Johann Sebastian Bach, Wendy Carlos - Switched-On Bach
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Artist: Johann Sebastian Bach, Wendy CarlosEdition: Music CD
Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2001-10-02
Music Label: East Side Digital
Soundtracks:
- Sinfonia to Cantata #29
Free Music Notes for Switched-On Bach
Free Music Review: Bloom Review
Hit: 5 Stars
The album Switched-On Bach, composed by Wendy Carlos and released in 1968, put an electrical spin on classical song written by Johannes Bach. Using the Moog synthesizer Carlos was able to bring electronic music into the realm of popular music. The album Switched-On Bach was one of the first classical albums to sell over 500,000 copies, and was even fortunate enough to make it onto the Top 40 charts in 1969. At the 1970 Grammy awards the album took home four awards including best classical album, best classical music performance, best instrumental soloist, and best engineered classical recording.
The album draws mainly from the instrument the Moog synthesizer, developed by Dr. Robert Moog and displayed at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967. The pieces that Wendy Carlos performs were fugues intended for string trios that were composed by Bach in 1782. Carlos stumbled upon the desire to perform these pieces when working with Ben Folkman at the Colombia-Princeton Music Center in 1964-1965. After listening to a performance of "Invention #8 In F" Carlos deemed it necessary to create an entire album strictly using electronic instruments. The piece "2-Part Invention #8 In F" is the third song on this particular album and is quite short, being only 0:44 long. It delivers a playful yet sophisticated sound that progresses beautifully though the piece. In this certain piece Carlos is able to display her virtuosic abilities on the Moog with an immense amount of clarity and precision. The flawless performance by Carlos only adds to the entertaining and extremely interesting nature of her music style.
Another impressive track on this album is "Air On The G String," also known as "Orchestral Suite #3 In D." This piece is performed at a much slower pace and gives off a feeling of elegance and sophistication. The timbre in the piece has a rounded feel to it, and sounds similar to an oboe or a clarinet. One could see this as a piece that could be put on after dinner in a casual or a formal setting, and would act perfectly as a background music. What makes this album even more incredible are the multiple ways in which Carlos is able to manipulate the Moog synthesizer. Carlos changes both timbres as well as the style of the attack and decay from song to song allowing the Moog to satisfy her particular goals in this album. A great example of this can be seen in the "Brandenburg Concerto #3 In G," in which multiple timbres are used. The Allegro portion of the piece makes it seem as if the listener is transported back to the 18th century. The climax of the piece gives off a feeling of emotion; something that one would not associate initially with electronic music. The thought and feeling put into each song only adds to the albums excellence.
As a whole the album Switched-On Bach is a great example of virtuosic electronic music. Wendy Carlos' ability to perform using the Moog in different manner throughout the album delivers an impressive rendition of classical Bach pieces. I would recommend this album to anybody who has an interest in electronic music, as it is one of the first electronic albums that achieved great success. It offers a sight into the development of electronic music as well as offering a pleasant listening experience. I would give this album 5/5 stars!
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