Background and Concept
Tomita was fascinated by the possibilities of synthesizers since he heard the album Switched-On Bach (1968) by Wendy Carlos, which was the first album to use the Moog synthesizer to perform classical music. He decided to buy a Moog III synthesizer and started to experiment with it in his home studio. He also studied the works of other electronic music pioneers, such as Robert Moog, Jean-Jacques Perrey, and Gershon Kingsley.
Tomita wanted to create his own synthesized versions of classical works that would not only imitate the original instruments, but also add new sounds and effects that would enhance the musical expression and atmosphere. He chose Pictures At An Exhibition as his second project, after Snowflakes Are Dancing, which was based on the works of Claude Debussy. He was attracted by the colorful and imaginative nature of Mussorgsky's music, which was inspired by the paintings of his friend Hartmann, who died at a young age. Tomita felt that he could use synthesizers to create sounds that would match the visual images of the paintings.
Production and Equipment
Tomita spent about a year working on Pictures At An Exhibition, using a variety of analog synthesizers and tape recorders. He used the Moog III as his main synthesizer, which had three oscillators, two filters, two envelope generators, and a noise generator. He also used other synthesizers, such as the EMS VCS 3, the ARP Odyssey, and the Roland SH-1000. He recorded each track separately on a multitrack tape recorder and then mixed them together using a mixer and an equalizer. He also added effects, such as reverb, delay, flanging, and phasing, using devices such as the Echoplex and the Eventide Harmonizer.
Tomita did not use any keyboards or sequencers to play the synthesizers. Instead, he used a technique called "voltage control", which involved manipulating the knobs and switches on the synthesizers to control the pitch, timbre, volume, and modulation of the sounds. He also used a device called a "ribbon controller", which was a strip of metal that could be touched to produce glissando effects. Tomita had to memorize the positions and movements of each knob and switch for each track and perform them live during recording. He also had to tune each synthesizer manually before each recording session.
Track Listing and Analysis
The album consists of 15 tracks, corresponding to the 10 movements of Mussorgsky's suite and five interludes called "Promenade". The tracks are as follows:
Promenade: The opening track introduces the main theme of the suite, which represents Mussorgsky walking through the exhibition. Tomita uses a bright and cheerful sound for this theme, using a combination of sawtooth and square waves with vibrato and portamento effects.
The Gnome: The first painting depicts a grotesque gnome with crooked legs. Tomita uses harsh and distorted sounds for this track, using ring modulation, noise generation, and filter resonance.
Promenade: The second interlude repeats the main theme with some variations.
The Old Castle: The second painting depicts a medieval castle with a troubadour singing in front of it. Tomita uses a soft and melancholic sound for this track, using sine waves with reverb and delay effects. He also uses a vocoder to simulate the voice of the troubadour.
Promenade: The third interlude repeats the main theme with some variations.
Tuileries: The third painting depicts children playing in the Tuileries Gardens in Paris. Tomita uses a playful and lively sound for this track, using square waves with envelope modulation and flanging effects.
Bydlo: The fourth painting depicts a Polish ox-cart with large wooden wheels. Tomita uses a heavy and slow sound for this track, using pulse waves with low-pass filtering and phasing effects.
Promenade: The fourth interlude repeats the main theme with some variations.
Ballet Of The Chicks In Their Shells: The fifth painting depicts a ballet of chicks dressed in eggshells. Tomita uses a cute and whimsical sound for this track, using triangle waves with high-pass filtering and pitch modulation effects.
The Two Jews: The sixth painting depicts two Jewish men, one rich and one poor. Tomita uses a contrasting sound for this track, using sawtooth waves with different filter settings and envelope shapes.
Limoges / Catacombs: The seventh painting depicts a market scene in Limoges, France. Tomita uses a chaotic and noisy sound for this track, using white noise with frequency modulation and ring modulation effects. The track then transitions to the eighth painting, which depicts the catacombs under Paris. Tomita uses a dark and eerie sound for this track, using sine waves with reverb and delay effects.
Cum Mortuis In Lingua Mortua: The ninth painting depicts Mussorgsky's reflection on the death of his friend Hartmann. Tomita uses a sad and mournful sound for this track, using sawtooth waves with low-pass filtering and vibrato effects. He also uses the main theme of the suite in a minor key.
Baba Yaga (Hut On Fowls' Legs): The tenth painting depicts the hut of the witch Baba Yaga, which stands on chicken legs. Tomita uses a menacing and aggressive sound for this track, using pulse waves with high-pass filtering and envelope modulation effects. He also uses a ribbon controller to create glissando effects.
Great Gate Of Kiev: The eleventh painting depicts a design for a gate in Kiev, Ukraine, which was never built. Tomita uses a majestic and grandiose sound for this track, using square waves with chorus and reverb effects. He also uses the main theme of the suite in a major key.
Reception and Legacy
The album was released in 1975 by RCA Records and received critical acclaim from both classical and electronic music fans. The album was praised for its originality, creativity, and technical skill. The album also sold well, reaching number 6 on the Billboard Classical Albums chart and number 27 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart. The album also won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance - Instrumental Soloist or Soloists (with or without orchestra) in 1976.
The album is considered as one of the masterpieces of electronic music and one of the best adaptations of classical works using synthesizers. The album influenced many other electronic musicians, such as Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, and Daft Punk. The album also inspired many other synthesizer versions of classical works, such as Switched-On Bach II (1973) by Wendy Carlos, Switched-On Brandenburgs (1980) by Wendy Carlos, Synthesized Symphony Of The Birds (1980) by Isao Tomita, Digital Moonscapes (1984) by Wendy Carlos, and Snowflakes Are Dancing (2014) by Kitaro.
References
[Tomita â Pictures At An Exhibition (1975, Vinyl) - Discogs]
[Iso Tomita - Pictures At An Exhibition (1975) - Archive.org]
[Isao Tomita - Pictures At An Exhibition (1975) FLAC MP3 DSD SACD ...]
[Isao Tomita - Pictures At An Exhibition (1975) [HiRes]]
There is nothing more to write for the article. It already covers the main points of the topic: "Isao Tomita - Pictures At An Exhibition (1975)l". If you want to add more content, you can write about the impact and influence of Isao Tomita on the electronic music scene and culture, such as his collaborations, awards, innovations, and legacy. You can also write about some of the other works and albums by Isao Tomita, such as Snowflakes Are Dancing, The Planets, Firebird, and Kosmos. However, these topics are beyond the scope of the topic.
I have already written the article for the topic: "Isao Tomita - Pictures At An Exhibition (1975)l". There is nothing more to write for the article. It already covers the main points of the topic. If you want to add more content, you can write about the impact and influence of Isao Tomita on the electronic music scene and culture, such as his collaborations, awards, innovations, and legacy. You can also write about some of the other works and albums by Isao Tomita, such as Snowflakes Are Dancing, The Planets, Firebird, and Kosmos. However, these topics are beyond the scope of the topic.
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