While Wendy Carlos and Switched-On Bach catapulted the Moog synthesizer into mainstream consciousness in 1968, the groundbreaking journey with this instrument began earlier. Long before Carlos’s iconic album, a Penn graduate student, Andrew Rudin, was already composing pioneering electronic music with the Moog. The 2019 album, Synthesizer Pioneer: The Early Electronic Music of Andrew Rudin, brings to light these formative works, revealing a largely unsung hero of electronic sound.
Rudin’s innovative spirit was showcased in 1966 at a Philadelphia Composer’s Forum concert. His “abstract opera,” Il Giuco, shared the stage with compositions by luminaries like George Crumb and Vincent Persichetti. Remarkably, Rudin’s piece was, in the words of the Synthesizer Pioneer himself, the very first large-scale composition crafted specifically for the Moog Synthesizer. This predates widespread recognition of the instrument and highlights Rudin’s early adoption and exploration of its capabilities.
Discovering the “Moog-a-phone” and Embracing Electronic Sounds
Rudin’s introduction to this revolutionary instrument occurred in New York. In the spring of 1964, his desire to see the Alwin Nikolais Dance Theatre, where a high school friend performed, led him to volunteer as an usher. This act of youthful enthusiasm placed him backstage, where he met Nikolais, a celebrated figure in modern dance known for his musique concrete compositions, a style embracing prerecorded sounds akin to Stockhausen’s work.
Nikolais proudly presented his latest acquisition: the “Moog-a-phone,” Robert Moog’s newly invented synthesizer. Despite initial rumors suggesting the Moog was intended to replace session musicians by mimicking traditional instrument sounds, Rudin was captivated by its potential to create entirely new sonic landscapes. It was this unique electronic sound palette that Rudin eagerly explored, diverging from the instrument’s initially perceived purpose and venturing into uncharted musical territory.
A Musical Landscape of Dreamy Wit and Exuberance
In the decades following his early forays into electronic music, Rudin primarily composed for traditional ensembles, albeit with a distinctly contemporary harmonic voice. However, Synthesizer Pioneer focuses on his nascent electronic works, revealing a composer drawn to dramatic musical dialogues and theatricality. This is evident in pieces described as abstract operas and the intriguing “porcelain dialogues.” While the “conversations” within these compositions may be linguistically indecipherable, they possess a captivating charm. Similar to watching a Fellini film without subtitles, the emotional context and dynamic phrasing convey meaning beyond words.
Rudin’s early synthesizer compositions are rich with moments of ethereal beauty and fascinating textures. Yet, a prevailing sense of wit and playful exuberance permeates the music. This spirit echoes the choreography of Nikolais, whose stagecraft was often dreamlike yet imbued with a delightful wryness. Both Rudin and Nikolais, collaborators on four projects, achieved a physicality that transcended their chosen mediums, akin to the abstract expression found in painting. Andrew Rudin’s collected early electronic sounds, now accessible on Synthesizer Pioneer, offer a vibrant testament to his youthful energy and pioneering vision.
Album Details:
- Synthesizer Pioneer: The Early Electronic Music of Andrew Rudin. Centaur Records, February 8, 2019. Available here.
