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Author Topic: Bach "Air On The G String" (...or The Wendy Carlos Story) Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-14-2004 12:11 PM                     Air on a G-String First of all, I'd like to just stand back and say: "Wow! What a name for a tune!" How's that for Shock and Awe? And now, with that out of the way, I have a serious question about this piece of music. Why is it called "Air On The G String." It is written in the key of D Major. and the first note is not a G. What gives? [ 02-16-2004, 05:18 PM: Message edited by: Manny Knowles ]  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-14-2004 12:20 PM                     Kinda' like, "What's the sound of one hand clapping?" What does the sound of air on a G-String make? Silence, pretty much... Unless that air is moving at a high velocity.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 02-14-2004 12:31 PM                        It was originally the air from Bach's Orchestral Suite in D BWV 1068. Originally scored for four-part orchestra, it was re-arranged for solo violin and piano. As such it was transposed to C which allows it to be played mostly on the lowest string on the violin, hence its newer name Air for the G String. My first exposure to it as a child was Walter (now Wendy) Carlos' Moog synthesizer rendition Air on a G String from her debut album Switched On Bach. [ 03-22-2004, 09:55 PM: Message edited by: Paul Mayer ]  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 02-14-2004 12:39 PM                     Funny, Randy. And "thanks" to Paul for an answer that makes sense. Why was there a need to transpose it? Wasn't there a violin line in the original composition? BTW I have seen this titled variously: Air (not descriptive enough) Air in G (wrong and, hence, my confusion) Air on the G String Air for the G String A rose by many names, I guess. And, Paul -- one more thing -- just how did you come to know the answer to that? [Edit: Never mind, Paul. I think I recall you telling me your Father was a great musician.] I suppose we could put this thread to better use by recommending other classical music that might be especially appropriate for Valentine's Day. Next on my playlist: "Claire de Lune" by Debussy [ 02-14-2004, 02:21 PM: Message edited by: Manny Knowles ]  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-14-2004 01:23 PM                        "Air on a G String" was also recorded by the rock group Sweet ("Fox on the Run," "Ballroom Blitz," "Little Willy") Pretty unusual for that group.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 02-14-2004 02:53 PM                        Like Paul wrote, it is the second piece of the D major orchestral suite and is simply called "Air", French for "Aria", vocal piece. All pieces in the suites have simple names like "Gigue", "Courante", "Badinerie". That is because the suite with overture and a succession ("suite") of dance movements and arias was a typical French form of music in the Baroque, and Bach wrote his suites in that style.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-14-2004 04:07 PM                        quote: My first exposure to it as a child was Walter (now Wendy) Carlos' Moog synthesizer rendition... I take it [s]he had some rather drastic surgery, then!  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 02-14-2004 06:05 PM                        A couple of links about Wendy Carlos' remarkable life and career: http://www.hipsurgerymusic.com/Carlos/ http://www.stitzel.com/slop/prq/carlos.html  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 02-14-2004 07:11 PM                        Remarkable indeed! Is my brain playing up this late at night, or did Carlos appear on one of the Dolby test films, in the channel separation demo? Not at all related to which, about 2-3 years ago I was 'phoned by a colleague letting me know that he'd given my name to someone else in relation to a research query he thought I might be able to answer. At the end of the conversation he said something like 'Oh, and, I thought you probably needed to know... Jenny used to be James' (names changed, given that this site can be read by anyone and everyone, but you get the idea). I've since met Jenny at the occasional conference, and it if weren't for that call I'd never have guessed.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-14-2004 08:42 PM                     Carlos did the music on Dolby Jiffy Test films here is a link to carlos web site on 4 channel sound http://www.wendycarlos.com/surround/surround3.html  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 02-14-2004 10:04 PM                  Wow! I never heard about that "Switch-Hitter" story. Whew! That must be really something to not only change teams, but get rid of the "bat" as well. Wow! >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 02-16-2004 12:51 PM                        Here is Wendy Carlos' home page: http://www.wendycarlos.com/ In the early 1990's, I had the good fortune to meet Ms. Carlos at an SMPTE Conference in NYC that she was attending with Ioan Allen of Dolby. She is a very gracious "renaissance" person, and very much into the technology of music, as you can see from her website. I have quite a few of her recordings, including "Switched on Bach", and the soundtrack from "Clockwork Orange".  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 02-16-2004 07:25 PM                     I've got 5-6 albums by Carlos. I dont think I could do any better as a woman. My guess is that Carlos made some changes sometime before 'TRON' was released. His/her name was listed in the credits of this film as 'Wendy Carlos.' What a talent!  |  IP: Logged Gracia L. Babbidge Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 709 From: Bowdoin, Maine Registered: Aug 2000 posted 02-17-2004 10:38 PM                        If you like Debussy's Claire de Lune - track down and listen to is as performed by the Swingle Singers!  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-18-2004 01:41 PM                    Not until I get a decent version of Henhouse 5 Plus 2's* (aka Ray Stevens) version of In the Mood. * faux cackling chickens I always liked the Carlos piece on the end of Jiffy Test.  |  IP: Logged

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