Who was Raymond Scott? Possibly America's greatest composer of modern music, an inventor, an innovator, and a true renaissance man for the early twentieth century.
What? Never heard of him? Well, you've heard his music, or at least his musical themes — hundreds, thousands, or if you're like me and grew up on old Warner Brothers cartoons — probably millions of times.
Born in Brooklyn in 1908 to Russian immigrants, Harry Warnow (he later changed his name to 'Raymond Scott') was a musical prodigy in the tradition of Mozart. His father was an amateur violinist, owned a music store, and taught Scott to play piano at age two.
Young Harry spent his childhood listening to records and tinkering with electronics. He wanted to study engineering, but ended up at Julliard School of Music, graduating in 1931; he was quickly hired as staff pianist for CBS radio where he was later named Musical Director.
Scott began writing original compositions that combined free-form jazz with highly regimented aspects of classical music. He formed a jazz quintet, and during his long career, toured with his own big band, wrote commercial jingles, music for TV, films, and Broadway.
Meanwhile, Scott was busy inventing electronic musical instruments and perfecting studio recording equipment and techniques that were far ahead of the technologies of the time.
He was a true genius in both music composition and electronics, but his most famous contribution came in 1943: Warner Brothers had purchased rights to Scott's music, and the new musical director of the cartoon division, Carl Stalling, began adapting Scott themes for use in Warner Bros. wacky, ubiquitous cartoons. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the entire ensemble of creations from Termite Terrace were soon performing to the infectious themes of Raymond Scott. One of his most famous pieces, "Powerhouse", was used so often that one can't hear it and not picture an assembly-line of babies being washed, powdered, and diapered by a frantic Porky Pig and Daffy Duck.
In the spirit of Erik Satie's pre-surrealist approach to music titles ("Three Piece in the Shape of a Pear"), Scott's titles reflected his love for programme music and the filmic quality of his far-out sounds. Each Scott jazz composition is a short aural film for the mind — incredibly visual and narrative — and his titles are as descriptive and original as the music.
.jpg?t=20120209092158)
Article comments
1 - HW Saxton Jr.
Raymond's music lives on to this day.It
has been used by:The Simpsons,Animaniacs
Ren & Stimpy and others recently.If you
ever watch "Sponge Bob" there is an ep.
(the Pizza Delivery one)where the chase
music is soooo obviously RS.Fast,exotic,
middle eastern styled melodies played at
the speed of light.Great post Shark.
PS: No shout out to Carl Stalling ?
2 - Eric Olsen
Great post on a classic eccentric. Thanks Shark.
3 - Shark
Saxton, you're right; Scott's music is showing up in a lot of places. Of course, Animaniacs -- being a loving homage to the Warner Bros. approach -- is a natural fit.
As to the GREAT Carl Stalling, (picture me kowtowing) while I mentioned him above, he deserves his own entry, if not a Medal of Freedom or his face on a $3 dollar bill or something...
Gawd, what an insane talent he was.
PS: I find it difficult to review artists I love TOO much; I feel like anything I say will be insignificant. It's hard to describe profound 'worship' to a non-believer, eh.
Anyone else have that problem?
Thanks for viewing, kids -- and do yourselves and BC a favor and CLICK ON THAT CD! As RJ Elliott is so fond of saying, "What's ten bucks?!"
4 - HW Saxton Jr.
Shark,I have that problem when I try and
explain the genius of Harry Partch to
people.It's just a lost cause.
5 - Shark
I love Partch, and was lucky enough to attend a concert back in 71 or 72. He did a lecture and demo at NTSU (now UNT) when I was there.
(...Back in the days when in order to get a single tone from a synthesizer, one had to use patch cords and a wall of equipment.)
6 - JR
More on Carl Stalling
7 - Shark
JR, thanks for the link. Nice article.