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Pink Floyd鈥檚 Nick Mason tells the story of some of electronic music's pioneers, from the eerie sound of the Theremin to the automatic music-making machines of Raymond Scott.

For centuries music was made by strumming strings, blowing horns and banging drums - but at the turn of the 20th Century, the harnessing of electricity meant artists and inventors could create all-new tones and timbres.

In this programme, Pink Floyd's Nick Mason tells the story of some of electronic music's pioneers - from the eerie sound of the Theremin, to German avant-garde experimentation and the automatic music-making machines of Raymond Scott.

While electronic music might be deemed to be a thoroughly modern genre, we remember its history goes back over a hundred years.

The series is produced in association with the Open University.

Contributors:

Sean Williams, The Open University

Lydia Kavina, Theremin player

Tom Rhea, electronic music historian

Wally De Backer a.k.a Gotye, musician

Gottfried Michael Koenig, Westdeutscher Rundfunk Electronic Music Studio and The Institute of Sonology

Herb Deutsch, emeritus professor of electronic music and composition at Hofstra University

(Photo: Leon Theremin plays his musical invention, The Theremin. Credit: Getty Images)

53 minutes

Last on

Sun 5 May 2019 21:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 4 May 2019 11:06GMT
  • Sun 5 May 2019 19:06GMT
  • Sun 5 May 2019 21:06GMT

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Nick Mason speaks to The Open University about Pink Floyd鈥檚 unique musical innovations.