5.
Defining Electronic Music
The announced plenary meeting of the Contactorgaan took place on March 15, 1957, but in spite of the invitation, Badings and De Leeuw did not come. De Leeuw had agreed to become an advisor to the organization, however, while Badings had not yet given a decisive answer. Shortly after the plenary meeting, De Leeuw wrote that electronic music was that which – whatever sound sources it was based
At the second assembly of the Contactorgaan, its members
on – used electroacoustic means in an autonomous way and
were asked to formulate their ideas regarding a definition of
was bound to a mechanical reproduction. Such autonomous
electronic music and send them to the chairman.15 Vermeulen
use of electroacoustic means excluded all forms of electronic
was the first to formulate a definition, although he decided
arrangements of traditional music.19
to do so for “electrophonic” rather than “electronic” music. For him, whether or not a composition could be regarded
The Contactorgaan held its fifth assembly on April 16, 1957.
as “electrophonic music” seems to have depended mainly on
Badings had by now agreed to be an advisor, but again, neither
the use of certain techniques and not on the compositional
he nor De Leeuw attended the meeting. The organization’s
approach. According to Vermeulen, music could be called
original full name was now changed to Contactorgaan
electrophonic if the composer presented it to the audience
Elektronische Muziek (CEM), with the term “electronic music”
by means of an audio recording (magnetic tape, sound film,
given the following definition, which had been critically
phonograph record, etc.) and electronic equipment had been
reviewed by the members of CEM:
used in its production for purposes other than “faithful reproduction.” The mere use of an electric guitar, Hammond organ, trautonium or another directly played instrument, regardless of the use of electroacoustic techniques, did not count.16 At its third assembly, on January 23, 1957, the Contactorgaan
15
decided to invite the two Prix Italia winners Badings and De Leeuw to a plenary meeting as additional advisors. There,
Minutes of the Contactorgaan assembly of December 18, 1956.
16
R. Vermeulen, “Electrophonische
the definition of electronic music would be further discussed.17
muziek,” internal memo,
Kok said electronic music was distinguished from instrumental
December 20, 1956; Philips
music by its artistic aim. According to Kok, by modifying
Company Archives.
March 21, 1957. A copy of a
Minutes of the Contactorgaan
March 13, 1957, letter from
recorded material with electronic processes in manifold ways, one could obtain a succession of sound complexes during
17
19
De Leeuw was enclosed.
assembly, January 23, 1957. 18
Enclosure to the invitation for
Letter from Huydts to Kok,
20
Definition from the minutes of
reproduction that was impossible to achieve with traditional
the Contactorgaan assembly
the CEM assembly of April 16,
musical instruments.18
of March 15, 1957.
1957.
16 – PART 4
Walter Maas & the Contactorgaan Elektronische Muziek: A Lifeline for Electronic Music in the Netherlands
Electronic music emerges from the reproduction of artistically montaged fragmentary recordings, which have been obtained with magnetic tape recorders or other sound recording devices; these recordings can be made from natural sounds or synthetic vibrations produced with electronic or mechanical-electronic devices, or they can consist of combina tions of both sources that may or may not have been modified beforehand. 20
75 Years Gaudeamus
