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| Released =April, [[1974]]
| Released =April, [[1974]]
| Recorded = [[1974]]
| Recorded = [[1974]]
| Genre = [[classical music|Classical]], [[electronic music|electronic]], [[avant-garde music|avante-garde]]
| Genre = [[Avant-garde music|Avante-garde]], [[Classical music|classical]], [[Electronic music|electronic]], [[Synthpop|proto-synthpop]]
| Length = 41:33 (51:51 in the 2000 CD release)
| Length = 41:33 (51:51 in the 2000 CD release)
| Label = [[RCA Red Seal Records]]
| Label = [[RCA Red Seal Records]]
| Producer = [[Plasma Music]]
| Producer = Plasma Music
}}
}}


'''Snowflakes Are Dancing''' is an [[electronic music]] album by [[Isao Tomita]], recorded in 1974 and first released as a [[Quadraphonic sound|Quadradisc]] in April.<ref name="bb875">Billboard magazine, Aug 16, 1975, p.41.</ref> The album consists entirely of Tomita's arrangements of [[Claude Debussy]]'s "tone paintings", performed by Tomita on a [[Moog synthesizer]]. The recording was a finalist for three Grammies in 1975, including best classical album of the year - and it was NARM's best-selling classical album of the year.<ref name="bb875"/>
'''Snowflakes Are Dancing''' is an [[electronic music]] album by [[Isao Tomita]], recorded in 1974 and first released as a [[Quadraphonic sound|Quadradisc]] in April.<ref name="bb875">Billboard magazine, Aug 16, 1975, p.41.</ref> The album consists entirely of Tomita's arrangements of [[Claude Debussy]]'s "tone paintings", performed by Tomita on a [[Moog synthesizer]]. It entered the top 50 charts in the Untied States, where it was nominated for four [[Grammy Award]]s in 1975, including best [[Classical music|classical]] album of the year, and it was [[NARM]]'s best-selling classical album of the year.<ref name="bb875"/><ref name="billboard_tomita">{{cite web|title=Isao Tomita|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/tomita/25745#/artist/tomita/25745|accessdate=2011-05-28}}</ref>


==Overview==
The use of the term tone paintings here describes the nature of a large portion of Debussy's work, which was concerned with mood and colour, eschewing traditional tonality in favour of constructions such as the [[major second|full-tonal scale]], [[parallel chords]], [[bitonality]], and to a certain extent [[Atonality|atonal]]ity, in order to achieve a greater degree of musical expression not allowed by strict adherence to a single [[key (music)|key]]. Thus, the term tone painting is quite appropriate, in that Debussy's compositions often experimented with a much broader palette of tones, allowing each to behave similar to a colour within an illustration. Considered by ''[[Space music|Space Music]]'' fans as the Ultimate Space Music Experience. The track "Arabesque No. 1" is used as the theme music for the PBS astronomy-based program "Jack Horkheimer : Star Gazer".
The use of the term [[Word painting|tone paintings]] here describes the nature of a large portion of Debussy's work, which was concerned with mood and colour, eschewing traditional tonality in favour of constructions such as the [[major second|full-tonal scale]], [[parallel chords]], [[bitonality]], and to a certain extent [[Atonality|atonal]]ity, in order to achieve a greater degree of musical expression not allowed by strict adherence to a single [[key (music)|key]]. Thus, the term tone painting is quite appropriate, in that Debussy's compositions often experimented with a much broader palette of tones, allowing each to behave similar to a colour within an illustration. Considered by ''[[Space music|Space Music]]'' fans as the Ultimate Space Music Experience. The track "[[Arabesques (Debussy)|Arabesque No. 1]]" is used as the theme music for the [[PBS]] [[astronomy]]-based program ''[[Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer]]''.

The album is considered an early example of proto-[[Synthpop|synthesizer-pop]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Snowflakes Are Dancing|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/tomita/25745#/album/tomita/snowflakes-are-dancing-electronic-performances/85902/review|accessdate=2011-05-28}}</ref> It sparked a "revolution in [[synthesizer]] [[programming]]" which it was responsible for taking to new heights. Tomita's electronic renditions of classical music was a significant improvement over the work of [[Wendy Carlos|W. Carlos]], due to Tomita having previously had extensive experience as a classical composer. The album's contributions to electronic music included an [[Ambient music|ambience]] resembling a [[symphony orchestra]], the use of [[reverberation]], the use of [[phasing]] and [[flanging]] to create a [[3D audio effect|spatial audio effect]] with [[Stereophonic sound|stereo]] speakers, electronic [[surround sound]] using four speakers, realistic string simulations, [[portamento]] whistles, and abstract [[Cowbell (instrument)|bell-like sounds]] created using [[ring modulation]].<ref name="jenkins_2007">{{citation|title=Analog synthesizers: from the legacy of Moog to software synthesis|author=[[Mark Jenkins (musician)|Mark Jenkins]]|publisher=[[Elsevier]]|year=2007|isbn=0240520726|pages=133-4|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=c3EHIpo0DKwC&pg=PA133|accessdate=2011-05-27}}</ref> A particularly significant achievement was its [[Polyphony|polyphonic]] sound, which was created without the use of any [[polyphonic synthesizer]]s (which were not yet commercially released). Tomita created the album's polyphonic sounds by recording selections one part at a time, taking 14 months to produce the album.<ref>{{citation|title=Musician, player and listener, Issue 8|publisher=Amordian Press|year=1977|page=40|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vb4JAQAAMAAJ|accessdate=2011-05-28}}</ref> The modular human whistle sounds used would also be copied in the presets of later electronic instruments.<ref>{{citation|title=Analog synthesizers: from the legacy of Moog to software synthesis|author=[[Mark Jenkins (musician)|Mark Jenkins]]|publisher=[[Elsevier]]|year=2007|isbn=0240520726|page=192|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=c3EHIpo0DKwC&pg=PA133|accessdate=2011-05-27}}</ref>


==Track listing==
==Track listing==

Revision as of 16:59, 4 June 2011

Untitled

Snowflakes Are Dancing is an electronic music album by Isao Tomita, recorded in 1974 and first released as a Quadradisc in April.[1] The album consists entirely of Tomita's arrangements of Claude Debussy's "tone paintings", performed by Tomita on a Moog synthesizer. It entered the top 50 charts in the Untied States, where it was nominated for four Grammy Awards in 1975, including best classical album of the year, and it was NARM's best-selling classical album of the year.[1][2]

Overview

The use of the term tone paintings here describes the nature of a large portion of Debussy's work, which was concerned with mood and colour, eschewing traditional tonality in favour of constructions such as the full-tonal scale, parallel chords, bitonality, and to a certain extent atonality, in order to achieve a greater degree of musical expression not allowed by strict adherence to a single key. Thus, the term tone painting is quite appropriate, in that Debussy's compositions often experimented with a much broader palette of tones, allowing each to behave similar to a colour within an illustration. Considered by Space Music fans as the Ultimate Space Music Experience. The track "Arabesque No. 1" is used as the theme music for the PBS astronomy-based program Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer.

The album is considered an early example of proto-synthesizer-pop.[3] It sparked a "revolution in synthesizer programming" which it was responsible for taking to new heights. Tomita's electronic renditions of classical music was a significant improvement over the work of W. Carlos, due to Tomita having previously had extensive experience as a classical composer. The album's contributions to electronic music included an ambience resembling a symphony orchestra, the use of reverberation, the use of phasing and flanging to create a spatial audio effect with stereo speakers, electronic surround sound using four speakers, realistic string simulations, portamento whistles, and abstract bell-like sounds created using ring modulation.[4] A particularly significant achievement was its polyphonic sound, which was created without the use of any polyphonic synthesizers (which were not yet commercially released). Tomita created the album's polyphonic sounds by recording selections one part at a time, taking 14 months to produce the album.[5] The modular human whistle sounds used would also be copied in the presets of later electronic instruments.[6]

Track listing

Side A

  1. Snowflakes Are Dancing (2:10)
  2. Reverie (4:44)
  3. Gardens in the Rain (3:41)
  4. Clair de Lune (5:48)
  5. Arabesque No. 1 (3:57)

Side B

  1. The Engulfed Cathedral (6:18)
  2. Passepied (3:17)
  3. The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (3:25)
  4. Golliwog's Cakewalk (2:50)
  5. Footprints in the Snow (4:30)

Bonus Track (2000 CD release)

11. Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun (10:18)

At least two of these titles are slightly wrong; the title track appears to be a mistranslation back into English of an other-language (probably Japanese) version of Debussy's original title (The Snow Is Dancing), whereas "Golliwog's[sic] Cakewalk" contains the common misspelling of the name Golliwogg.

Recording Information

The back of the album sleeve displays a complete list of the recording hardware that Tomita used in the creation of this album, including:

  • Moog synthesizer
    • One 914 extended range fixed filter bank
    • Two 904-A voltage-controlled low-pass filters
    • One 904-B voltage-controlled high-pass filter
    • One 904-C filter coupler
    • One 901 Voltage-controlled oscillator
    • Three 901-A oscillator controllers
    • Nine 901-B oscillators
    • Four 911 envelope generators
    • One 911-A dual-trigger delay
    • Five 902 voltage-controlled amplifiers
    • One 912 envelope follower
    • One 984 four-channel mixer
    • One 960 sequential controller
    • Two 961 interfaces
    • One 962 sequential switch
    • Two 950 keyboard controllers
    • One 6401 Bode ring modulator
  • Tape recorders
    • One Ampex MM-1100 16-track
    • One Ampex AG-440 4-track
    • One Sony TC-9040 4-track
    • One Teac A-3340S 4-track
    • One Teac 7030GSL 2-track
  • Mixers
    • Two Sony MX-16 8-channel mixers
    • Two Sony MX-12 6-channel mixers
  • Accessories
    • One AKG BX20E Echo unit
    • One Eventide Clockworks "Instant Phaser"
    • Two Binson Echorec "2" units
    • One Fender "Dimension IV"
    • One Mellotron

External links

References

  1. ^ a b Billboard magazine, Aug 16, 1975, p.41.
  2. ^ "Isao Tomita". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
  3. ^ "Snowflakes Are Dancing". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
  4. ^ Mark Jenkins (2007), Analog synthesizers: from the legacy of Moog to software synthesis, Elsevier, pp. 133–4, ISBN 0240520726, retrieved 2011-05-27
  5. ^ Musician, player and listener, Issue 8, Amordian Press, 1977, p. 40, retrieved 2011-05-28
  6. ^ Mark Jenkins (2007), Analog synthesizers: from the legacy of Moog to software synthesis, Elsevier, p. 192, ISBN 0240520726, retrieved 2011-05-27
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