''The Well-Tempered Synthesizer'' is the second

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

from the American musician and composer

Wendy Carlos Wendy Carlos (born Walter Carlos; November 14, 1939) is an American musician and composer known for electronic music and film scores. Born and raised in Rhode Island, Carlos studied physics and music at Brown University before moving to New Y ...

, originally released under her birth name Walter Carlos, in November 1969 on

Columbia Masterworks Records Columbia Masterworks was a record label started in 1924 by Columbia Records. In 1980, it was separated from the Columbia label and renamed CBS Masterworks. In 1990, it was revived as Sony Classical after its sale to the Sony Corporation. Histo ...

. Following the success of her previous album, ''

Switched-On Bach ''Switched-On Bach'' is the debut album by the American composer Wendy Carlos, released in October 1968 by Columbia Records. Produced by Carlos and Rachel Elkind, the album is a collection of pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach performed by Carlos ...

'' (1968), Carlos proceeded to record a second album of classical music performed on a modular

Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer ( ) is a modular synthesizer invented by the American engineer Robert Moog in 1964. Moog's company, R. A. Moog Co., produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 2014. It was the first commercial synthesizer ...

from multiple composers, including

Johann Sebastian Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: Help:IPA/Standard German, �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque music, Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety ...

Claudio Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string instrument, string player. A composer of both Secular music, secular and Church music, sacred music, and a pioneer ...

Domenico Scarlatti Giuseppe Domenico Scarlatti (26 October 1685 – 23 July 1757) was an Italian composer. He is classified primarily as a Baroque music, Baroque composer chronologically, although his music was influential in the development of the Classical peri ...

, and

George Frideric Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

. Its title is a

play on words Word play or wordplay (also: play-on-words) is a literary technique and a form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement. Examples of word play include puns, phone ...

from Bach's set of preludes and

fugue In classical music, a fugue (, from Latin ''fuga'', meaning "flight" or "escape""Fugue, ''n''." ''The Concise Oxford English Dictionary'', eleventh edition, revised, ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson (Oxford and New York: Oxford Universit ...

s named ''

The Well-Tempered Clavier ''The Well-Tempered Clavier'', BWV 846–893, consists of two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys for keyboard by Johann Sebastian Bach. In the composer's time ''clavier'' referred to a variety of keyboard instruments, ...

''. Upon its release, the album peaked at No. 199 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart and was nominated for two

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...

Production

In 1969, during the unexpected commercial success of her debut studio album ''

'' (1968), Carlos and her friend, collaborator, and producer Rachel Elkind started work on a follow-up using the same formula as ''Switched-On Bach'': performing selections of

classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...

on a modular

. Carlos planned to record an "ambitious 19th-century work", but the lack of sufficient

multitrack recording Multitrack recording (MTR), also known as multitracking, is a method of sound recording developed in 1955 that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources or of sound sources recorded at different times to create a cohesive who ...

capabilities at the time did not allow such an undertaking. Ideas for Carlos to record her own compositions seemed "untimely" and were shelved for potential future albums. The two decided on a "new switched on

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

album" featuring multiple composers, including

, and

. Like ''Switched-On Bach'', the album was recorded on an 8-track

Ampex Ampex Data Systems Corporation is an American electronics company founded in 1944 by Alexander M. Poniatoff as a spin-off of Dalmo-Victor. The name ''AMPEX'' is an acronym, created by its founder, which stands for Alexander M. Poniatoff Excell ...

tape recorder using numerous takes and

overdub Overdubbing (also known as layering) is a technique used in audio recording in which audio tracks that have been pre-recorded are then played back and monitored, while simultaneously recording new, doubled, or augmented tracks onto one or more a ...

s. Carlos chose pieces from Handel's ''

Water Music The ''Water Music'' (German: ''Wassermusik'') is a collection of orchestral movements, often published as three Suite (music), suites, composed by George Frideric Handel. It premiered on 17 July 1717, in response to George I of Great Britain, ...

'' suites as the music contained passages that suited the limitations of the Moog synthesizer. Canadian pianist

Glenn Gould Glenn Herbert Gould (; né Gold; 25 September 19324 October 1982) was a Canadian classical pianist. He was among the most famous and celebrated pianists of the 20th century, renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard works of Johann Sebastian ...

spoke about Carlos' rendition of Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major: "To put it bluntly, the finest performance of any of the Brandenburgs—live, canned, or intuited—I've ever heard."

Release

''The Well-Tempered Synthesizer'' was released in November 1969. It peaked at No. 199 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and was nominated for two

. In February 1974, ''Billboard'' reported that the album had sold around 200,000 copies in the US.16 February 1974 edition of ''Billboard'' magazine, p. 27.
/ref>

Track listing

#"Stereo Test Tone" #

Monteverdi Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi (baptized 15 May 1567 – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, choirmaster and string player. A composer of both secular and sacred music, and a pioneer in the development of opera, he is considere ...

: '' Orfeo Suite'' (

Toccata Toccata (from Italian ''toccare'', literally, "to touch", with "toccata" being the action of touching) is a virtuoso piece of music typically for a keyboard or plucked string instrument featuring fast-moving, lightly fingered or otherwise virt ...

;

Ritornello A ritornello (Italian; "little return") is a recurring passage in Renaissance music and Baroque music for orchestra or chorus. Early history The earliest use of the term "ritornello" in music referred to the final lines of a fourteenth-century ...

I; Choro II; Ritornello II; Choro II; Ritornello II) # Scarlatti: "

Sonata In music a sonata (; pl. ''sonate'') literally means a piece ''played'' as opposed to a cantata (Latin and Italian ''cantare'', "to sing"), a piece ''sung''. The term evolved through the history of music, designating a variety of forms until th ...

in G major, L. 209/K. 455" #Scarlatti: "Sonata in D major, L. 164/K. 491" #

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

: ''

'': "Bourrée" #Handel: ''Water Music'': "Air" #Handel: ''Water Music'': "Allegro Deciso" #Scarlatti: "Sonata in E major, L. 430/K. 531" #Scarlatti: "Sonata in D major, L. 465/K. 96" #

Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (German: �joːhan zeˈbasti̯an baχ ( – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his prolific output across a variety of instruments and forms, including the or ...

: " Brandenburg Concerto #4 in G major: Allegro" #Bach: "Brandenburg Concerto #4 in G major: Andante" #Bach: "Brandenburg Concerto #4 in G major: Presto" #Monteverdi: "Domine ad adjuvandum" (from the '' 1610 Vespers'')

Personnel

– modular Moog synthesizer, engineer * Rachel Elkind – production * Horn/Griner – cover photograph

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Well-Tempered Synthesizer, The Wendy Carlos albums 1960s classical albums Columbia Records albums Albums produced by Rachel Elkind 1969 albums