@dougie_monty (dougie_monty) posted a new topic, subject ""Switched-on Bach"". It read:

   In 1970 or 1971 they played on the radio some music by Johann Sebastian Bach, that sounded as if it were being played by a modern rock band, on an album titled “Switched-On Bach” or “Bach Transmogrified.” One of these tunes was Bach's “Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring,” in which the long melody, in 9/8 meter, was played quite straight on a pipe organ by a rock musician who was obviously an organ virtuoso. But my question is, Who was/were the artist(s?)

After which, @Maeglin (Maeglin) added

    My father has Switched-On Bach on vinyl. It is staggeringly beautiful. The original (there is a Switched on Bach 2000 album out there) was played on a Moog Organ, designed by Bob Moog. The organist's name is Walter Carlos.
    
    MR

To which @Ukulele_Ike (Ukulele Ike) replied

    …who has been Wendy Carlos since the mid-1970s. So if you're doing a search for him, try her first.

After which, @Baglady (Baglady) added

    The Switched-On Bach album was by Wendy Carlos. It was released back in the late '60s and basically launched that whole classical-music-on-synthesizer-parade trend that went into all the way into the '70s. IIRC she plays a Moog.
    
    I also seem to recall it was re-released in CD format some years ago. Good luck finding it.

@divemaster (divemaster) replied

    I have CDs for _Switched on Bach_ , _Switched on Bach 2000_ , and the two CD set _Switched on Brandenburgs_. I like them a lot.
    
    And it's _Wendy_ Carlos.

So @divemaster (divemaster) replied

    Curses! Foiled again!
    
    This time by two quick-draw posters. (Must…post…faster…)

So @dougie_monty (dougie_monty) replied

    Thanks to all.

Then @Olentzero (Olentzero) said

    > *Originally posted by Baglady *  
    >  **The Switched-On Bach album was by Wendy Carlos. **
    
    No, _Switched-On Bach_ was by Walter Carlos. _SOB 2000_ was by Wendy, _neé_ Walter Carlos. I have the original SOB on vinyl and it is great stuff. Gonna have to find the Brandenburgs tho!

So @Saint_Zero (Saint Zero) replied

    Okay… Mr/Ms Carlos… which is it? Walter or Wendy?
    
    and they aren't hard to find at all…

@alumshubby (alumshubby) replied

    The arrangements that Walter/Wendy Carlos is known for generally are faithful to the original pieces' tempos. But “performed by a rock band” made me think of Apollo 100, whose title track on their _Joy_ album was an extremely up-tempo arrangement of “Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.” I wonder if that's what the original poster had in mind.

@Baglady (Baglady) replied

    **Saint Zero** – Walter _IS_ Wendy.
    
    If you go to Wendy Carlos's official Web site at http://www.wendycarlos.com/, you can see her picture. from everything I've been able to gather, it appears that Walter BECAME Wendy sometime in the '70s.

To which @Ukulele_Ike (Ukulele Ike) replied

    …which is what I said. Am I being too subtle?

To which @dougie_monty (dougie_monty) replied

    > The arrangements that Walter/Wendy Carlos is known for generally are faithful to the original pieces' tempos. But “performed by a rock band” made me think of Apollo 100, whose title track on their _Joy_ album was an extremely up-tempo arrangement of “Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.” I wonder if that's what the original poster had in mind.
    
    That's it!  I went to Wenzel's Music Town in Lakewood, CA, the other day, and found it there. I took it home and played it, and that's the one I had heard in the early 70s. Thanks again.


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