MOTM

There were several messages about using synthesizers in the classical 
field. Well, Messiaen, Milhaud and Charpentier (Jacques) wrote works 
for Ondes Martenot and piano/percussion. Specialy the work by 
Messiaen for a sextet of Ondes Martenots is very interesting. It's 
not really 'synthesizer', but hey.... There is at least one concert 
for synthesizer and orchestra, but I forgot who wrote it. I will look 
into it.

BTW two other interesting non-classical albums are the music which 
was used for the BBC serie 'The Celts' by Ennia (not quite the Ennia 
you know! According to the booklet entirely non-Moog) and 'The First 
Seven Days' by Jan Hammer (*very* interesting!). If anyone knows 
where I can get this on CD, please let me know. I now only have a few 
tracks on a compilation CD called 'The Early Years'.

Michel Havenith
Netherlands

All this talk about classical synthesis, and classic synthesizer 
albums is getting me itchy to get out my old turntable and albums. 
I've got cases of vinyl albums, half of which are synthesizer 
artists. 

The "First Seven Days" is one of those great albums that only synth 
freaks seem to appreciate. I still think it's Jan Hammer's best work. 

It seems a lot of synth artists did some of their best work when they 
had to deal with the limitations of early equipment. Tangerine Dream 
and Klaus Schulze did wonderful work in the 70's, but what I've heard 
of their later work doesn't intrigue me. Tangerine Dreams's early 
albums defined whole genres of synth music. A lot of their soundtrack 
work, like "Thief" and "Risky Business" was great too.

Michael Stearns did some great modular space music, 
especially "Planetary Unfolding", that, to my ears, outshines his 
later stuff. 

It's almost like the skills that these artists developed on analog 
equipment didn't translate too well to digital equipment. It's too 
bad that so many of these older albums are so hard to find on CD.

I guess I'll have to find a place for that turntable!

elle_webb@... writes:

>>It's almost like the skills that these artists developed on analog 
equipment didn't translate too well to digital equipment.<<

It's an old story that can be told about ALL musicians / synthesists / bands. 
 They start with an original sound, reach their peak a little later, and then 
plummit down into medicore and bland music.  Perhaps it's the need to succeed 
that makes them work harder in the beginning and then lazyness sets after 
they've made it.  Maybe they've just used up all their good ideas early in 
their careers.  Maybe programming digital synths takes too long, and the same 
old presets are used for everything (think Vangelis' El Greco CD for the same 
sound from beginning to end).

The world is growing tired and old.  The artistic spirit is slipping away.

-Elhardt

> It's an old story that can be told about ALL musicians / 
synthesists / bands. 
>  They start with an original sound, reach their peak a little 
later, and then 
> plummit down into medicore and bland music.  Perhaps it's the need 
to succeed 
> that makes them work harder in the beginning and then lazyness sets 
after 
> they've made it.  Maybe they've just used up all their good ideas 
early in 
> their careers. 

Or maybe they just did a lot more drugs back then! Check out the 
photos of Klaus Schulze on any of his earlier albums - he always 
looked wasted.

Good points, though. Wendy Carlos's music from after she went digital 
was still interesting, to my ears, especially the alternative 
tunings.