Sounds Of New Music

This is a landmark album of early experimental and electronic music, published by Folkways Records in 1957. It highlights some important works from the 1920’s through the late 50’s. There is an eclectic mix of styles such as avantgarde classical, music concrete, electronic composition, prepared instruments, and tape loops. It includes some legendary artists such as, Cage, Varèse, and Ussachevsky, as well as other notable pioneers and experimenters. This was part of an ongoing series at Folkways that included titles like: Sounds of Frequency, Sounds of The Sea, Sounds of The Office, & Sounds of The Junk Yard. They may have found it hard to categorize and considered it more of a sound effects album at the time. The words “this isn’t music” could still be heard at conservatory in those days. Folkways catalog says it “represents new means of musical expression.” In the end, they created an important document of modern music history.