MATRIXSYNTH: RIP Tristram Cary


Thursday, April 24, 2008

RIP Tristram Cary


Tristram Cary passed away this week at the age of 82.
Pictured: In Tristram's studio
http://www.tristramcary.com/
"While serving as a wartime naval radar officer in 1945, he independently conceived the idea of electronic and tape music, and is thus a world pioneer in this field. His contribution to concert and entertainment musical repertoire in every genre from pure electronic music to instrumental solos and orchestral and choral works covers the entire second half of the 20th century, and is now moving actively into the 21st."

via wikipedia:
"Cary was educated at Westminster School in London, England and is the son of a pianist and the novelist, Joyce Cary, author of Mister Johnson. While working as a radar engineer for the Royal Navy during World War II, he independently developed his own conception of electronic and tape music, and is regarded as amongst the earliest pioneers of these musical forms. Following the war he created one of the first electronic music studios, later travelling around Europe to meet the small numbers of other early pioneers of electronic music and composition.
His concert works of note include a Sonata for guitar (1959), Continuum for tape (1969), a cantata Peccata Mundi (1972), Contours and Densities at First Hill for orchestra (1972), a Nonet (1979), String Quartet No. 2 (1985) and The Dancing Girls for orchestra (1991).
Cary is also particularly well known for his film and television music. He has written music for the science fiction television series Doctor Who, as well as the score for the Ealing comedy The Ladykillers (1955). Later film scores included Quatermass and the Pit (1967) and Blood from the Mummy's Tomb (1971), both for Hammer.
Cary was one of the first British composers to work in musique concrète. In 1967 he created the first electronic music studio of the Royal College of Music.

He provided the visual design for the EMS VCS3 synthesizer, the first portable synthesizer, though not the first to be attached to a keyboard, designed by Bob Moog a year later in 1970.
Cary received the 2005 lifetime achievement award from the Adelaide Critics' Circle for his contribution to music in England and Australia."

WHAT THE FUTURE SOUNDED LIKE

YouTube via VCS3DOCO.


"Film teaser for the documentary What The Future Sounded Like - the story of the Electronic Music Studios and their impact on music history. www.myspace.com/whatthefuturesoundedlike"
"Tristram Cary (Director: 1969 - 1973) Pioneer of classical electronic music during 1960s and composer for film and broadcast with musical credits on the first Dr.Who & the Daleks series, later scored the Ealing comedy The Ladykillers as well as a few Hammer films. Pipe smoker, tune writer, gun-for-hire, classical composer, navy man. Role at EMS was as resident composer and artist and as the most musically experienced. Co-designed VCS3. Built wooden cabinet, wrote hand-book. Left to become Professor of Electronic Music at the Royal College of Music. Since became Professor of Music at the University of Adelade. Retirement is not an option." Alos see CDM and Califaudio. This post will remain on top for the rest of the day out of respect. New posts if any will be below.

8 comments:

  1. There are a few Cary CDs about..Devils' Planet is a double CD of mostly his Doctor Who soundtracks

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  2. "The Illustrated Compendium of Music Technology", though out of print, is a highly recommended book of his.

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  3. RIP Mr. Cary - i've been down in my lab tweaking the VCS3 in your honor this week. what a beautifully elegant UI you dreamed up so long ago. i was still 5 years away from inheriting my physical body on this earth when you were flexing your design muscles. kudos to you for providing me with so much joy in playing a truly incredible instrument. you will be missed.

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  4. RIP.

    it's time to listen to The Daleks and fire up the briar pipe in his honour tonight.

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  5. Very sad news. He sent a copy of Trios(the VCS3 /turntable game) to me a year or so ago with a very sweet letter talking about his family who are in that photo on the inside jacket of the LPs. He sent me a copy all the way from Australia just cause I asked about it out of curiosity.
    And I'm a lucky owner of a vcs3 too.

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  6. RIP dude. You made some of the maddest synths ever that still sound like nothing else.

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  7. Tristam and Bebe in one week?

    God bless and keep them all...

    ReplyDelete

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