Notes from May 8 and 11 Classes

Post WWII - "Revolutionary"
Availability of high quality magnetic tape recording

magnetic recording - patented 1899
quality - voice recording / dictation machines

wire, metal band (film)

Germans - magnetic
sound quality was "good enough" for music

musicians, recording engineers, radio engineers, etc.

disc (phonograph), light valve recording (film)

"tape manipulation techniques"
 - speed
 - reverse
 - any sound (!)
 - echo
 - splice
 - overdub

Composers became interested!

1. Any sound
2. Sound as an object (permanent) ("ephemeral")

1950-1960

France - musique concrete
 (not "abstract" sounds, but "concrete" or real sounds)
sounds from the world - organized around a "sound type"

(* TMT)

Germany - Elektronische Musik
Electronically generated sounds
(Serialism - 12 tone system) - ultimate control over structure

(* TMT)

USA - "tape music"

(* TMT)

Multiple "schools" of thought

Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Studio
 - recorded musical instruments: "extend" the sound capabilities

"experimental" - chance music / aleatoric music
John Cage

Edgard Varese  - poeme electronique
Commissioned for Brussels World Fair - 1950s
Phillips Pavilion -