Chapter 27, Computer Music (1971-2014)
- Thom Holmes
- Apr 16
- 2 min read
My Podcast: The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music
My blog for the Bob Moog Foundation.

This special edition podcast is produced as a companion to my book, Electronic and Experimental Music, published by Routledge. This episode corresponds to a chapter in the text. It provides listening examples of vintage electronic works and composers featured in the text.
The works themselves can be enjoyed without the book and I hope that they stand as a chronological survey of important works in the history of electronic music. Be sure to tune-in to other episodes of the podcast where we explore a wide range of electronic music in many styles and genres, all drawn from my archive of vintage recordings.
The episode I just uploaded corresponds to Chapter 27, Computer Music (1971-2014) from my book, Electronic and Experimental Music. Please connect to the podcast at The Holmes Archive of Electronic Music. Enjoy!
Playlist: EARLY MUSIC FROM MICROPROCESSORS
Time | Track Time | Start |
Introduction –Thom Holmes | 01:36 | 00:00 |
1. David Behrman, “Figure in a Clearing” (1977). KIM- 1 computer- controlled harmonic changes for 33 electronic generators and accompanying cello. | 19:10 | 01:40 |
2. Dorothy Siegel, “Rondo from Sonata in B flat for Clarinet and Piano” (by Wanhal) (1979). Realized using an Altair S- 100 microcomputer. | 03:53 | 20:52 |
3. Larry Fast, “Artificial Intelligence” (1980). Music generated by a microcomputer self- composing program. | 10:46 | 24:44 |
4. Laurie Spiegel, “A Harmonic Algorithm” (1981). Created on an Apple II computer with Mountain Hardware oscillator boards. | 03:05 | 35:30 |
5. Nicolas Collins, “Little Spiders” (1982). For two microcomputers equipped with gestural sensing programs, that generated sounds based on analysis of keystrokes. | 04:46 | 38:30 |
6. Gordon Mumma, “Than Particle” (1985). For computer percussion and a percussionist. | 10:16 | 43:30 |
7. Morton Subotnick, “And the Butterflies Begin to Sing” (1988). For string quartet, bass, MIDI keyboard, and microcomputer. | 06:38 | 53:50 |
8. John Bischoff, Mark Trayle, Tim Perkis, “Dovetail” (1989). Three microcomputer programs interact and respond to each other in real time. | 05:04 | 01:00:30 |
9. Tim Perkis, “Wax Lips” (1992). Performed by The Hub, an electronic music ensemble networked by a Microcomputer. | 04:37 | 01:05:32 |
10. Jin Hi Kim, “Digital Buddha” (2014), recorded live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Electric komungo, Jin Hi Kim; percussion, Gerry Hemingway; MAX/MSP programming, Alex Noyes. The world’s first electric komungo that his equipped with MIDI and controlled using MAX. The komungo is a traditional 6-string instrument from Korea. | 12:33 | 01:10:08 |
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