Wendy Carlos's Switched-On Bach (33 1/3) by Roshanak Kheshti
Kheshti’s analysis
of the transformational album Switched-On
Bach is a great approach to exploring
a landmark album like this. Her focus is not only on the fact that this was the
first album to use a synthesizer, but also on what a pioneer Carlos is in the
field of music in general. Carlos not only became one of the first moog
players, but broke boundaries as a woman in the field of classical music.
Although Kheshti talks a little about Carlos’s gender identity, she uses this
to show how the music industry often subjects women to double standards,
questioning their musical skills and placing their gender above their
abilities. I had not thought about this album in quite this way, although I
have always enjoyed the sounds and this different approach to considering
classical music. As someone who grew up with electronic music and synthesizers
as a part of popular music, I had not really considered how revolutionary this
album was and the possible backlash from musical purists that might have
resulted. Kheshti considers these aspects, but also looks at the aesthetics of
the album, including its cover, to consider how it has helped to shape our
notions of electronic music over the years. Although it might be more academic
for some fans of the 33 1/3 series, I really enjoyed this one.
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