Louis and Bebe Barron | en

Louis (1920–1989) and Bebe Barron (1925-2008) were two American pioneers in the field of electronic music. They are credited with writing the first electronic music for magnetic tape, and the first entirely electronic film score for "Forbidden Planet".

Music Notes:

We design and construct electronic circuits which function electronically in a manner remarkably similar to the way that lower life-forms function psychologically. There is a "Cybernetics", which is concerned with the Control and Communication in the Animal and Machine. It was first propounded by Prof. Norbert Wiener of M.I.T. who found that there are certain natural laws of behavior applicable alike to animals (including humans) and electronic machines.
In scoring FORBIDDEN PLANET - as in all of our work - we created individual cybernetic circuits for particular themes and leit motifs, rather than using standard sound generators. Actually, each circuit has a characteristic activity pattern as well as a "voice".
Most remarkable is that the sounds which emanate from these electronic nervous systems seem to convey strong emotional meaning to listeners.
We were delighted to hear people tell us that the Tonalities in FORBIDDEN PLANET remind them of what their dreams sound like.
There were no synthesizers or traditions of electronic music when we scored this film, and therefore we were free to explore "terra incognito" with all its surprises and adventures.

Louis and Bebe Barron
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