Musique Organique et Concrète

On This Day In History
1976: Oxygene is released

Quote Of The Day
"When I was at the Group for Musical Research, with this idea of discovering electronic music, I quickly realised that it was a very interesting and exciting approach to music, but I also saw that it was very intellectual and quite dogmatic."
(Jean-Michel Jarre)

Reading between the lines, I'd say the likes of Pierre Schaeffer, Pierre Boulez, Pierre Henry and Karlheinz Stockhausen, all of whom he either studied under or whose theories about Musique Concrète he studied extensively, didn't really dig this precocious kid going out and making hit albums using their complicated musical theories which should remain within the hallowed lecture halls of the Conservatoire de Paris.

Fitting then that Jean-Michel Jarre's latest album, Oxymore - A Homage To Pierre Henry, should be "intellectual and quite dogmatic." I received it from Amazon three days ago and I have listened to it three times. Whereas most Jarre albums have a strong emotional appeal, Oxymore does not. It is an astounding work of production and engineering; highly polished technically and sonically, but I cannot really warm to it. No doubt Pierre Henry would be delighted to hear the music he desperately sought to create so fully and successfully realised with modern  technology, but it doesn't connect with me emotionally, only intellectually. 

So, for Oxymore, three out of five. For Oxygene, and most of Jean-Michel Jarre's work that has provided the soundtrack of my life since 1976 - five out of five. 

1976 to 2022