Orchestronics®             

"New" New-Age Re-Arranges the Orchestra

Go to any online music site, and you'll still find New Age listed as an active genre.  But, radio airplay is tough to find.  Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells (1973), may have started that old ball rolling, by taming otherwise harsh electronic sounds, and making them relaxing.  At the time, synthesizers  were mainly heard in Rock and Pop groups like Styx, ELO and Kraftwerk.

In the 80's and 90's, the line between New Age and Smooth Jazz was nearly invisible.  Wafty synth sounds became a staple in catchy intros, and background beds for many jazz artists,  like Benoit, Kenny G, and Grusin.  But,  Jazz eventually survived the airwaves, while New Age faded.

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.

With influences like: Jean Michel Jarre, Alan Parsons, Mike Oldfield, and Wendy Carlos, electronic instruments have moved closer to the classical stage.

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.

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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.

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 other 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 brain from which most composers find their inspiration.

So, what then, is the next step for the maturing, post-war (we won't say which war) Boomers?  Why not "expand the band" to include all known instruments?  Marry the past with today?

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.

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.   Finesse is the key.  Adding new sounds to our hormonal repertoire just widens the range of responses to musical stimulation.

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.  How many 30-somethings know that a symphony has four very different movements?  Instrumental music can fulfill your artistic needs, beyond the deejay's reach.

  
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