The Producer

What happens when a composer writes music without pen and paper, using machines? How does that change the creative process? How does it morph the art itself?  Today on Meet the Composer, our producer Alex Overington — usually behind the studio glass — takes us on a road trip to unravel the creative process of those composers who write without a score. We meet the synthesists, the samplers, the electronic musicians, and dive deep into the tools they’ve adopted to define their craft.  Join us as we uncover what it means to be a composer who sculpts directly with sound, through conversations with such artists as Matmos, Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Tyondai Braxton, Laurie Anderson, Morton Subotnick and more.   Heard a piece of music you loved? Discover it here! 0:21—Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Rare Things Grow | Listen 2:27—Terry Riley: A Rainbow in Curved Air | Listen 3:16—Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 4 in E minor | Listen 4:03—Gustave Mahler: Symphony No. 4, IV. Adagietto | Listen 4:33—Oneohtrix Point Never: Problem Areas | Listen 6:02—Matmos: Ultimate Care II | Listen 6:30—Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: First Flight | Listen 7:41—Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Envelop | Listen 11:29—Matmos: Mister Mouth | Listen 12:59—Morton Subotnick: Silver Apples of the Moon | Listen 13:48—The Vogues: Five O'Clock World | Listen 14:42—Arthur Smith: Banjo Boogie | Listen 15:26—Morton Subotnick: Silver Apples of the Moon | Listen 15:51—Stephen Foster: Camptown Races | Watch 16:04—Johannes Pachabel: Canon in D | Listen 16:55—Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Sundry | Listen 18:25—Morton Subotnick: Silver Apples of the Moon | Listen 20:28—Tyondai Braxton: Opening Bell | Listen 20:56—Tyondai Braxton: Gracka | Listen 22:43—Tyondai Braxton: Scout1 | Listen 24:39—Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: Wetlands | Listen 28:30—Pierre Schaeffer & Pierre Henry: Orphée 53 | Listen 29:25—Mistinguett: Mitsou | Listen 29:38—Pierre Schaeffer & Pierre Henry: Orphée 53 | Listen 29:57—The Sugarhill Gang: Apache [Jump On It] | Listen 30:20—Kanye West: A "Dope Ass Beat" | Watch 30:39—Matmos: Very Large Green Triangles | Listen 31:26—Matmos: Ur Tchan Tan Tse Qi | Listen 32:49—Jingle Cats: Jingle Bells | Listen 33:22—Matmos: California Rhinoplasty | Listen 34:28—Matmos: Lipostudio... And So On | Listen 34:37—Matmos: L.A.S.I.K. | Listen 35:20—Matmos: L.A.S.I.K. | Listen 37:27—Matmos: You | Listen 39:14—Matmos & So Percussion: Aluminum | Listen 40:50—Matmos: Ultimate Care II | Listen 47:46—Matmos: Ultimate Care II | Listen 49:14—Laurie Anderson: Another Day in America | Listen 53:04—Laurie Anderson: Sharkey's Day | Listen 53:59—Edward Grieg: Lyric Pieces for the Piano, op. 43, "Butterfly" | Listen 54:27—Laurie Anderson: My Right Eye | Listen 55:31—Laurie Anderson: Another Day in America | Listen 57:35—Laurie Anderson: The Lake [Instrumental] | Listen