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Electronic Orchestra
NEWSLETTER
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REVIEW: By: Phil Blauer, Music Critic
Featured
CD:
"Bulls & Bears"
Orchestronics
In the
late 1960's, America and the world got its first taste of the electronic orchestra...
thanks to the creative genius of synthesizer virtuoso, Wendy Carlos.
Switched
On Bach turned on a whole new generation of instrumental music lovers, who reveled in the
fusion of electronic wizardry with classical standards.
In the
1970's. it was Japan's Isao Tomita, who became a pioneer with his electronic
interpretations of Claude Debussy's classic works on his novel Snowflakes Are Dancing
release.
The
mingling of orchestra and electronics continued in the 1980's and early 1990's with Larry
Fast and Synergy's Electronic Realizations For a Rock Orchestra and Sequencer albums.
Composer Larry Fast dazzled synthesizer fans with an incredible style that has gone
unmatched- until now.
Bulls
& Bears is a new CD release by San Diego-based Orchestronics. It's a creative, catchy,
cutting-edge compilation of how advanced electronic music technology, can successfully
blend with modern acoustic instruments.
The
Orchestronics orchestra easily dances through several musical styles. During its 11-track,
66-minute run, listeners are treated to selections in Classical, New Age, Smooth Jazz,
Techno, and Electronica.
Technically,
the instrumentation is superb.
Sweet
oboe solos swell magnificently on many cuts. Violins weaved delicately through shuffling
percussion movements, serve to inspire even the most discerning ear.
The title
track Bulls & Bears, opens with a driving beat, but settles down into a haunting oboe
solo. It then takes off with rapid electronic sampling, and a forceful interplay between
strings and drums. There's even a nod to the early synthesizer sounds that would have made
Robert Moog very proud. It ends with a joyous mix of timpani, violins and winds, in a
conclusion that leaves the listener inispired.
Affections
is a Tomita-sounding tune that is a touching, romantic selection evoking the sounds of
heaven. There's a delightful battle between oboes and French horns. The solo piano work is
reminiscent of New Age/Pop Crossover artist Jim Brickman. It's another breathtaking cut,
demonstrating that electronic orchestras can do more than most polished musicians can do.
A
hypnotic techno beat dominates the beginning of Alien Dance. Listeners are transported
into the universe with a galactic type of rhythmic energy. Piano and synthesizer mimic
each other over a foot-stomping, head-bopping pulse.
Good News
is a track dominated by early David Benoit-style piano, with a bit of harpsichord thrown
in for good measure. For the Smooth Jazz purist, the song also features Russ
Freeman/Rippingtons-type relaxing Classical guitar. Bells, strings and horns are also used
to break up the infectious rhythms.
A
patriotic and circus-like feel embraces Carny, which starts with a whistling synthesizer,
and flows right into beautiful string work with a digital backbeat. A choral
"voice" appears to add a dark, but fun side to the song. It wraps up by
returning to the original calliope-sounding beginning.
Autumn
Night Breeze features so much variety, it boggles the ear. "Voices," a la Enya,
are flowing over a swelling soundscape that invokes memories of Italian Techno composer
Robert Miles' Dreamland CD. There's a howling reverb effect, followed by rapid Classical
guitar licks.
Vibrant,
heavy and commanding, sums up Classical Equity. It has an urgent, pulsating beat, backed
by a plucky string section. Exalting French horn, and a confident oboe solo, make this
track refreshing and memorable. Rapid keyboard work by the Orchestronics leader is
innovative and unreal.
Two at a
Time, Please! sounds like it might be a score for the cartoons of the new millenium. It's
got a cat-and-mouse feel, with tasty duets between flutes and strings. Fans of Wendy
Carlos will love the rivalry between oboe and synthesizer. It's just a FUN cut to enjoy.
For
Classical music fans, Orchestronics has reached new levels with the three-part Concerto
No.1 for Piano and Electronic Orchestra.
Determinato,
the first movement, is marked by a solo piano playing with a collection of electronic
instruments. It's a bright battle that's actually won by the acoustic and synthesized
sounds.
The
second movement, Eleganza, is a wonderfully balanced piece. There are sneaky twists and
turns that are surprising and incredibly gifted.
Finally,
Vivo, the third and final movement, combines all the sounds of the traditional orchestra,
brilliantly fused with what sophisticated electronics can produce. The colors truly
complement one another. It's a triumphant treat for the imagination.
If you're
looking to be mesmirized by available music technology, but are afraid to give up on
historical orchestrated sounds, you won't be disappointed by Orchestronics.
It's
fresh, inviting, and yes, even ancient. Simply, it's unforgettable music that will blow
you away. If there's going to be a defining tone that opens up the next century, this is
it.
Orchestronics will be setting the standard for musicians and
audiophiles who love to have their ears challenged, and their souls and minds massaged.
Phil Blauer, Freelance Music Critic
NEWS
"New"
New-Age Re-Arranges the Orchestra
I still remember the look on David Benoit's face. It
was an outdoor concert. He
took a break between cuts from his (then) new fusion CD Every Step of the Way, to
tell the audience about his next project. "...and it's going to have a very
classical feel," he said. With that, the house erupted with applause. Benoit
was obviously stunned. What was probably supposed to be a time-killer for the band
to catch a breath, became a mandate from the wide-eyed, chardonnay crowd.
Since
then Yanni, and Yanni spinoffs have rescued New Age music from the 'whale farts and voice
pad' days. And, thanks to greats like Benoit, Mike Oldfield, and Grusin, Jazz isn't always
trademarked by an endless string of 64-bar solos.
The
craving for a melody you'll still remember "the morning after" seems to grow
stronger with time. One thing Classical composers did well, was to take a simple theme,
and develop the hell out of it for 8-12 minutes.
Don't
get me wrong, 20-minutes of Mahler is the recommended antidote for two double-espressos.
But, we baby-boomers need to hear at least some semblance of the 20th Century in our
music, just to stay awake.
Purely
electronic music CAN sound mechanical and lack a human dimension, when not done properly.
New Age, Jazz and Classical music have always emphasized emotion and dynamics.
So,
NOW what?
Why go back? Why exhume styles from centuries past, and resurrect them in
another millenium?
The orchestra, as we know it, is biological. You can feel a good strong
bass in your chest, while certain instruments trigger different hormonal responses:
Strings are magical by birth. Woodwinds are genetically frail and
emotional. Brass grow up to be big and strong. The piano is the cerebellum that attempts
to manage them all.
So, what then, is the next step for the maturing, post-war (we won't say
which war) Boomers?
Well, Orchestronics may have one good foot in that door.
Say it three times fast: "Orchestronics, Orchestronics,
Orchestronics!"
Just
as every other human activity is being replicated by computer chips, the makeup of the
conventional orchestra is changing, too. Rather than replace strings and oboes with
electronic sound-alikes, Orchestronics integrates new sounds and instruments into the
orchestral family.
Can
We all Get Along?
Bulls
& Bears is a CD release from Orchestronics. It is so fraught with variety, it defies
genre description. From semi-classical, to jazz, new age, dance and electronica; it's
almost a thesis on how electronics have permeated every style of music. The Orchestronics
"Electronic Orchestra" plays to multi-genre audiences.
The
title cut, Bulls & Bears is a fingerprint of a rocky day on Wall Street. It
goes from complacency to fear. Then a digital fugue (kinda like program-trading) makes a
dash for the finish. Dynamic volume here symbolizes trading volume.
Electronic
instruments can do many complicated maneuvers even the most skilled musicians can't
perform. This comes through in the swelling, romantic Affections, as well as the
Concerto #1 for Piano and Electronic Orchestra.
New age purists will love Autumn Night Breeze, with its howling
wind and reverb motifs.
The
synergy between orchestral and electronic colors is obvious. The sounds truly complement
each other. Often, they'll play the same line, together or in harmony, creating a totally
new hybrid sound. Even if you've never tasted brocco-flower, ya gotta admit, it's pretty
damn clever.
Bio-Feedback
Gershwin
and Copland breathed new life into the stodgy ol' orchestra, and movie soundtracks are
full of orchestral mood swings. Film composers understand the biological-hormonal
relationship we have with the orchestra. Our bodies are 'tuned' to respond to certain
cues.
Just as the human body is beautiful in its complexity, a well-structured
theme and development can have exciting twists and turns like an action flick.
A great deal of design goes into making music The "old-fashioned
way." Not that music should be intentionally 'difficult,' but, a little variety among
instrumental riffs draws the listener's attention toward the structure and architecture of
the piece.
The average 20-year-old probably doesn't know what a piano concerto is,
much less, has actually heard one. Before we bury the form completely, we need to dress it
up for the new millenium.
So, if Orchestronics is the next logical step, then Jazz Junkies, New Age
Boomers, and Classical lovers with an eye to the future will welcome it. As frustrating as
it is for most of us to learn how to use a computer, ya gotta admit, it's pretty damn
clever!"
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