Ruth White (composer)
Ruth S. White (September 1, 1925 – August 26, 2013) was an American composer known for her electronic music compositions.[2] While most of her career was dedicated to educational recordings,[3] she is best known for being an electronic music pioneer, owing to her early explorations of sound using the Moog synthesizer. The back cover of her 1971 release Short Circuits stated that “Ruth White is considered among today’s most gifted arbiters of what is termed ‘the new music’".
Ruth White | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 September 1925 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | 26 August 2013 Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genres | Electroacoustic, Experimental, Educational |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, Publisher |
| Instruments | Moog synthesizer, Electronic organ |
| Years active | 1955–2013 |
| Labels | Rhythms Productions, Tom Thumb Music |
| Associated acts | David White (nephew),[1] Jim Mandell[1] |
Her early recordings 7 Trumps From the Tarot Cards and Pinions (1968), Flowers of Evil (1969), and Short Circuits (1970) all featured surprising uses of the Moog synthesizer as well as other electronic musical equipment.[1]
Biography
Ruth White studied music and composition and received three degrees from Carnegie Tech in Pennsylvania. While she focused on classical training in Piano, she also studied violin, cello, harp, clarinet, and horn. Recognized as gifted early on, White eventually studied under American avant-garde composer George Antheil. White credits Antheil with making her fully aware of the principles of classical sonata form, which provided “the key to writing larger works that were logical and structurally sound”.[4]
White’s first studio was self-built in 1964, and was on display at The Fiske Museum for Musical Instruments in Pomona, California for a number of years. In 2008 these items were moved to The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, an institution which opened in April 2010, but has only kept those donations in storage without any anticipated exhibit.[5] With the creation of her own studio White developed her own brand of electronic music which explored new timbral and harmonic resources without renouncing the order and logic instilled by her classical training. Early on, Ruth became intrigued by electronic music possibilities. According to The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers,
“White’s involvement in electronic music was precipitated by a belief that all experiments in traditional media from impressionism to atonality, polytonality and the like, were closed paths – that ‘this’ medium, with its fundamental key relationships, had been exhausted, had reached its zenith by the end of the nineteenth century, and, since then, its basic principles were being systematically destroyed. She also found much early electronic music ‘chaotic and senseless’, eventually concluding that those ‘unshaped and arbitrary sounds being made were noise and just that.”[4]
Early on in White’s career, her love of educational recordings was evident. Beginning in 1955 where she worked with Marilyn Horne and Richard Robinson on the recording Lullabies From ‘Round the World. In 1957, White was commissioned by the Los Angeles Board of Education to record music for the Physical Education department for all of Los Angeles County Schools. These recordings – 5 box sets total – were called Folk Dances from ‘Round the World.[6] In 1967 White was commissioned by choreographer Eugene Loring (for the University of California) to create the music for a performance titled 7 Trumps From the Tarot Card and Pinions. The event was a success, and revealed Ruth’s talent. The Los Angeles Times reviewed 7 Trumps as ” …a really exciting, organically musical, electronic score by Ruth White. Not only the soloists but all the participants seemed to draw heat from this score…”. Dance Magazine said “choreographed on contrasting planes, pinions comments on the wings of imagination and love, the shackles of philistinism, and always, Ruth White’s specially written and especially eloquent score heightens the drama of the dance while plumbing its depths …. “. Ruth’s musical recordings, (titled 7 Trumps From the Tarot Card and Pinions) from the show were also released on the increasingly experimental Limelight Records (1968).[7]
In 1969 Ruth White's involvement in the arts community grew when she was elected to the local Los Angeles The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) chapter. She remained active in the NARAS for years. In 1972 Ruth White was elected to the National NARAS board where she served as Vice President.[8]
In 1969 she recorded Flowers of Evil, a record based on French poet Charles Baudelaire’s volume of poetry Les Fleurs du mal, reciting Baudelaire’s words over electronic music. The poems are accented eerily by White’s use of “electroacoustic” music – more specifically the Moog synthesizer. The work is well noted for its dark and uncompromisingly obtuse sound structure. Once again White’s music was published on Limelight Records.[9]
These recording were followed by “Short Circuits” (on Angel Records), and its French reissue “Klassik o’tilt” (on EMI), released respectively in 1970 and 1971. These releases marked a change in direction for White. Short Circuits was a radical shift from her darker soundscapes, and focused on original work, as well as synth versions of classical pieces. While maintaining her aim to publicize the use of electronic music, she used these releases to show the possibilities of synthesizers in classical music.[1]
Perhaps because of these recordings, White, along with her close friend and fellow moog composer Paul Beaver, were invited to record with Tonto's Expanding Head Band. The idea for this recording was for each person involved to create a track, then send it to the next synthesist to add to the track. While White was a part of the work's founding, she never actually recorded any pieces. The album Zero Time (1971, Embryo Records)[10] went on to gain legendary status.
In 1971 Ruth White took a different direction. She formed a film company through Cartridge Television properties (Cartridge TV or CTV). During this time she produced several stop animation films (then called “Analog Animation”) titled “Garden of Delights for Kids No. 1″, and included her musical score for “Hush Little Baby”, “Hickory Dickory Dock”, “Space Trip” and “Adventures in Underland”. In 1971 her video “Steel” received an Atlanta Film Festival award.[11] Also in the early 1970s she founded (with Paul Beaver) The Electronic Music Association. The Electronic Music Association gave concerts “to introduce audiences to new electroacoustic works.” [12]
This love of music eventually led White back to education. Most of the rest of White's musical career was spent developing music teaching materials for children and getting technology into the classroom. In 1973 she was producing “multi media” projects aimed at getting children to read. White realized early on that TV had changed how children learned. The audio without video was dead. In 1973 she was quoted as saying, “In the future, audio without visual, except for dance records, will be worthless”.[13] It was in 1973 she invented the character Mr. Windbag, a character she continued to use through her educational recording career with her series “The Adventure of Mr. Windbag”. Her accomplishments in education resulted in her earning a Parents' Choice Award (1983) and an American Library Association ‘notable recording’ citation. Her interests led her to begin a children’s books publishing company in Los Angeles. But her music was never far behind.[14]
Discography
| Year | Title | Format Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Songs From Japanese Poets | Musical Score |
| 1950 | Palestinian Song Cycle | Musical Score |
| 1955 | A Certain Slant of Light | Musical Score |
| 1955 | Rhythm Instruments With Folk Music From Many Lands | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1955 | Settings For Lullabies ‘Round the World | LP Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Re-issued 1976, 1999, 2005) |
| 1957 | Folk Dances From ‘Round the World Vol. 1 | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1959 | Folk Dances From ‘Round the World Vol. 2 | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1959 | Folk Dances From ‘Round the World Vol. 3 | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1959 | Folk Dances From ‘Round the World Vol. 4 | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1960 | Folk Dances From ‘Round the World Vol. 5 | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1960 | Good Neighbors; A Fiesta Of Latin American Folk Dances | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1960 | The Rhythms Hour | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1960 | Play Time-A Festival Of Rhythmic Dramatizations | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1962 | The Fundamentals Of Music for Dancers | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1962 | Motivations for Modern Dance | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1962 | The Holiday Sampler: Activity Songs for Christmas | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1962 | First Folk Dances | LP x2 Rhythms Productions |
| 1965 | Motifs For Dance Composition | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1966 | Music For Contemporary Dance (Vol 1) | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1967 | Music For Contemporary Dance (Vol 2) | Vinyl, 7″ x3 Rhythms Productions |
| 1967 | Adventures in Rhythms Vol 1 | Vinyl, 7″ Rhythms Productions |
| 1967 | Adventures in Rhythms Vol 2 | Vinyl, 7″ Rhythms Productions |
| 1968 | 7 Trumps From the Tarot Cards and Pinions | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Limelight |
| 1969 | Flowers of Evil | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Limelight |
| 1970 | Short Circuits | Vinyl, 12″ Angel Records |
| 1971 | Klassik o’tilt | LP, Vinyl, 12″ EMI |
| 1973 | The Adventures of Mr Windbag in Metric Land | Cass/Film Strip Educational Products |
| 1973 | The Peppermint Tiger: And Other Activity Songs | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1985, 1999) |
| 1973 | Down Lolipop Lane | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as cassette in 1985, 1999) |
| 1973 | Action Songs For Everyday Vol. 1 | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1973 | Cotton Candy Castles: Activity Songs | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1985, 1999) |
| 1973 | Chocolate Choo Choo: And Other Activity Songs | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette in 1985, 1999) |
| 1976 | It’s a Happy Feeling; And Other Activity Songs | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1977 | Fiddle-EE-fee | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1982) |
| 1977 | The Rhythm Makers | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1977 | I’ve Got a Reason to Sing | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1987) |
| 1978 | Musical Math: Beginning Concepts Vol. 1 | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) |
| 1978 | Musical Math: Addition/Subtraction Vo1. 2 | LP, Vinyl, 12” Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) |
| 1978 | Musical Math: Multiplication Vol. 3 (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1979 | Matematica Musical. Conceptos Basicos Volumen 1 | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1979 | Matematica Musical. Volumen 2, Suma y Resta | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1979 | Matematica Musical. Volumen 3, Multiplicacion | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1979 | Action Songs for Holidays And Special Days | LP, Vinyl, 12″ / Cassette Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1980 | Animals Are Wonderful | LP, Vinyl, 12″ Rhythms Productions (reissued as cassette in 1984) |
| 1980 | Musical Reading | LP, Vinyl, 12″ X 3 Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1995 | Musical Reading: Alphabet, Vowels | LP, Vinyl, 12″ / Cassette Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1980 | Musical Reading: Consonants B through K | LP, Vinyl, 12″ / Cassette Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1980 | Musical Reading: Consonants L through Z | LP, Vinyl, 12″ / Cassette Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions |
| 1982 | Singing Games | LP, Vinyl, 12″ / Cassette Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) |
| 1982 | Listen and Read | Box Set 5 Cass Rhythms Productions |
| 1983 | Sing Along with Mother Goose LP | LP, Vinyl, 12″/Activity Book Tom Thumb Records/Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) |
| 1985 | Bubblegum Band | Cassette Tom Thumb/ Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) |
| 1985 | Big Rock Candy Mountain | Cassette Tom Thumb/ Rhythms Productions (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) |
| 1988 | Mr. Windbag In Shape Land: Learn About Shapes (Reissued as a Cassette 1999) | Cassette Tom Thumb/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1988 | The Adventures of Mr. Windbag (The Line Country) | Cassette Tom Thumb/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1988 | Mr. Windbag and the Magic Cup Learn About Quantity (More/Less) | Cassette Tom Thumb/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1988 | Mr. Windbag and the Lollipop Race | Cassette Tom Thumb/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1999 | Tom Thumb’s First Reader’s Kit: “Hear, See, Say & Do” Activities | Box Set Rhythms Productions/Cheviot Corp-Audio |
| 1999 | Mr. Windbag in Shape Land: Learn About Shapes (Watch Me Grow Series) | Cassette Cheviot Corp-Audio/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1999 | Mr. Windbag in Shrink Land: Learn About Size (Watch Me Grow Series) | Cassette Cheviot Corp-Audio/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1999 | Mr. Windbag in the Line Country: Learn About Letters & Numbers | Cassette Cheviot Corp-Audio/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1999 | Mr. Windbag and the Magic Cup: Learn About Quantity (More/Less) (Watch Me Grow Series) | Cassette Cheviot Corp-Audio/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1999 | Mr. Windbag and the Birthday Party: Learn About Weight (Heavy/Light) (Watch Me Grow Series) | Cassette Cheviot Corp-Audio/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1999 | Mr. Windbag and the Lollipop Race (Watch Me Grow Series) | Cassette Cheviot Corp-Audio/ Rhythms Productions |
| 1990 to present | work on Opera (in progress) |
Source[3]
References
- "Ruth White Discography". Discogs.
- "Ruth White". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
- "Ruth White - Biography". RUTHFAN blog at WordPress.com.
- Sadie, Julie Anne; Samuel, Rhian (1995). The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers (digitized online by GoogleBooks)
|format=requires|url=(help). MacMillan. p. 494. - "Musical Instrument Museum".
- "Carolyn Mitchill - Biography". Phantom Ranch.
- "Ruth White - Biography". Retrieved 30 September 2010.
- Billboard Sep 15, 1973
- "Ruth White". The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
- Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer page 14
- Billboard Jul 17, 1971 page 21
- ("Women composers and music technology in the United States: crossing the line" page 37)
- ("Billboard" Jul 7, 1973 page 44)
- (Women composers and music technology in the United States: ... - Page 37)
External links
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