Category Archives: RECORDINGS

Happy American Independence day!

In the early days of the Gramophone Company the British founders worked closely with their American counterparts. A lot of the initial success can be attributed to one of the first sound and recording engineers – American Born Fred Gaisberg. He began working on the newly invented gramophone in the late 19th century and wasContinue reading “Happy American Independence day!”

Exhibition of Stadivari violin played by EMI classical artist Yehudi Menuhin

This summer (13 June – 11 August)  the Ashmolian Museum in Oxford  has a exceptional exhibition celebrating the work of the seventeenth century master crafter of string instruments; Antonio Stadivari.  The rarely seen pieces will include a 1721 Stradivarius violin played by the famous EMI classical violinist Yehudi Menuhin before its auction at Sotheby’s 1971Continue reading “Exhibition of Stadivari violin played by EMI classical artist Yehudi Menuhin”

Tracks Of My Tears

by Wayne Shevlin Some grooves make you shake your bootie. A stadium anthem can get you swaying with lighters in the air. And some music brings tears to your eyes. There are certain pieces of music that make me cry.  Consistently.  Spontaneously. Involuntarily.  It requires conscious effort to shut the tears off.  The tears differContinue reading “Tracks Of My Tears”

Century of Spinning Plastic Discs

By Wayne Shevlin Opening salvo of the 21st century: announcing the end of the copy economy – sunset on the century of spinning plastic discs. Viktor Vasnetsov – Grave-digger (1848 modified by WS) – Public Domain    The Byrds once advised aspiring rock n’ roll stars: “Sell your soul to the company, who are waiting thereContinue reading “Century of Spinning Plastic Discs”

A Whisper That Roars

By Wayne Shevlin I’d like to celebrate the microphone and the revolutionary impact it has had on music. As technology, the microphone is a marvel: converting into electricity the invisible, minute air pressure waves – what we in our mind’s ear perceive as sound – so that the very essence of sound can be capturedContinue reading “A Whisper That Roars”

BBC Radio-90 Years Old- 5.33pm Nov 14 2012

Today Wednesday 14 November the BBC marks the 90th anniversary of its first broadcast by playing a specially commissioned composition by Damon Albarn to radio listeners around the world at 1733 GMT. More than 55 BBC radio stations will come together for Radio Reunited – the first attempt at a simultaneous broadcast since what wasContinue reading “BBC Radio-90 Years Old- 5.33pm Nov 14 2012”

Mojo at Abbey Road – Electronic Music

Mojo ask Daniel Miller, Andy McCluskey, Martyn Ware, Mark Jones, Trevor Jackson, Matthew Herbert and Bill Brewster their thoughts on electronic music. Electrospective-The Remix Album (2CD) release date 27 August 2012-  EMI Gold shop.electrospective.com

Daphne Oram’s 1960’s Optical Synthesizer Oramics Machine – Electronic Music Pioneer

In the early ’60s, pioneering British composer Daphne Oram set out to create a synthesizer unlike any other, she called it the Oramics machine Commissioned by The Science Museum, London. Directed, Produced, Filmed and Edited by Nick Street and Jen Fearnley. Science Museum Oramics to Electronica: Revealing Histories of Electronic Music  Until Saturday 01 DecemberContinue reading “Daphne Oram’s 1960’s Optical Synthesizer Oramics Machine – Electronic Music Pioneer”