Switched-On Brandenburgs Explained

Switched-On Brandenburgs
Type:	Studio album
Artist:	Wendy Carlos
Cover:	Switched_on_brandenburgs.jpg
Released:	1980
Recorded:	1968–1980
Genre:	Electronic baroque
Length:	122:34
Label:	Columbia
Producer:	Rachel Elkind
Prev Title:	By Request
Prev Year:	1975
Next Title:	The Shining Score Selections
Next Year:	1980

Switched-On Brandenburgs is a 1980 double album by Wendy Carlos.^[1] It was the seventh album released by Carlos, and the fourth album in her project of classical music which also included Switched-On Bach (1968), The Well-Tempered Synthesizer (1969), and Switched-On Bach II (1974).^[2] It was the first album she released under the name of Wendy Carlos rather than Walter Carlos.

Switched-On Brandenburgs is a collection of all six of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos performed by Carlos on her Moog modular synthesizer. Concerti #1, (most of) #2, and #6 were recorded specifically for the album. Concerti #3, #4, and #5 had been previously released on Switched-On Bach, The Well-Tempered Synthesizer, and Switched-On Bach II respectively (though the second movement of #3 was re-recorded for this release). The first movement of the Second Concerto had been recorded for the album By Request, released in 1975, however an updated mix is on this album.

Track listing

Disc one

1. "Brandenburg Concerto # 1 in F Major: Allegro"
2. "Brandenburg Concerto # 1 in F Major: Adagio"
3. "Brandenburg Concerto # 1 in F Major: Allegro"
4. "Brandenburg Concerto # 1 in F Major: Menuet/Trio I/Polacca/Trio II"
5. "Brandenburg Concerto # 2 in F Major: Allegro"
6. "Brandenburg Concerto # 2 in F Major: Andante"
7. "Brandenburg Concerto # 2 in F Major: Allegro Assai"
8. "Brandenburg Concerto # 3 in G Major: Allegro"
9. "Brandenburg Concerto # 3 in G Major: Adagio" (see note)
10. "Brandenburg Concerto # 3 in G Major: Allegro"

Disc two

1. "Brandenburg Concerto # 4 in G Major: Allegro"
2. "Brandenburg Concerto # 4 in G Major: Andante"
3. "Brandenburg Concerto # 4 in G Major: Presto"
4. "Brandenburg Concerto # 5 in D Major: Allegro"
5. "Brandenburg Concerto # 5 in D Major: Affettuoso"
6. "Brandenburg Concerto # 5 in D Major: Allegro"
7. "Brandenburg Concerto # 6 in B-Flat Major: Allegro"
8. "Brandenburg Concerto # 6 in B-Flat Major: Adagio Ma Non Tanto"
9. "Brandenburg Concerto # 6 in B-Flat Major: Allegro"

Notes

• The Adagio of Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 is Carlos' own composition. J.S. Bach provided only a Phrygian cadence consisting of two chords (A minor and B) between the two movements in G major. The version on this album was composed and recorded in 1979 and differs from the 1968 track used for Switched-On Bach.

Notes and References

1. Paoletta . Michael . Vital reissues: Switched-On Boxed Set . Billboard . Nov 13, 1999 . 111 . 46 . 23.
2. Vail . Mark . Wendy Carlos: Switched-On Boxed Set . Keyboard . Mar 2000 . 26 . 3 . 8.