Electronic Frequencies #15: In deze aflevering een eerste special rond Hugh Le Caine: ‘Compositions and Demonstrations 1946 to 1974’.
01. Element: Natrium (385 spectral lines)
from: Pieter Suurmond’s nanotone sample library (Atomic spectra sonified)
Electromagnetic spectra of atoms and ions, ranging from deep infrared up to far ultraviolet, were transposed exactly 40 octaves down to make them audible.
Hugh Le Caine: Compositions and Demonstrations 1946 to 1974
02-10. ELECTRONIC SACKBUT (1945-1973)
Electronic Sackbut, developed between 1945 and 1948. It is now recognized to have been the first voltage-controlled synthesizer.
In 1945, when the first Sackbut was built inside a desk, Le Caine visualized an instrument in which the operator would control three aspects of sound through operations on the keyboard in three co-ordinates of space: vertical pressure was to correspond to volume; lateral pressure to pitch change; and pressure away from the performer to timbre.
The control devices were force sensitive. They would alter the sound in response to changes in pressure, something the operator could feel without carefully watching the controls. The timbre controls, however, were soon considerably expanded and could no longer be operated by a single device.
Two innovative techniques stand out in the design of the Sackbut: the use of adjustable wave forms as timbres and the development of voltage control. It is in this regard that the Sackbut is recognized to be the forerunner of the synthesizers of the 1970’s.
11-20 Touch Sensitive Organ (1952-1957)
Le Caine began work on this instrument between 1952 and 1954 at his home studio. He brought the prototype organ to the National Research Council lab in 1954 and considerable development took place over the next year.
The Touch Sensitive Organ was modelled after the traditional pipe organ in its timbre and its concept. The timbres were all pre-set and operated by stops as in a traditional organ. Organ keys, unlike piano keys, are operated as switches which turn the notes on and off, but provide no control of volume.
In the Touch Sensitive Organ, Le Caine extended the touch-sensitive volume control of the Sackbut to the polyphonic keyboard. Independent volume control for each key considerably expanded the musical ability of the electronic organ.
In addition to the touch-sensitive keyboard, Le Caine also devised a technique to avoid the "click" sound that had previously been part of the attack of the notes of all electronic organs.
CD ‘Cult Figures’
21. Reinhard von Berg: "Cult Figure" (1988)
22. Michael Horwood "Monday Afternoon" (1966)
23. Rolf Boon "System 2.3/7 (1985)
24. Helge Sastok "Sailing the High ‘C’ " (2002)
Outro: Levnet members: Rainbow in Curved Ether. 22 mensen die op verzoek tot 5 minuten 1 toon aanhielden op een theremin. Opgenomen door de deelnemers zelf, ergens in februari 2010.
