From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100
The presentation of electronic musical instruments in museum and other institutional contexts prompts a number of questions about the restoration of sound technologies, the reconstruction of musical practices and techniques, and past and present cultures of electronic music, among other topics. Draw...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Science Museum, London
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Science Museum Group Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://journal.sciencemuseum.ac.uk/article/from-obsolete-technology-to-performance-instrument-new-live-presentations-of-the-ems-synthi-100/ |
| _version_ | 1797804338091917312 |
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| author | Frances Morgan |
| author_facet | Frances Morgan |
| author_sort | Frances Morgan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The presentation of electronic musical instruments in museum and other institutional contexts prompts a number of questions about the restoration of sound technologies, the reconstruction of musical practices and techniques, and past and present cultures of electronic music, among other topics. Drawing from research into the electronic musical instrument company and sound studio EMS London Ltd, which produced synthesizers and other devices during the 1970s, this paper outlines some examples of how an EMS synthesizer, the Synthi 100, has been restored and re-presented by academic, broadcasting and arts institutions in the last decade. Devised for compositional use in electronic music studios, in recent years the Synthi 100 has been used in concerts and broadcast media as an instrument for live performance. Focusing on some of these events, I ask how live performance is used to draw connections between electronic music’s past and present, as well as to attract new participants and audiences to concerts, exhibitions and broadcasts of electronic music. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:35:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-878498aa9c6d4f30b5fc4bcbff1937d1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5770 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:35:36Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Science Museum, London |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Science Museum Group Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-878498aa9c6d4f30b5fc4bcbff1937d12023-06-14T09:44:13ZengScience Museum, LondonScience Museum Group Journal2054-57702023-06-011910.15180/231904/001From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100Frances Morgan 0University of LincolnThe presentation of electronic musical instruments in museum and other institutional contexts prompts a number of questions about the restoration of sound technologies, the reconstruction of musical practices and techniques, and past and present cultures of electronic music, among other topics. Drawing from research into the electronic musical instrument company and sound studio EMS London Ltd, which produced synthesizers and other devices during the 1970s, this paper outlines some examples of how an EMS synthesizer, the Synthi 100, has been restored and re-presented by academic, broadcasting and arts institutions in the last decade. Devised for compositional use in electronic music studios, in recent years the Synthi 100 has been used in concerts and broadcast media as an instrument for live performance. Focusing on some of these events, I ask how live performance is used to draw connections between electronic music’s past and present, as well as to attract new participants and audiences to concerts, exhibitions and broadcasts of electronic music.https://journal.sciencemuseum.ac.uk/article/from-obsolete-technology-to-performance-instrument-new-live-presentations-of-the-ems-synthi-100/electronic musicems london ltdlive music performancemusical instrumentsrestorationsonic artsound technology |
| spellingShingle | Frances Morgan From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100 Science Museum Group Journal electronic music ems london ltd live music performance musical instruments restoration sonic art sound technology |
| title | From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100 |
| title_full | From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100 |
| title_fullStr | From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100 |
| title_full_unstemmed | From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100 |
| title_short | From obsolete technology to performance instrument: new live presentations of the EMS Synthi 100 |
| title_sort | from obsolete technology to performance instrument new live presentations of the ems synthi 100 |
| topic | electronic music ems london ltd live music performance musical instruments restoration sonic art sound technology |
| url | https://journal.sciencemuseum.ac.uk/article/from-obsolete-technology-to-performance-instrument-new-live-presentations-of-the-ems-synthi-100/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francesmorgan fromobsoletetechnologytoperformanceinstrumentnewlivepresentationsoftheemssynthi100 |