The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music

The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music

Thom Holmes is your curator and guide to vintage electronic music recordings and audio experimentation. Drawing from his collection of vintage electronic music recordings spanning the years 1930-1985, each episode explores a topic or theme of historical interest. Holmes is the author of the book, Electronic and Experimental Music, sixth edition, 2020.

Episodes

March 23, 2024 116 mins

Episode 120

Crosscurrents in Early Electronic Music of Canada, Part 1

Playlist

 

Track Time

Start Time

Opening and Introduction (Thom Holmes)

10:36

00:00

1.    Hugh LeCaine, “Dripsody: An Etude For Variable Speed Recorder” (1955) from Anthologie De La Musique Canadienne / Anthology Of Canadian Music - Musique Électroacoustique; Elect...

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Episode 119

Phonographic Education—a Sound Collage

Playlist

Because this episode is a collage of recorded sounds, there are no start times for individual selections. Enjoy the collisions, densities, and words combined with music.

Start time for collage: 03:55

...

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    Playlist

     

    Track Time

    Start Time

    Opening and Introduction (Thom Holmes)

    11:57

    00:00

    1.    Herbie Hancock, Herbie Hancock Demonstrates The Rhodes Piano (1973 Rhodes). A terrific flexi-disc produced by Rhodes and narrated by Hancock who tells an interesting story about his first encounter with the instrument on a Miles Davis session and then he walks the keyboard through a series of effects. ...

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    Episode 117

    Electronic Keyboards in Jazz, A Recorded History,

    Part 1 of 2

    Playlist

     

    Length

    Start Time

    Introduction

    05:42

    00:00

    1.             Vernon Geyer, “Day After Day” from All Ashore / Day After Day (1938 Bluebird). Soloist, Hammond Electric Organ, Vernon Geyer.

    02:22

    05:42

    2.             Mi...

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    February 4, 2024 110 mins

    Episode 116

    The Sounds of Motoring

     

    Track Start Times

    Introduction

    00:00:00

    Motoring Soundscape

    00:04:33

    Closing

    01:47:48

     

    Playlist

    For this episode, I created a soundscape based mostly on vintage recordings from the Archive of automobiles, trucks, construction equipmen...

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    January 27, 2024 114 mins

    Episode 115

    Radio Spirits in the Night

    Introduction

    Track Start Times

    Onda, “Part 1” 

    10:06

    Onda, “Part 2”

    28:22

    Onda, "Seoul"

    47:26

    Onda, “Köln”

    1:08:03

    Onda, Lewisburg”

    1:11:35

    Onda, “Wroclaw"

    1:19:47

    Holmes. “3 Open Windows, 1 Small Antenna”

    1:27:36

    Playlist

    1. Aki Onda, “Part 1” (18:16) and “Part 2” (19:04) ...
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    January 14, 2024 106 mins

    Episode 114

    Refined Noise

    Playlist

    1. Claus Böhmler, “Klangundkrach, Part 1” from Klangundkrach (1996) (2014 Slowscan). Recorded in Hamburg 1996. Edition of 270 copies. Böhmler was a German visual artist, video maker, and sometimes music artist. His website contains a great sampling of his visual work, texts, and writing about his work. There a...
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    January 6, 2024 126 mins

    Episode 113

    More Electronic Music for Astral Tripping

    Playlist

    1. Earthstar, “Part 1, Sirens” from French Skyline (1979 Sky records). Recorded at Klaus Schulze Studio, Hambühren, W. Germany in 1978 and 1979. Bass, Electronics, Norm Peach; Choir, Craig Wuest, Joan N., Marla T., Phil N.; Electric Guitar, Treated Guitar, Electronics (Tonewall), De...
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    Episode 112

    Merry Moog 2023

    Holiday Music Performed on the Moog and other Synthesizers

    Playlist

     

    1. Sounds Of Broadcasting 1, “Christmas Logos” from Sounds Of Broadcasting #6088 (1975? William B. Tanner Company, Inc.). Broadcast library track produced for the holidays. Produced using a ...
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    November 18, 2023 146 mins

    Episode 111

    Before and After Ambient, Part 2

    Playlist

    1. Midori Takada, “Mr. Henri Rousseau's Dream” from Through The Looking Glass (1983 RCA Red Seal). 高田みどり (Midori Takada) is a Japanese composer and percussionist. She was a key figure in the Japanese ambient movement of the 1980s. Composed, performed, produced, Marimba, Gong, Cowbell, Record...
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    November 12, 2023 129 mins

    Episode 110

    Before and After Ambient, Part 1

    Playlist

    1. Erik Satie, “Vexations” (1893-94), First, we will hear two piano versions (1 and 4) of this short work that was intended to be played repeatedly in one sitting 840 times in succession. The piano version was performed by Jeroen van Veen on the album Satie, Complete Piano Music (2016 Brilli...
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    Episode 109

    Part 2 of The Distinctive Electronic Music of Oskar Sala and the Mixtur-Trautonium

    Playlist

    1. Oskar Sala, “Elektronische Tanzsuite (Für Mixturtrautonium Solo Und Mixturorchester (Tonband) In Fünf Sätzen)” (1955) from My Fascinating Instrument (1990 Erdenklang). 24:28
    2. Oskar Sala, “Fantasie-Suite In Drei Sätzen Für Mixturtrautonium...
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    Episode 108

    The Distinctive Electronic Music of Oskar Sala and the Mixtur-Trautonium, part 1

    Playlist

    1. Oskar Sala, “Demonstration” from My Fascinating Instrument (1990 Erdenklang). Demonstration of the Mixtur-Trautonium by Sala, providing a sampling of the many various effects that he could create in real-time without magnetic tape tricks. In...
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    Episode 107

    Crosscurrents in Early Electronic Music of Norway

    Playlist

    1. Arne Nordheim, “Epitaffio” (1963) for orchestra and tape from Nordheim, Alfred Janson, Bjørn Fongaard – Response: Electronic Music From Norway (1970 Limelight). Limelight release with the delightful painting of flying ears on the cover, includes the same tracks as the orig...
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    September 23, 2023 119 mins

    Episode 106

    Electronic Music of Dune

    Playlist

    1. Toto, “Main Title,” “Robot Fight,” and “Dune (Desert Theme)” from Main Title / Robot Fight / Dune (Desert Theme) (1984 Polydor). A single produced from the soundtrack of the David Lynch film version of Dune (1984). Toto, with its big synthesizers, created most of the soundtrack, although Brian En...
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    September 8, 2023 102 mins

    Episode 105

    The 2023 US Open Tennis Soundscape

    Playlist

    This podcast comprises an amorphous blend of sounds of the US Open tennis championships, vintage recordings of tennis instructions, a little electronic music, and lots of audio processing. All the sounds of the US Open grounds were made by me and include crowds, the ...

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    Episode 104

    Experimental Music for Pipe Organ

    Playlist

    1. Bengt Hambraeus, “Doppelrohr II” (1956) from Cologne - WDR: Early Electronic Music (1992 BV Haast Records). All compositions are productions of the 'Studio für elektronische Musik des Westdeutschen Rundfunks Köln.’ The earliest work I can find that combines electronic music on tape with soun...
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    Episode 103

    Crosscurrents in Early Electronic Music: Japan

    Playlist

    Experimental Music of Japan (1968 Victor)

    Album produced and recorded at the NHK Electronic Studio and supervised by K. Akiyama and W. Uenami. The tracks have been slightly reordered to represent the correct chronology of the w...

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    July 31, 2023 107 mins

    Episode 102

    The BBC Shipping Forecast Soundscape

    Playlist

    Thom Holmes, “The Shipping Forecast Soundscape” (2023 Thom Holmes). This single soundscape consists of random selections of BBC Shipping Forecasts from the past two years plus electronic sounds and audio treatments. BBC Shipping Forecasts are ©copyright BBC and loc...

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    Episode 101

    Crosscurrents in Early Electronic Music in Italy—Part 2

    Playlist

    Pietro Grossi, Studio Di Fonologia Musicale Di Firenze (S 2F M)

    1. Pietro Grossi, Marino Zuccheri, “Progetto II e III” (1961) (1961 RAI). Pietro Grossi began experimenting with electronic sound while visiting the RAI in the early 1960s. During t...
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