The Composer in the Computer Age, Vol. 3
Allen Strange:
Electronic Music:
Systems, Techniques,
and Controls
 Allen Strange MetaSynthia
MetaSynthia
 Allen Strange
Allen Strange
born Calexico, California, June 26, 1943
died Bainbridge, Washington February 20th, 2008

American composer and performer. He studied composition with Michalsky at State University, Fullerton (BA, MA 1967) and later with Erickson, Partch, Gaburo and Oliveros (composition and electronic media) at the University of California, San Diego (1967--8, 1970--71).

He received two grants from the San Jose State University Foundation (1969 and 1974) for research into electronic music and in 1970 became professor of music and director of the electronic music studios at the university. In 1973 he attended Chowning's music seminar at Stanford University Artificial Intelligence Center. Strange is one of the leading authorities on analogue electronic music; his Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls (1972) is now a classic text. He also wrote Programming and Meta-Programming the Electro-Organism (1974), the operations manual for the Buchla Music Easel and has documented the 200 Series synthesizers made by Buchla. He co-founded two performance groups, Biome (1967--72), in order to make use of the EMS Synthi, and, with Buchla in 1974, the Electronic Weasel Ensemble. He was president of the International Computer Music Association (1993--8) and has appeared as a guest artist-lecturer throughout the world. With his wife, Patricia, they have recently published The Contemporary Violin: Extended Performance Techniques.

Strange composes for live electronic instrumental ensembles, for live and taped electronics with voices and acoustic instruments, and for the theatre; most of his works for acoustic instruments require extended performance techniques He is particularly interested in linear tuning systems (as in The Hairbreath Ring Screamers, 1969, and Second Book of Angels, 1979), spatial distribution of sound (Heart of Gold, 1982, and Velocity Studies, 1983), the isolation of timbre as a musical parameter, and composing for groups of like instruments or voices. Elements of vaudeville, rock-and-roll, country-and-western music, and the guitar techniques of Les Paul are found in his works. His theatre pieces employ various media including film, slides, and lighting effects; he produced a series of such works in collaboration with the playwright and director Robert Jenkins, of which the most important are Jack and the Beanstalk (1979) and The Ghost Hour (1981), an audio drama. In the mid-1980s, Strange became interested in alternate tuning systems. Strange lives on Bainbridge Island, Wa. pursuing a full-time career composing and concertizing with his wife.

List of Works Click here to dowload PDF
All works published by Permanent Press unless otherwise cited. Some works are cross-referenced due to media crossover. Works for theater are not included in this listing.
Prerecorded Media (available on CD unless otherwise specified)
Concord Gardens for tape alone, 1972, Composers' Autograph Publications
No Dead Horses on the Moon for film and tape, 1985, Media Press
Music of Do's, Mills College Anthology, 1981, Mills College Press.
Uncle Erhard for children's theater, 1981, Mills College Anthology, Mills College Press.
Moon Plus Moon, 1977, Ocean Records
Bit, 1976, Ocean Records
Music of the Spheres, by Johanna Beyer. Orchestrated by Allen Strange, 1978, Composers Recordings, Inc.
Phoenix Rising, 1998
Phoenix and the Harlequin, 1999
Heart of Gold, 1987
Quitlaacayotyl, 1992
Bootes. 1993
One for the Ladies, 1985
Down Time for interactive CD ROM and stories by Rob Swigart, Eastgate Productions, 1996
Heroes IV: The Boys, 2002
Witness the Dawn, 1997
Silicon Seven, 1996
Towers, 1996
Vasona, 1995
Cygnus, 1990
Physical States, 1996
SideShow, 2003
Heros IV, 2003
Quinault Cathedral, 2004
Brief Visits to Imaginary Places, 2005 (in progress)
Instruments/Voice + Prerecorded Media
Sleeping Beauty for amplified violin and computer-driven instruments, Consortium to Distribute Computer Music Series Volume 18, Centaur Recordings, 1994
Shaman for amplified violin and computer-driven instruments, Consortium to Distribute Computer Music Series Volume 18, Centaur Recordings, 1994
Velocity Studies I: Slide for violin and prerecorded media, 1987
Velocity Studies II: Twitter for harpsichord and prerecorded media, 1989
Velocity Studies III: Rip for piano and prerecorded media, 1991
Velocity Studies IV: Flutter for alto saxophone and prerecorded media, 1993
Gargoyles for chamber ensemble and prerecorded media, 1999
Elemental Vamp for actress and digital media, 1990
The Werebeing Split Personality Jazz for actor and digital media, 1993
Strike Up the Band for percussion with familiars and secret sounds, 2000
The Hairbreath Ring Screamers for flute ensemble and tape, 1970, JP Press
Palace for solo violin, tape and mixed theater, 1979, Composer Autograph Pub.
. ... and still another story concerns ... for tape and visuals, Composer Autograph Pub.
Chamberpiece for small ensemble, 1971, Composer Autograph Pub.
Rainbow Rider for four choruses, 1972, Composer Autograph Pub.
Vanity Fair for actor and electronic sound, 1970, Media Press.
The Doug Meyers' Playing Flute for flute and tape, 1972, Media Press.
Mora Speculum for actors and tape, 1973. Composers/Performers Editions
Soundbeams for chamber ensemble, 1974, Asterisk Publications.
Uncle Erhard for children's theater, 1979, Mills College Anthology, Mills College Press
The Hairbreath Ring Screamers for flute ensemble and tape, 1970, JP Press
First Book of Angels for string quartet and tape, 1972,
Notes from Underground for chorus and tape, 1985
Misty Magic Land for unspecified sustaining instruments and digital media (2004)
Live Electronics (no acoustic instruments)
Propagation and Decay of Resonant Particles, 1969
Strong Loop and Wild Horses (electronic keyboards), 1977
Teserae Rag, 1969
Princess (electronic keyboards), 1977
Keyboard Studies (electronic keyboards), 1975
Instruments/Voice + Live Electronics
The Goddess Trilogy:
Sleeping Beauty for amplified violin and computer-driven instruments, 1989
Shaman for amplified violin and computer-driven instruments, 1994
Goddess for amplified violin and computer-driven instruments, 2002
Switchcraft for string bass, flute and electronics, 1972
You've come a Long Way Baby for four processed voices and digital media, 1999
Dune for voice, improvising instruments and electronics, 1975, Ocean Records
Western Connection for orchestra and electronic instruments, 1972
Skags for four processed voices and digital media, 1970
Soundbeams for chamber ensemble and electronic instruments, 1977
The First Book of Angels for 16 voices and electronic instruments, 1976
Acoustic
Time and Again for saxophone octet, 2005
Shivaree for sax ensemble (2, 2a, 2t, bar, bass) and five percussion, 2004
Fancy Dances 2003-04
Horn Quartet
Bassoon Quartet
Trumpet Quartet
Saxophone Quartet
Spring Dancers for string quartet, 2003
The King of Handcuffs for tenor and chamber ensemble, 2001
Points of Departure: The Harlem Variations for solo alto saxophone, 2001
Points of Departure: The Midnight Variations for solo fluglehorn, 2001
Charms for String Orchestra, 1973
More Charms for String Orchestra, 1973
Beamer: Building of the Beast for percussion ensemble, 1980
Star Salon Strikers and Screamers Last Witness for four percussionists and string trio, 1978
Moon Plus Moon [Piano Book] for any number of pianos, 1983
"Four Pages" from Saturn and the Seven Ladies, for mixed ensemble, 1982
Chamberpiece for small ensemble, 1972 [Composer Autograph Pub.]
The Third Book of Angels: Lucifier's Hammer for disclavier, 1997
Rockytop Screamers and Other Scapes for band, 1973
Performed Mixed-Media
Elemental Vamp for theatrist and computer-generated sounds, 1994
Music for DoWhatDo, a multi-media performance with Joel Slayton 1993 [Cadre Institute Video Tape]
Bootes (with Michael Heivly) for live electronics and kinetic sculpture, 1992
Cygnus (with Michael Heivly) for live electronics and kinetic sculpture, 1992
Werebeing Split Personality Jazz for actor and tape, 1990
Elemental Vamp actress, performance artist and/or video, 1993
Corona Borealis (with Michael Heivly) for live electronics and kinetic sculpture, 1988
Ursa Major (with Michael Heivly) for live electronics and kinetic sculpture, 1988
Detour (with Joel Slayton) for computer driven instruments and video, 1987 [Cadre Institute]
Vasona (with John Barnes) for visuals and stereo tape, 1981
Uncle Erhard for children's theater, 1979 [MCP]
... and still another story concerns for tape and visuals, 1978 [CAP]
Music of Do's for electronic music system, 1978 [Mills College Press]
No Dead Horses on the Moon for film and tape, 1977 [Media Press]
Mora Speculum for actors and tape, 1972 [Composer Performer Editions]
Vanity Fair for actor and electronic sound 1972 [Media Press]
Palace for solo violin, tape and mixed theater, 1968 [Media Press]
Recordings
Shadowboxer, 60 x 60 Vox Novus
White Lady, Metasynth III
About Time [interactive web production with Rob Swigart], www.wordcircuits.com/gallery/abouttime
Strange Brew - Music for the Recorded Media
Phoenix Rising Phoenix and the Harlequin Heart of Gold, Quitlaacayotyl, Bootes, One for the Ladies
Moon + Moon C.R.E.A.M. CD 1001,
Down Time for interactive CD ROM and stories by Rob Swigart, Eastgate Productions,
Sleeping Beauty for amplified violin and computer-driven instruments, Consortium to Distribute Computer Music Series Volume 18, Centaur Recordings
Shaman for amplified violin and computer-driven instruments, Consortium to Distribute Computer Music Series Volume 26, Centaur Recordings
Music for Guitar and Tape by Cort Lippe, Executive Producer, Consortium to Distribute Computer Music Series Volume 17, Centaur Recordings
International Computer Music Conference 1992 Compact Disc, Executive Producer, ICMC'92 Velocity Studies IV: Flutter for alto saxophone and prerecorded media, Capstone Records
Uncle Erhard, Audiozine Recordings
Dangerous Nights, a collection of recorded stories with Robert Jenkins, Strange and Jenkins Productions.
The Thirty-Seventh Letter, Frogs Hollow Recordings.
The following works have been recorded by the German, Belgium, and Swedish State for archive inclusion and non-commercial broadcast in Europe:
One for the Ladies for tape alone.
Velocity Studies I:
Slide for solo violin and tape.
Skags for four electronically processed voices.
Conversations with Nod for electronic consort.
Moon Plus Moon for electronic consort.
Teserae Rag for electronic consort.
The First Book of Angels for 16 voices and electronic instruments
Books:
The Contemporary Violin: Extended Performance Techniques (with Patricia Strange). Scarecrow Press, 2001
Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls, McGraw-Hill, 1972, 1976, and 2000
PRESS
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