Music From Mathematics private 10" box+book 1961 IBM computer synth Max Mathews+

$

100

Music From Mathematics-- Max V. Mathews: Three Against Four; Numerology / John R. Pierce: Beat Cannon; Variations in Timbre and Attack; Stochatta / Pierce + M. E. Shannon: Music By Chance / David Slepian: 3 Improvisations On A Random Piano / Newman Guttman: Pitch Variations / David Lewin: Study One / Lejaren Hiller + L. M. Isaacson: Illiac Suite For String Quartet [excerpt] label & cat. no.:Bell Telephone Laboratories 122227 pressed in:USA date:1961 format:10" 33rpm Box Vinyl: vg+ (few light unfeelable scuffs)
Cover: vg (box fully intact, moderate wear to front, inner box flap with additional notes is pristine)

description:
Ultra rare original boxed private pressing 10" version of these fascinating early electronic recordings from the late 50s; many of these tracks were later released on Decca but minus several tracks exclusive to this issue (also minus the awesome cover art). This album documents the first music ever synthesized by and composed on a computer, representing the earliest output of the scientist-composers who worked at Bell Telephone Laboratories in the 50s and 60s under the uniting principle that "any sound can be described mathematically by a sequence of numbers." Most of the tracks are played from punch cards by the IBM 7090 Computer and Digital to Sound Transducer (which sounds sort of like an Atari 2600 though of course this predates Atari by several decades!), ranging from avant garde abstract atmospheres to microtonal just-intonation tuning experiments to primitive studies of artificial intelligence, with the standouts being the tracks by Max Mathews (after whom the digital audio processing software Max was named) and J. R. Pierce (science fiction author and "father of the communications satellite"). All in all, highly recommended essential proto-synth sounds! Includes 24-page book in beautiful condition, also includes "errata" card correcting an erroneous illustration in the book!

artist info from album notes etc.:
In the late 1950s, Bell Labs hosted the first musicians to experiment with computers, and as a result of the release of this music on lp they later attracted composers Edgard Varese and Jean-Claude Risset to work at their studios. • Pierce was a pioneering early electronic composer, a psychoacoustician, an engineer regarded as the father of communications satellites, and a science fiction author; he worked with Varese and Risset. • Mathews is generally considered the very first computer musician; he worked with Jon Appleton and at IRCAM with Pierre Boulez, he programmed the software used to create most of the pieces on this lp (Music I and II), and he would go on to invent many digital audio techniques, hardware, and software (including Music 360) as well as inspire the creation of the realtime processing software MAX currently in wide use by many musicians and named in his honor. • Hiller was a chemist and composer who studied under Milton Babbitt and Roger Sessions and was an early computer music pioneer at the University of Illinois, credited with creating the first ever computer composition; he designed, built, and directed the University's Experimental Music Studios, and he worked with John Cage, Herbert Brun, Kenneth Gaburo, Ben Johnston, Salvatore Martirano, and Lukas Foss. • Lewin studied under Roger Sessions, Milton Babbitt, Edward T. Cone, and Earl Kim. • The IBM 7090 computer was also used by Iannis Xenakis and Lejaren Hiller as a compositional tool. • This lp should also be of interest to fans of Gottfried Michael Koenig, Herbert Eimert, Pierre Schaeffer, Bernard Parmegiani, Barry Vercoe, Milton Babbitt, Miller Puckette, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Autechre, Aphex Twin, Paul Lansky, Larry Austin, John Chowning, Barry Vercoe, Charles Dodge, Pietro Grossi, Joel Chadabe, and James Dashow.

US Shipping Media Mail with tracking is $5.00 for up to 3 12" records, then $0.65 for each additional; Priority Mail is also available but pricing depends on zipcode (you can check eBay's calculated shipping price on this page); other expedited shipping options and insurance are all available on request. Combine multiple items to save on shipping.

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Packing I pack professionally and with the utmost care drawn from years of experience trading vinyl internationally. I use new record mailers from Cameron Packaging (which I have determined are the best and most protective) reinforced with cardboard inserts and bubble wrap padding. All records are shipped with poly plastic sleeves and with the vinyl outside of the cover to prevent damage. All packages are completely sealed with strong packing tape covering all openings. Unless requested, no paper invoice is included in the package, both to save trees and to avoid customs difficulties. If you'd like your package done any differently, just let me know.

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Other Info Feel free to email me if you have any questions (need more info, want more pictures, etc.); you can use eBay's 'ask a question' function. Records are visually graded unless otherwise noted; my condition rating scale is M (sealed) / NM (unplayed) / EX (barely used) / VG (some evident wear from prior use but no major flaws) / G (major flaws) / F (very major flaws). All included album inserts are pictured in the listing; what you see is what you get, if I know an insert is missing I will mention it in the description. Satisfaction guaranteed; if you have any problems with your order please contact me directly.

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