The History Of Electronic Music in Under Twenty-Four Minutes
… here’s a [very] brief history covering 90 years of electronic music through the lens of “popular” music …
Wendy Carlos — My Introduction to Electronic Music
I have, on many occasions, referred to Wendy Carlos as one of my introductions to the world of electronic music and synthesizers through her 1968 album Switched On Bach. It was Wendy who inspired Robert Moog to refine and perfect his Moog synthesizers, with which she recorded the album.
Else Marie Pade — First Danish Composer of Electronic and Concrete Music
In 1954, she became the first Danish composer of electronic and concrete music,
Isao Tomita — Pioneer of Electronic and Space Music
Isao Tomita, best known simply as Tomita, was a Japanese composer and is regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music and space music. He was among the most famous producers of analog synthesizer arrangements.
Delia Derbyshire — The Sound Behind Dr. Who
Perhaps one of the most iconic pieces of original early electronic might arguably be the theme music for the BBC’s Dr. Who. When the show debuted in 1963, the first thing everyone heard was the work of an “assistant” in the BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop by the name of Delia Derbyshire.
Daphne Orem – Oramics: Drawing Music
[Daphne Oram] was one of the first British composers to produce electronic sound, and was a pioneer of musique concrète in the UK.
Discovering Electronic Music
Fran Blanche of Frantone posted this fascinating film by Bernard Wilets, which looks at early electronic music, to her YouTube channel, and I just had to share it. The film features several people who went on to make their names in electronic music, including Rory Kaplan, Douglas Leedy, and Jean-Claude Risset. Be sure to look…