TTRANSFORMARANSFORMAT IONT IONS ERIES SERIES 1917 COLLECTCOLLEIONct TRANSFORMAION TRANSFORMATTIONION NEW WORLDS of SOUND Electronics and the Evolution of Music in Canada KATHARINE WRIGHT Transformation Series Collection Transformation “Transformation,” an occasional series of scholarly papers La collection Transformation, publication en série paraissant published by the Collection and Research Division of the irrégulièrement de la Division de la collection et de la recherche Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation, is de la Société des musées de sciences et technologies du intended to make current research available as quickly and Canada, a pour but de faire connaître, le plus vite possible et inexpensively as possible. The series presents original research au moindre coût, les recherches en cours dans certains secteurs. on science and technology history and issues in Canada Elle prend la forme de monographies ou de recueils de courtes through refereed monographs or collections of shorter études acceptés par un comité d’experts et s’alignant sur le studies, consistent with the corporate framework, “The thème central de la Société, « La transformation du Canada ». Transformation of Canada,” and curatorial subject priorities Elle présente les travaux de recherche originaux en histoire des in agriculture and forestry, communications and space, sciences et de la technologie au Canada et questions connexes transportation, industry, physical sciences and energy. réalisés en fonction des priorités du Musée, dans les secteurs de l’agriculture et des forêts, des communications et de l’espace, des transports, de l’industrie, des sciences physiques et de l’énergie. Disclaimer Responsabilité The publication format of the Transformation series La formule de la collection Transformation ne permet precludes extensive copy-editing. The contents of pas de procéder à un travail de révision approfondi. La contributions to the series are solely the responsibility of the responsabilité du contenu des documents de la collection individual authors. incombe entièrement aux auteurs. TRANSFORMATION SERIES 19 COLLECTION TRANSFORMATION NEW WORLDS of SOUND Electronics and the Evolution of Music in Canada KATHARINE WRIGHT Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation Société des musées de sciences et technologies du Canada Ottawa, Canada 2013 iii Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Wright, Katharine Celeste, 1970- New worlds of sound : electronics and the evolution of music in Canada / Katharine Wright. (Transformation series = Collection transformation ; no. 19) Electronic monograph in PDF format. Includes bibliographical references and an index. ISBN 978-0-660-20020-0 Cat. no.: NM33-1/19E-PDF 1. Electronic music--Canada--History and criticism. 2. Electronic music --History and criticism. 3. Electronic musical instruments--History. 4. Music and technology. 5. Sound recording industry--History. I. Canada Science and Technology Museum issuing body II. Title. III. Series: Transformation series (Ottawa, Ont.) 19 ML1092 W75 2013 786.7097109 C2013-980065-4 © Canada Science & Technology © Société des musées de sciences Museums Corporation, 2013 et technologies du Canada, 2013 All right Reserved Tous droits reservés iv NEW WORLDS OF SOUND - ELECTRONICS AND THE EVOLUTION OF MusIC IN CANADA TransformaTion series 19 Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES .................................................... vii Abstract/ RÉSUMÉ ................................................. xi Foreword/AVANT-propos .......................................... xiii AcknowledGements .............................................. xv IntrodUction ..................................................... 1 1. OFF to A Grand Start: ElectricitY Applied to MUsic ............ 7 1.1 The Science of Acoustics .............................................. 9 1.2 Carillons, Organs and Orchestrions ...................................... 9 1.3 Experimenting with Music: Telephony and Telegraphy ........................ 11 1.4 The Telharmonium .................................................. 12 2. MUsic from THE ETHER .......................................... 17 2.1 Aesthetic Revolution and Performance .................................... 19 2.2 From Avant-garde to Mainstream: The Theremin ............................ 19 2.3 The Ondes Martenot, the Trautonium and the Mixturtrautonium ............... 23 3. MUsic on Tape ................................................... 27 3.1 Recording and Composition ........................................... 29 3.2 Paris: Musique concrète ............................................... 31 3.3 Cologne: Elektronische Musik .......................................... 32 3.4 Canada and the United States .......................................... 33 4. THE BEGINNINGS OF A MASS MARKET ............................... 39 4.1 Electric Pianos ...................................................... 41 4.2 Electronic Organs ................................................... 42 4.3 Mixed Success: Hugh Le Caine, Raymond Scott and Harry Chamberlin .......... 44 5. Electric STRINGS ................................................ 51 5.1 The Guitar Goes Electric, 1930–1955. 53 5.2 Basses, Amps and Electronic Effects ...................................... 60 5.3 Canadian Guitars and Equipment ....................................... 64 5.4 Break: The Electric Violin and the Unusual Case of the Harp ................... 66 6. CominG OF AGE: THE SYNTHESIZER, 1955-1980 ...................... 73 6.1 Beginnings ......................................................... 75 6.2 The Buchla Box ..................................................... 76 6.3 Switched-on Moogs .................................................. 77 6.4 Other Synths ....................................................... 79 TransformaTion series 19 NEW WORLDS OF SOUND - ELECTRONICS AND THE EVOLUTION OF MusIC IN CANADA v 7. MUsic GOES DIGital ............................................. 83 7.1 Computer Music and MIDI ............................................ 85 7.2 Breath Control: Wind Instruments ....................................... 88 8. CUltiVated AUthenticitY ....................................... 91 8.1 Bullies and Virtuosos: The Guitar Hero ................................... 93 8.2 Backlash: Punk, Grunge and Women ..................................... 95 9. PercUssion, Disco, DANCE AND SamplinG ......................... 99 9.1 Drum Machines ..................................................... 101 9.2 Disco Didn’t Suck! ................................................... 103 9.3 But Is It Art? Hip Hop and Sampling. 105 9.4 Everybody Dance Now: Notes on Contemporary Music ....................... 106 ConclUsion ....................................................... 111 BiblioGraphY ...................................................... 113 INDEX .............................................................. 119 vi NEW WORLDS OF SOUND - ELECTRONICS AND THE EVOLUTION OF MusIC IN CANADA TransformaTion series 19 List of Figures Figure 1: Helmholtz synthesizer (ca. 1876). Keyboard is visible at upper right. (David Pantalony / University of Toronto) ............................................ 9 Figure 2: Organ of Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa, the first in North America with electrically controlled valves (1892). (Casavant Frères) ................10 Figure 3: Tones for the Telharmonium were generated by 145 alternators running on eight 11-inch shafts. (Collection of Reynold Weidenaar) ..........................13 Figure 4: RCA Theremin (1930–31), viewed from the front (Tom Alföldi / Canada Science and Technology Museum (CSTM) 1971.0502) ..........................22 Figure 5: RCA Theremin (1930–31), viewed from the back. (Tom Alföldi / CSTM 1971.0502) ............................................................22 Figure 6: Finger ring and keyboard, Ondes Martenot. (Cantos Music Foundation) .....24 Figure 7: A 1975 Ondes Martenot. The instrument had an enduring appeal among composers and musicians in Quebec. (Cantos Music Foundation) ...................24 Figure 8: Hugh Le Caine playing the fifth and final version of his Multi-Track or Special Purpose Tape Recorder (1967). (Library and Archives Canada) .....................34 Figure 9: Le Caine’s Serial Sound Structure Generator, designed in consultation with Gustav Ciamaga for the University of Toronto (1965–1970). (CSTM 1991.0222) ......35 Figure 10: The Sonde could generate 200 sine waves simultaneously. This prototype was later installed at Queen’s University. (Tom Alföldi / CSTM 1986.0154) ...............35 Figure 11: Hugh Le Caine in his National Research Council lab (1974). (Paul Pedersen) . 36 Figure 12: Hammond’s polyphonic Novachord was technically ambitious but too unstable for commercial success. (Tom Alföldi / CSTM 1977.0258) ................42 Figure 13: Detail from a brochure for the Hammond Novachord (1939). (CSTM L44521) 43 Figure 14: Hammond Solovox keyboard attached to piano (right) and tone chamber (left). This keyboard’s brass legs were custom-made to obviate screwing the keyboard to the piano. (Tom Alföldi / CSTM 2002.0406) ..................................43 Figure 15: Detail of Solovox keyboard and voice tabs. (Tom Alföldi / CSTM 2002.0406) . 43 Figure 16: Morse Robb (mid-1920s) with prototype tone wheels in phonograph cabinet. (CSTM 1981.0484 S.I.) ..................................................44 Figure 17: Robb Wave Organ, prototype tone wheels. (Tom Alföldi / CSTM 1991.0484) . 44 Figure