synthesized Holiday Special

Episode 62
An Eggnogstic Synthesized Holiday Special
 
Playlist
Here is an approximate order for the tracks, which are sometimes mixed with other sounds or played at the same time.
Joseph Byrd, “Carol of the Bells” from A Christmas Yet to Come (1975 Takoma). USA. ARP 2600 Synthesizer with an Oberheim Expander Module. Bells only.
Bob Wehrman, John Bezjian and Dusty Wakeman, “Ring Christmas Bells” from Christmas Becomes Electric (1984 Tropical Records). Not be confused with an album by the same name by The Moog Machine in 1969. Unnamed synthesizer programmed and performed by Bob Wehrman and John Bezjian. From Marina Del Rey in California. Bells only.
Joseph Byrd, “Carillon” from A Christmas Yet to Come (1975 Takoma). USA. ARP 2600 Synthesizer with an Oberheim Expander Module. Bells only.
Tod Dockstader, “Holiday Meltdown” from Recorded Music For Film, Radio & Television: Electronic Vol.1 (1979 Boosey & Hawkes). Yes! A manic collage of electronic sounds from New Yorker Dockstader who did this album of broadcast library music for a UK firm.
Rudolf Escher, “The Long Christmas Dinner”(1960) from Anthology Of Dutch Electronic Tape Music: Volume 1 (1955-1966) (1978 Composer’s Voice). Netherlands. Electronic tape composition.
Douglas Leedy, “In Dulci Jubilo” from A Very Merry Electric Christmas to You (1970 Capitol). USA. Moog Modular Synthesizer and Buchla Synthesizer.
Beck, “The Little Drum Machine Boy” from Just Say Noël (1996 Geffen). USA. Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Paul Freeman, and The Chicago Synthesizer-Rhythm Ensemble, John Tatgenhorst, “The Little Drummer Boy” from Turned On Christmas (1985 Columbia). Just a little of this mixed-in with Beck.
Philippe Renaux, “Noël Blanc” (“White Christmas”) from We Wish You A Cosmic Christmas (1977 Sinus). Belgium. Minimoog, Arp Axe, Arp Soloist, EMS Synthesizer, Stringman Crumar, Fender Rhodes, Electronic Drums.
Paul Tanner, “Holiday on Saturn” from Music for Heavenly Bodies (1958 Omega). USA. Electro-theremin.
Taeko Onuki, Inori (Prayer) from We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1984 Yen). A compilation of specially recorded Christmas-themed songs from various artists on the Yen Records label. Japanese synth-pop with vocals by Onuki. Maybe Ryuichi Sakamoto on keyboards.
Mitch Miller & the Gang, “Give Peace a Chance—Thom’s Festive Remix” from Peace Sing-Along (1970 Atlantic). USA. This is a tune that I remixed with other recordings.
Don Voegeli, “Jingle Bells” long, short, and tag from Holiday & Seasonal Music (1977 EMI). USA. Produced at the Electrosonic Studio of the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
Joseph Byrd, “Jingle Bells” from A Christmas Yet to Come (1975 Takoma). USA. ARP 2600 Synthesizer with an Oberheim Expander Module.
Jimmy Smith, “The Christmas Song” from Christmas Cookin’ (1964 Verve). USA. Hammond organ.
Jean Jacques Perrey and Sy Mann, “Tijuana Christmas” from Switched on Santa (1970 Pickwick). USA. Moog Modular Synthesizer.
Thom Holmes, Happy Christmas (War is Over) Lennon and Ono Sliding Moment remix (2001).
Richie Havens, “End of the Season” from Alarm Clock (1970 Stormy Forest). A melancholic reflection on life from Mr. Havens, totally synthesized on the Moog Modular by Bob Margoleff.
Jon Hassell, “Clairvoyance” from Last Night The Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes In The Street (Pentimento Volume One) (2009 ECM). Composer, keyboards, Jon Hassell; producer, bass, Peter Freeman; Live Sampling, Jan Bang; Violin, Kheir-Eddine M'Kachiche. Live recordings from Courtrais, Belgium, and London.
Jon Hassell, “Courtrais” from Last Night The Moon Came Dropping Its Clothes In The Street (Pentimento Volume One) (2009 ECM). Composer, trumpet, keyboards, Jon Hassell; producer, bass, Peter Freeman; sampler, Dino J.A. Deane, Jan Bang; percussion, Steve Shehan; Live recordings from Courtrais, Belgium, and London.
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.

Radio Stockhausen

Episode 61
Radio Stockhausen
Playlist
Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Kurzwellen,” side 1 from Kurzwellen (1970 Deutsche Grammophon). This is the Radio Bremen performance from the original 2-LP recording dated May 5, 1968. Composed, mixed, and electronics (filters and mixers), Karlheinz Stockhausen; Electronium, shortwave radio, Harald Bojé; Tamtam, shortwave radio, Alfred Alings, Rolf Gehlhaar; Piano, shortwave radio, Aloys Kontarsky; Electric Viola, shortwave radio, Johannes G. Fritsch. 23:25
Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Spiral Für Einen Solisten” (1970) from Siebengesang/Spiral Für Einen Solisten (1971 Deutsche Grammophon). Composed and directed and mixed by Karlheinz Stockhausen; Oboe, shortwave radio, Heinz Holliger. Recorded at Tonstudio Max Lussi, Basel, Switzerland, October 1970. A little klezmer music with the shortwave plus some creative vocalizations by oboe soloist Holliger. “Spiral (1968) für einen Solisten. Events received by a soloist on a (short-)wave radio are imitated, transformed and transcended.” This is an interpretation that often sticks closely to imitating the sounds heard on the shortwave, an approach often avoided (admittedly) by Stockhausen’s regular troupe of musicians, despite the composer’s suggestions for doing so. This interpretation stands out in this regard. 15:45
Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Stockhausen - Beethoven - Op. 1970” side B from Opus 1970 (1970 Deutsche Grammophon). Composed and mixed by Karlheinz Stockhausen; Piano, Aloys Kontarsky; Elektronium, Harald Bojé; Tam-tam, Rolf Gehlhaar; Electric viola, Johannes G. Fritsch; Tone Production Associate, Otto-Ernst Wohlert. This special version of Kurzwellen, sometimes known as Kurzwellen mit Beethoven-Musik, Stockhoven-Beethausen and released as Opus 1970, was produced for the bicentenary of Beethoven’s birth in 1970. Following on the heels of his ensemble work for Kurzwellen (1968) and his use of shortwave tape collages in Hymnen (1969), Stockhausen substituted four tape collages of recorded Beethoven works for the shortwave radios of Kurzwellen. The recorded tapes retained shortwave sounds to simulate the real-time reception on radios. His ensemble used the same performance practices as they had for Kurzwellen but replaced the live shortwave radios with sounds they picked up from the montages on tape. They were each asked to respond to the tape collages as they would radio transmissions, choosing to tune-in and out as they wished. 25:33
Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Spiral - Version Elektrochord,” from Spiral/Wach/Japan/Pole (1973 Die Stimme Seines Herrn). Elektrochord, Schalmal, Japanische Bamboo flute], shortwave radio (KW-Empfänger, Péter Eötvös; mixer and potentiometer, Karlheinz Stockhausen. This album includes two versions of Spiral, one by Peter Eotvos and the other by Harald Boje. The Boje version uses the Electronium alone wth a shortwave receiver while this version uses an Electrochord, a shawm, a Japanese bamboo flute, and a shortwave receiver. The Electrochord in question is actually a combination of instruments consisting of a Hungarian zither with 15 strings along with an EMS VCS-3 synthesizer. The sounds of the zither are picked-up by two contact microphones and fed through the synthesizer for modification, for example filtering and ring modulation. This is one of the first instances I can find of someone from Stockhausen’s performing group using a synthesizer other than the accordion-like Electronium. This Electrochord should not be confused with the organ-like instrument of the same name invented in the 1930s in Germany. The composer later purchased a very large EMS model 100 synthesizer for the WDR studio. 16:03
Background Music
Thom Holmes, “Love Thump” (2015) for shortwave and processed sounds. 11:62
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.
More information about Stockhausen’s shortwave radio era with a breakdown of the compositions and recordings can be found in this extensive article by Ed Chang. While you are there, check out his other “chapters” of analysis.
 

Electronic Music from Radios

Playlist
John Cage, “Radio Music” (1956) from John Cage (1974 Cramps Records). Performed on radios by Gianni-Emilio Simonetti, Juan Hidalgo, Walter Marchetti. Each of these performers used a Panasonic multi-band portable Radio Model RF-1600 B receiver. 6:00
Dick Raaijmakers, “Ballade Erlkönig (1967)” from Ballad 'Erlkönig'/5 Canons (1981 Composers' Voice). Tape composition by Raaijmakers. Recordings realized in the studio of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. 23:33
Karlheinz Stockhausen, “Kurzwellen” (1968), excerpt from Festival 0f Hits (1970 Deutsche Grammophon). Composed By, Mixed By, Electronics, Filters, Potentiometers, Karlheinz Stockhausen; Electronium, Harald Bojé; Tamtam, Alfred Alings, Rolf Gehlhaar; Piano, Aloys Kontarsky; Electric Viola, Johannes G. Fritsch. This is the opening of this long work, excerpted for this strange collection of greatest “hits” by Stockhausen (you had to be in 1970 to understand this). Kurzwellen is a piece where the musicians need to improvise and react to signals they receive on randomly tuned shortwave radios. This is from the Cologne recording made in the Rhenus studio in Godorf for the Cologne Radio (WDR, Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln) on the 8th and 9th of April 1969 (53'30), which was record 2 of the original 2-record set. By the way, this ensemble also featured the Electronium Pi, made by Hohner beginning in 1952. It was a monophonic, electronic keyboard instrument and was an add-on instrument for the piano mounted under the keyboard, which is the model used by Stockhausen. His keyboardist, while Harald Bojé used the accordion-like model. 6:19
Michael Snow, “Short Wavelength, excerpt (1980)” from 2 Radio Solos (1988 Freedom In A Vacuum). Recorded August 1980. Short-wave pieces played on a circa 1962 Nordmende receiver. Reissued on CD in 2009. What I would call truly improvised; no score, no rules, just listening and responding with the radio. 15.18
Philip Perkins, “Radio Music” (1956) from Virgo Ramayana (And Other Works For Radio) (1989 Fun Music). From an obscure cassette released in 1992 of a studio recording made by Perkins in 1989. Note that the later CD-R reissue of this album did not include “Radio Music” but did include other interesting works including radio sounds. 6:00
Ann Hamilton, “Mantle” from recordings made at the Miami Art Museum in 1998 for an exhibit by the artists. This audio CD was made in Mantle on June 1, 1998, during a twelve-hour period. The tracks and timings are: 7:30am (4:20); 8:00am (4:19); 9:00am (3:01); 11:00am (3:01); Noon (4:16); 1:00pm (2:15); 3:00pm (4:28); 6:00pm (1:50); 7:00pm (3:27). Mantle was a 3,500 square foot, site-specific installation created by Ann Hamilton. It included over 60,000 flowers piked on a 48-foot-long steel table. Buried within the flowers 30 speakers emitted muffled voices and mechanical noises. Thirteen shortwave radios were placed high on a shelf. An attendant sitting by the window sewed together wool coats. 32:09
 
Background Music
Thom Holmes, “The World” excerpts (2015) for shortwave and processed sounds. 23:30
 
Opening and closing sequences voiced by Anne Benkovitz.
Additional opening, closing, and other incidental music by Thom Holmes.
For additional notes, please see my blog, Noise and Notations.