Paris – City of Art. In the museum of the Philharmonie de Paris, there is a unique one-off: a huge Moog Percussion Synthesizer. It’s an oversized drum computer, consisting of various Moog Modular drum- and percussion–modules, some noise generators and a specially designed keyboard controller.
The system was manufactured in 1971 for composer Eric Siday (1905-1976). The English musician and pioneer of electroacoustic music also worked with one of the early Moog Modular systems …
Siday was the first composer to systematically utilize electro-acoustic sound potential within the television medium, particularly with his invention of the sound logo and the Musical Rorschach test (which is part of the entrance examination at many universities of music worldwide).
Back to the Moog Percussion Synthesizer, back to Paris. A visit to the Philharmonie de Paris is truly recommended. Go to a classical music concert (the large concert hall is a real architectural treasure), enjoy an exciting museum visit … or check out the museum online …
Right now, there’s a major focus on Pierre Boulez, respecting the memory of this great composer, conductor, writer and pianist, who died January 5th, 2016. He was the founder and director of the Paris-based Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM). And he was one of the most important musicians of all times.
In the museum, there are heaps of instruments of all kinds. Like the Moog Percussion Synthesizer and other Moog one-offs.
All photos were made by Claude Germain.
Other images can be found on the website of the Philharmonie de Paris where you can study carefully all details of the percussion synthesizer. This instrument is a very unusual and definitely unique drum machine by Bob Moog.
Links: