Latest news from Isao Tomita

Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

Hi people,

Met up with the Tomita in London this week, where he's doing final mixes
for the studio recording (featuring the London Phiharmonic Orchestra) of
'Tale of Genji'. Release date will be fixed when Sony give the go-ahead.
He's completing the stereo mix, and a 5.1 version on DVD may follow.

He reiterated his genuine, modest amazement that there are people who still
listen to his old music from the 1970's (that's most of the Tomita list,
right? ;-) He wondered who these people might be, and I replied that there
are probably people in their 40's, who heard him first time around, then
there are those people's children, and then there are the people
in-between, who perhaps got into his music through an interest in analogue
synthesizers and/or IDM.

He told me a nice story about his record 'Bermuda Triangle'; I asked that,
since the fifth channel of the recording was intended be heard from a
speaker above the listeners head, who else but he (and visitors to his
studio) could ever have experienced 'Pyramid Sound' (i.e. pre-Sound Cloud
sound)? It turns out there was a album playback in Japan on Bermuda
Triangle's release in 1979. This was the one and only time 'Pyramid Sound'
happened. By all accounts it was rather primitive, and not something he
wanted to repeat in a concert hall setting as such. Pyramid Sound obviously
evolved into Sound Cloud.

Talking of which... the performance he was planning on giving in Linz,
Austria next year has been postponed indefinitely. There will be a
performance outdoors in London next year though. This will take place in
Greenwich Park, South East London. More news as I get it.

Another fun bit of info is that the opening notes of 'Venus' from The
Tomita Planets are not Moog, not Mellotron (not even custom tapes), but the
man himself! "Falsetto!" I always had my sneaking suspicions that it
was a voice of some kind, although I though it was custom Mellotron tapes.
But it's fun to learn it was the man himself; apparently it was the first
time anyone had asked him about this in 20+ years since the record came out.

I took the Wendy Carlos Switched-On Box Set along (if you don't have it
yet, it's pretty much an essential purchase IMO), and he was very
interested, especially in stuff like patch notation, which he followed with
his finger like an old pro ;-) Again he reiterated to me that it was
hearing 'Switched On Bach' that made him buy a Moog Synthesizer in the
first place (and the rest, as they say, is history).

He asked how much I thought a big Moog might sell for these days (wonder if
he's selling?!), to which I replied $8,000 - $15,000 (or more). After
thinking about it for a moment, he thought he spent about 10 million Yen on
his systems (whihc seems a little high, actually; anyone care to elaborate
on Moog pricing in Japan?)

Well that's it for now; more exciting news as it comes in.

All the best,
Ben


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

Hi people,

Met up with the Tomita in London this week, where he's doing final mixes
for the studio recording (featuring the London Phiharmonic Orchestra) of
'Tale of Genji'. Release date will be fixed when Sony give the go-ahead.
He's completing the stereo mix, and a 5.1 version on DVD may follow.

He reiterated his genuine, modest amazement that there are people who still
listen to his old music from the 1970's (that's most of the Tomita list,
right? ;-) He wondered who these people might be, and I replied that there
are probably people in their 40's, who heard him first time around, then
there are those people's children, and then there are the people
in-between, who perhaps got into his music through an interest in analogue
synthesizers and/or IDM.

He told me a nice story about his record 'Bermuda Triangle'; I asked that,
since the fifth channel of the recording was intended be heard from a
speaker above the listeners head, who else but he (and visitors to his
studio) could ever have experienced 'Pyramid Sound' (i.e. pre-Sound Cloud
sound)? It turns out there was a album playback in Japan on Bermuda
Triangle's release in 1979. This was the one and only time 'Pyramid Sound'
happened. By all accounts it was rather primitive, and not something he
wanted to repeat in a concert hall setting as such. Pyramid Sound obviously
evolved into Sound Cloud.

Talking of which... the performance he was planning on giving in Linz,
Austria next year has been postponed indefinitely. There will be a
performance outdoors in London next year though. This will take place in
Greenwich Park, South East London. More news as I get it.

Another fun bit of info is that the opening notes of 'Venus' from The
Tomita Planets are not Moog, not Mellotron (not even custom tapes), but the
man himself! "Falsetto!" I always had my sneaking suspicions that it
was a voice of some kind, although I though it was custom Mellotron tapes.
But it's fun to learn it was the man himself; apparently it was the first
time anyone had asked him about this in 20+ years since the record came out.

I took the Wendy Carlos Switched-On Box Set along (if you don't have it
yet, it's pretty much an essential purchase IMO), and he was very
interested, especially in stuff like patch notation, which he followed with
his finger like an old pro ;-) Again he reiterated to me that it was
hearing 'Switched On Bach' that made him buy a Moog Synthesizer in the
first place (and the rest, as they say, is history).

He asked how much I thought a big Moog might sell for these days (wonder if
he's selling?!), to which I replied $8,000 - $15,000 (or more). After
thinking about it for a moment, he thought he spent about 10 million Yen on
his systems (whihc seems a little high, actually; anyone care to elaborate
on Moog pricing in Japan?)

Well that's it for now; more exciting news as it comes in.

All the best,
Ben


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

On Thu, 10 Feb 2000, Benjamin Ward wrote:

>
> I took the Wendy Carlos Switched-On Box Set along (if you don't have it
> yet, it's pretty much an essential purchase IMO),


Hi there

where do I find this W. Carlos Box set, never heard about it ....

cheers

alex



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| rubli at pobox.com Cholula,72820 Puebla |
| vox52) (22) 29-2158 FAX52) (22) 29-2140 MEXICO |
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| ----------------------------------------- - O |
| Honour thy errors as a hidden intention (B. Eno) I |
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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

>Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/
>
>Hi people,
>
>Met up with the Tomita in London this week, where he's doing final mixes
>for the studio recording (featuring the London Phiharmonic Orchestra) of
>'Tale of Genji'. Release date will be fixed when Sony give the go-ahead.
>He's completing the stereo mix, and a 5.1 version on DVD may follow.
>
>He reiterated his genuine, modest amazement that there are people who still
>listen to his old music from the 1970's


Hey Ben,

Really cool to hear about Tomita. Is he still using electronics/synths or
is he focused on composing for orchestra now?

Mike Berman
digiboy at erols.com


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/


> He asked how much I thought a big Moog might sell for these days (wonder if
> he's selling?!), to which I replied $8,000 - $15,000 (or more). After
> thinking about it for a moment, he thought he spent about 10 million Yen on
> his systems (whihc seems a little high, actually; anyone care to elaborate
> on Moog pricing in Japan?)

Moogs are worth a lot more broken up. I think all working modules would
sell for at least the original price.


30 years ago Yen was like 350 to the dollar, 1 pound = US$ 2.40, so its
pretty abstarct since everything had a different purchasing power on top
of a different exchange ratio.


He probably got it for list price +shipping and customs duty. Maybe a
middle man arranged for the sale, but I never heard that mentioned in interviews.

might add up for a IIIc and 55 combined.


nick


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/


> I took the Wendy Carlos Switched-On Box Set along (if you don't have it
> yet, it's pretty much an essential purchase IMO), and he was very
> interested, especially in stuff like patch notation, which he followed with
> his finger like an old pro ;-) Again he reiterated to me that it was
> hearing 'Switched On Bach' that made him buy a Moog Synthesizer in the
> first place (and the rest, as they say, is history).
>

he said he was composing something for Expo '70 and an engineer loaned
it to him.
meaning it didn't hit Japan in a noticible way.


Now something you should do is find out more about the Korg synth
prototype from the late 60s, it seems an anomaly

also why did everyone start with synths in '73 (Korg, Roland, Tomita)



now I remember a good question.

we've never seen a list of his soundtracks which are done using synths
without an orchestra.


nick


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

"Mike B (digiboy)" wrote:
>
> Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/
>
> >Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/
> >
> >Hi people,
> >
> >Met up with the Tomita in London this week, where he's doing final mixes
> >for the studio recording (featuring the London Phiharmonic Orchestra) of
> >'Tale of Genji'. Release date will be fixed when Sony give the go-ahead.
> >He's completing the stereo mix, and a 5.1 version on DVD may follow.
> >
> >He reiterated his genuine, modest amazement that there are people who still
> >listen to his old music from the 1970's
>
> Hey Ben,
>
> Really cool to hear about Tomita. Is he still using electronics/synths or
> is he focused on composing for orchestra now?
>



not to jump on Ben's lead, but what he seems to be always doing is
orchestra's augmented by synths these days.

No record companies are asking him to do classical recordings with
synths. He is very busy scoring projects and commissions.


nick


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

Will I ever get the chance to meet Tomita in person? I doubt if he comes to
Dallas, Texas (where I'm located) as this stupid, closed-minded state of
Texas can't appreciate good music. All they like here is country music, and
there are a lot of "hicks" in Texas. Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing
here. Anyway, any chance of Tomita giving a concert in the U.S. anywhere
besides New York or California? Thanx! JOHN


From: Benjamin Ward <benward at popmail.dircon.co.uk>
Reply-To: "Isao Tomita Mailing List" <tomita at listbot.com>
To: tomita at listbot.com, analogue-owner at hyperreal.org
Subject: Latest news from Isao Tomita
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 2000 18:31:49 GMT

Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

Hi people,

Met up with the Tomita in London this week, where he's doing final mixes
for the studio recording (featuring the London Phiharmonic Orchestra) of
'Tale of Genji'. Release date will be fixed when Sony give the go-ahead.
He's completing the stereo mix, and a 5.1 version on DVD may follow.

He reiterated his genuine, modest amazement that there are people who still
listen to his old music from the 1970's (that's most of the Tomita list,
right? ;-) He wondered who these people might be, and I replied that there
are probably people in their 40's, who heard him first time around, then
there are those people's children, and then there are the people
in-between, who perhaps got into his music through an interest in analogue
synthesizers and/or IDM.

He told me a nice story about his record 'Bermuda Triangle'; I asked that,
since the fifth channel of the recording was intended be heard from a
speaker above the listeners head, who else but he (and visitors to his
studio) could ever have experienced 'Pyramid Sound' (i.e. pre-Sound Cloud
sound)? It turns out there was a album playback in Japan on Bermuda
Triangle's release in 1979. This was the one and only time 'Pyramid Sound'
happened. By all accounts it was rather primitive, and not something he
wanted to repeat in a concert hall setting as such. Pyramid Sound obviously
evolved into Sound Cloud.

Talking of which... the performance he was planning on giving in Linz,
Austria next year has been postponed indefinitely. There will be a
performance outdoors in London next year though. This will take place in
Greenwich Park, South East London. More news as I get it.

Another fun bit of info is that the opening notes of 'Venus' from The
Tomita Planets are not Moog, not Mellotron (not even custom tapes), but the
man himself! "Falsetto!" I always had my sneaking suspicions that it
was a voice of some kind, although I though it was custom Mellotron tapes.
But it's fun to learn it was the man himself; apparently it was the first
time anyone had asked him about this in 20+ years since the record came out.

I took the Wendy Carlos Switched-On Box Set along (if you don't have it
yet, it's pretty much an essential purchase IMO), and he was very
interested, especially in stuff like patch notation, which he followed with
his finger like an old pro ;-) Again he reiterated to me that it was
hearing 'Switched On Bach' that made him buy a Moog Synthesizer in the
first place (and the rest, as they say, is history).

He asked how much I thought a big Moog might sell for these days (wonder if
he's selling?!), to which I replied $8,000 - $15,000 (or more). After
thinking about it for a moment, he thought he spent about 10 million Yen on
his systems (whihc seems a little high, actually; anyone care to elaborate
on Moog pricing in Japan?)

Well that's it for now; more exciting news as it comes in.

All the best,
Ben


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

Hi John,

He didn't mention it, and I wonder how likely it is; remember he's nearly
70 years old, and there's only so much you can do. He gave a performance of
'The Tale Of Genji' last year in Los Angeles, but hasn't performed in New
York since 1986 (a concert which at least one member of this list was at).
I suppose that those two places are the centre of culture and so on in the
US, which is why they are favoured.

Ben

>Anyway, any chance of Tomita giving a concert in the U.S. anywhere
>besides New York or California? Thanx! JOHN
>
>


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

>He did clearly state to me last year that he isn't making classical
>synth albums because the CD Labels don't want to release any (and of

That's a BIG disapointment, at least for me. I bought my first Tomita album
in 1980, I was 14 at the time, and it was a big influence for me as a musician.
Since then I've tried to collect all his post 1972 works(still missing misty kid
of wind, damn!). the sounds he made in the 70's are really amazing and I
have hoped that he will sometime return to that sound...but it seems that
there is not much hope...and I have to say that Bach fantasy wasn't a
masterpiece, at least in my opinion. too many preset JV1080 sounds and
those percussion/drum rhythms which didn't quite suit the material.
School 1, 2 &3 cd has some good things as have "Emperor" and "Genji".
Still, those classical works from the 70's are his best.

I just wonder, how it is possible that record companies don't want
to release his classical works. I mean, it doesn't have to be a major
company. There are tons of lesser known companies who would
die to have Tomita as their artist, at least I hope so ;-)

Maybe someone should convince Mr Tomita to return to
synthesizers because I think that he still has much to show
to younger generations.

Tomi


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/


> I just wonder, how it is possible that record companies don't want
> to release his classical works. I mean, it doesn't have to be a major
> company. There are tons of lesser known companies who would
> die to have Tomita as their artist, at least I hope so ;-)

A small company couldn't possibly pay for the literal months of solid
work to make these albums.

I can't speak fo Mr. Tomita, but if one receives solid commissions for
high profile original works, which I'm sure he likes doing, one can't
devote months to work on something they equally like, but have to wait
who knows how long before it turns enough of a profit and some
royalities come back.

Sure a lot of little labels would love this work, for no advance money
and with probably little promotion budget, but look at other people in
similar situations to Tomita.

It took Carlos years to find a label that
was trustworthy.

Logic System (Tomita's former assistant Matsutake)
hasn't found a label for a new album since 1993.

I understand there is a third T.O.N.T.O. album completed, but
there never was a serious offer for it.

While a lot of unknown artists
are willing to litteraly give away an album for exchange for having an
album "out there" and hopeful royalties. An established artist doesn't
need that kind of publicity and would rather sit it out until something
comes along thats acceptable.

Of course these days some people will self
release, thats always a thought but a major hassle to people not wanting
to operate a CD comapny.

Of course in Tomita's case, while I'm sure he has unreleased pieces, I
don't think he has any finished albums conceived as albums. So thats one
big step further than having a done album that you then have to figure out
what to do with.

>
> Maybe someone should convince Mr Tomita to return to
> synthesizers because I think that he still has much to show
> to younger generations.

As I mentioned, he's still using them a lot, just not doing projects
that are all synthesizer at this moment, who knows, maybe something will
come his way that will be done with just synths, he certainly still
loves them.

Unfortunately the younger generation isn't listening, too much crappy
techno, now I don't mind if people are influenced and learn from good
techno, but just noodling with samplers and drum machines is lame if
shared with others.

Its funny now. When I hear crap I'm never sure if someone is trying to
be ironic or they just aren't very good. Thats the contribution of the
post modern age.

nick


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/


>
>Its funny now. When I hear crap I'm never sure if someone is trying to
>be ironic or they just aren't very good. Thats the contribution of the
>post modern age.
>
>nick

How very true this is! I try not to be too English in thinking that its the
*latter* of the two.

Ben


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Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

Thanks, Ben. He may be almost 70, but my mother is 75 and she lives near
San Diego, California. She's really hip and I call her "the little old lady
from Pasadena!" She loves Tomita as much as I do, as well as other
cutting-edge music. Thanks, again. JOHN


From: Benjamin Ward <benward at popmail.dircon.co.uk>
Reply-To: "Isao Tomita Mailing List" <tomita at listbot.com>
To: "Isao Tomita Mailing List" <tomita at listbot.com>
Subject: Re: Latest news from Isao Tomita
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 10:24:16 GMT

Isao Tomita Mailing List - http://listen.to/tomita/

Hi John,

He didn't mention it, and I wonder how likely it is; remember he's nearly
70 years old, and there's only so much you can do. He gave a performance of
'The Tale Of Genji' last year in Los Angeles, but hasn't performed in New
York since 1986 (a concert which at least one member of this list was at).
I suppose that those two places are the centre of culture and so on in the
US, which is why they are favoured.

Ben

>Anyway, any chance of Tomita giving a concert in the U.S. anywhere
>besides New York or California? Thanx! JOHN
>
>


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