Berlin School of electronic music
Encyclopedia
The Berlin School of electronic music, or just Berlin School, was a development of electronic music
in the 1970s, shaped by Berlin
-based artists like Klaus Schulze
, Tangerine Dream
and Ashra
.
Vintage Berlin School tracks typically ran about twenty or thirty minutes, filling one side of a vinyl LP. The genre was so thoroughly identified with the long form that a general shift to shorter pieces in the 1980s seemed to herald the death of the movement. After the coming of the compact disc
"retro" artists were no longer limited by the need to flip over a vinyl record. Some newer works run continuously as a single track for almost 80 minutes.
An outgrowth of Krautrock
, Berlin School was so named because most of its early practitioners were based out of West Berlin
, Germany
. The genre's identification with space music made it distinct from the more percussive and rhythm-oriented Düsseldorf School
which included Can
, Cluster
, Kraftwerk
, and Neu!
.
Berlin School was and still is a relatively self-contained style that has not had nearly the impact on music in general that Kraftwerk
has had on synth pop and techno
, but ambient
, electronica
, New Age
, and trance
are partially rooted in Berlin School. The genre is sometimes considered a sub-branch of New Age or ambient, though it predates the widespread usage of both terms.
by Tangerine Dream
in 1974, their first on Virgin Records
In 1975, they followed up with a studio album, Rubycon
, and a live album, Ricochet.
Moondawn
by Klaus Schulze in 1976 is often regarded as his first real entry in this genre. Tangerine Dream delivered a studio work, Stratosfear
, and the soundtrack to the film Sorcerer
.
In 1977, Ashra
(Manuel Göttsching) released New Age of Earth
, along with Michael Hoenig
's Departure from the Northern Wasteland. Tangerine Dream toured the United States and released a double live album, Encore, with three sides of Berlin School and a side of proto-Ambient.
and multiple Sky Records
musicians.
During the 1990s, several current mainstay groups were formed, including Radio Massacre International
and Redshift
(fronted by Mark Shreeve
, who had worked in the genre in the early 80s as well). Many of them had a "retro" or back-to-basics approach, seen for example in Redshift's usage of vintage Moog synthesizers. An interview with Mark Shreeve by Paul Graham of Trancine in April 2004 indicated that Redshift make use of a Minimoog and 2 Moog 8*3 sequencers.*
Klaus Schulze still continues work in and around the genre, and while Tangerine Dream have moved on, they continue to send an occasional nod in that direction, such as the album Mota Atma from 2003.
Notable latter day artists of Berlin School include:
Finland:
Germany:
The Netherlands:
New Zealand:
United Kingdom:
United States:
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
in the 1970s, shaped by Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
-based artists like Klaus Schulze
Klaus Schulze
Klaus Schulze is a German electronic music composer and musician. He also used the alias Richard Wahnfried. He was briefly a member of the electronic bands Tangerine Dream and Ash Ra Tempel before launching a solo career consisting of more than 60 albums released across five decades.-1970s:In...
, Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The band has undergone many personnel changes over the years, with Froese being the only continuous member...
and Ashra
Ash Ra Tempel
Ash Ra Tempel are a German krautrock group of the 1970s, and are an example of cosmic or space rock.-History:The group was originally founded by guitarist Manuel Göttsching, keyboardist/drummer Klaus Schulze, and bassist Hartmut Enke in 1971. All three founding members had previously played...
.
Vintage Berlin School tracks typically ran about twenty or thirty minutes, filling one side of a vinyl LP. The genre was so thoroughly identified with the long form that a general shift to shorter pieces in the 1980s seemed to herald the death of the movement. After the coming of the compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
"retro" artists were no longer limited by the need to flip over a vinyl record. Some newer works run continuously as a single track for almost 80 minutes.
An outgrowth of Krautrock
Krautrock
Krautrock is a generic name for the experimental music scenes that appeared in Germany in the late 1960s and gained popularity throughout the 1970s, especially in Britain. The term is a result of the English-speaking world's reception of the music at the time and not a reference to any one...
, Berlin School was so named because most of its early practitioners were based out of West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. The genre's identification with space music made it distinct from the more percussive and rhythm-oriented Düsseldorf School
Düsseldorf School (Krautrock)
The Düsseldorf School of electronic music, or just Düsseldorf School, was a development of electronic music in the 1970s, shaped by Düsseldorf-based artists like Kraftwerk, Cluster, Can and Neu!. The style is characterized by synthesizer melodies and rhythmic bass lines and prominent drums. Most...
which included Can
Can (band)
Can was an experimental rock band formed in Cologne, West Germany in 1968. Later labeled as one of the first "krautrock" groups, they transcended mainstream influences and incorporated strong minimalist and world music elements into their often psychedelic music.Can constructed their music largely...
, Cluster
Cluster (band)
Cluster is a German experimental musical group who influenced the development of contemporary popular electronic and ambient music. They have recorded albums in a wide variety of styles ranging from experimental music to progressive rock, all of which had an avant-garde edge. Cluster has been...
, Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
, and Neu!
Neu!
Neu! was a German band formed by Klaus Dinger and Michael Rother after their split from Kraftwerk in the early 1970s...
.
Berlin School was and still is a relatively self-contained style that has not had nearly the impact on music in general that Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
has had on synth pop and techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, but ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
, New Age
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
, and trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
are partially rooted in Berlin School. The genre is sometimes considered a sub-branch of New Age or ambient, though it predates the widespread usage of both terms.
Classic Period
The classic era of Berlin School commenced with the release of PhaedraPhaedra (album)
-Personnel:* Edgar Froese – producer, Mellotron, guitar, bass, VCS 3 synthesizer, organ* Christopher Franke – Moog synthesizer, VCS 3 synthesizer* Peter Baumann – Organ, electric piano, VCS 3 synthesizer, flute-Chart performance:-References:*...
by Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The band has undergone many personnel changes over the years, with Froese being the only continuous member...
in 1974, their first on Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
In 1975, they followed up with a studio album, Rubycon
Rubycon (album)
Rubycon is an album released in 1975 by German electronic music group Tangerine Dream. It is widely regarded as one of their best albums. Rubycon further develops the Berlin School sequencer-based sound they ushered in with the title track from Phaedra.Although not quite matching the sales figures...
, and a live album, Ricochet.
Moondawn
Moondawn
Moondawn is the sixth album by Klaus Schulze. It was originally released in 1976, and in 2005 was the thirteenth Schulze album reissued by Revisited Records. In 1995, Manikin Records released "The Original Master" edition of Moondawn, containing a different bonus track from the one included on the...
by Klaus Schulze in 1976 is often regarded as his first real entry in this genre. Tangerine Dream delivered a studio work, Stratosfear
Stratosfear
Stratosfear is an electronic music album released in 1976 by the German group Tangerine Dream. It marks the beginning of the band's development away from their uncompromising early 1970s synthesizer experiments toward a recognizably more melodic sound, a trend they would pick up again in 1979's...
, and the soundtrack to the film Sorcerer
Sorcerer (film)
Sorcerer is a 1977 thriller adventure film, produced and directed by William Friedkin, starring Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal and Amidou. It is the second remake of the 1953 French film Le Salaire de la Peur ....
.
In 1977, Ashra
Ash Ra Tempel
Ash Ra Tempel are a German krautrock group of the 1970s, and are an example of cosmic or space rock.-History:The group was originally founded by guitarist Manuel Göttsching, keyboardist/drummer Klaus Schulze, and bassist Hartmut Enke in 1971. All three founding members had previously played...
(Manuel Göttsching) released New Age of Earth
New Age of Earth
New Age of Earth is an album by proto-electronica group Ashra. It was released in 1976 on Isadora Records. Although released under the band's moniker, it is a solo album by Ashra member Manuel Göttsching.-Track listing:#Sunrain – 7:32...
, along with Michael Hoenig
Michael Hoenig
Michael Hoenig is a German composer who has composed music for several movies and games, in addition to two solo albums...
's Departure from the Northern Wasteland. Tangerine Dream toured the United States and released a double live album, Encore, with three sides of Berlin School and a side of proto-Ambient.
Latter-Day Berlin School
Ambient musician Steve Roach briefly experimented with the genre on his first albums. Other early 80s artists include Michael GarrisonMichael Garrison (musician)
Michael Garrison was a synthesist from Oregon, USA.While studying music at the University of Idaho, he started to form the basis for his first release on his own label, Windspell Records, later known as Garrisongs Music...
and multiple Sky Records
Sky Records
Sky Records was a Hamburg, Germany based independent record label specializing in Krautrock/Kosmische Musik and electronic music. Some of their releases could be classified as progressive rock or art rock, experimental music, industrial, ambient, or New Age...
musicians.
During the 1990s, several current mainstay groups were formed, including Radio Massacre International
Radio Massacre International
Radio Massacre International are a trio of British musicians, Steve Dinsdale , Duncan Goddard , and Gary Houghton . They specialize in improvisational experimental electronic music, utilizing vintage synthesizers and sampled sounds alongside electric guitar. They are also leading exponents of the...
and Redshift
Redshift (music)
Redshift are a British electronic music group, founded in 1996 by Mark Shreeve. Their musical style ranges from Berlin School to dark ambient...
(fronted by Mark Shreeve
Mark Shreeve
Mark Shreeve is an electronic music composer. After initially releasing his early work on cassette through the Mirage label he went on to sign for the newly formed Jive Electro in the early eighties and released the albums Assassin, Legion and Crash Head...
, who had worked in the genre in the early 80s as well). Many of them had a "retro" or back-to-basics approach, seen for example in Redshift's usage of vintage Moog synthesizers. An interview with Mark Shreeve by Paul Graham of Trancine in April 2004 indicated that Redshift make use of a Minimoog and 2 Moog 8*3 sequencers.*
Klaus Schulze still continues work in and around the genre, and while Tangerine Dream have moved on, they continue to send an occasional nod in that direction, such as the album Mota Atma from 2003.
Notable latter day artists of Berlin School include:
Finland:
- NemesisNemesis (electronic music band)Nemesis is a Finnish music group formed in 1987 by Ami Hassinen and Jyrki Kastman. In 1994 they released their debut album Xcelsior, the first Finnish electronic/ambient album to be released internationally...
Germany:
- SpyraWolfram SpyraWolfram Spyra is a German composer of ambient music.Spyra was born in Eschwege. He began his career in the early 1990s constructing 'soundscapes' and installations around Germany. He has collaborated with a wide range of visual artists, musicians, producers and DJs. He has released several...
The Netherlands:
- René Van Der WoudenRené Van Der Wouden-Biography:René has been active in music since he was eight years old. He started having piano lessons in a classical sense and later he also had some lessons on the organ. As a child René quickly got fascinated by the organs and synthesizers he saw on TV every week in the Dutch musicshows Toppop...
- Dutch Space Mission
- Phrozenlight
- Von HaulshovenVon HaulshovenVon Haulshoven is the pseudonym of Dutch musician Eppie E. Hulshof. He was influenced by a lot of notable musicians of the 1970s and started playing classical guitar with nylon strings at the age of 17...
- Free System Projekt
- Gert Emmens
New Zealand:
- Rudy AdrianRudy AdrianRudy Adrian is an ambient musician from Dunedin in New Zealand. Working in styles ranging from beatless atmospheric music to heavily sequenced electronica, Adrian has released several albums of his music, as well as producing sound track for television in his profession as a sound engineer for...
United Kingdom:
- ComputerchemistComputerchemistcomputerchemist is the ongoing solo project of Dave Pearson, , an English musician who lives in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, after moving from the UK in 2008.-Biography:...
- Ken MartinKen MartinKen Martin is a former American long-distance runner who is a two-time United States national champion in the marathon. At the 1984 California International Marathon, Martin set a course record with a time of 2:11:24.-Achievements:...
- Radio Massacre InternationalRadio Massacre InternationalRadio Massacre International are a trio of British musicians, Steve Dinsdale , Duncan Goddard , and Gary Houghton . They specialize in improvisational experimental electronic music, utilizing vintage synthesizers and sampled sounds alongside electric guitar. They are also leading exponents of the...
- RedshiftRedshift (music)Redshift are a British electronic music group, founded in 1996 by Mark Shreeve. Their musical style ranges from Berlin School to dark ambient...
United States:
- Alpha Wave MovementAlpha Wave MovementAlpha Wave Movement is the electronic music project of Gregory T. Kyryluk. Alpha Wave Movement's musical style can be considered ambient, New Age, some space rock, and the classic 1970s period German style electronic music otherwise known as Berlin school and the ambient aesthetics of Brian Eno,...
- Dweller at the ThresholdDweller at the ThresholdDweller at the Threshold was an electronic music band based in Portland, Oregon, USA from 1993 to 2005. The band lineup changed through the years but primarily consisted of Paul Ellis and Dave Fulton. Ellis left the band sometime after the third CD, Ouroborus, was released. 2004 saw the release of...
- Jeffrey Koepper
- Craig PadillaCraig PadillaCraig Padilla is an American ambient musician and film score composer, actor, and video producer from Redding, California.Since the mid-90's he has released more than a dozen albums with music primarily inspired by the Berlin School of electronic music and space music on the labels Space For Music,...
- Giovanni Angel
External links
- Encyclopedia of Electronic Music
- Berlin School posts at Synthtopia