Extraterrestrial Classics

 (3 customer reviews)

When the Tomita music hit the popular music stores in the early 1970's, synthesizers had been used, for the most part, as substitution for the "real" instruments. Isao Tomita's vibrant, truly musical use of his instrument reversed that erroneous impression for all who heard him. In the album, Extraterrestrial Classics, one is treated to the wild cacaphony of voices in the Mos Eisley Cantina and soothed with the crystalline spell of Claire de Lune. The music is sublime and silly, truly fantasy music for all ages. My children grew up on it, and my first old vinyl record was pilfered by a 9th grade student one day early in the 1990's. I am purchasing the old fantasy on a new CD just for myself....and because teaching a unit on wave motion, sound and music isn't complete without Tomita!

When the Tomita music hit the popular music stores in the early 1970's, synthesizers had been used, for the most part, as substitution for the "real" instruments. Isao Tomita's vibrant, truly musical use of his instrument reversed that erroneous impression for all who heard him. In the album, Extraterrestrial Classics, one is treated to the wild cacaphony of voices in the Mos Eisley Cantina and soothed with the crystalline spell of Claire de Lune. The music is sublime and silly, truly fantasy music for all ages. My children grew up on it, and my first old vinyl record was pilfered by a 9th grade student one day early in the 1990's. I am purchasing the old fantasy on a new CD just for myself....and because teaching a unit on wave motion, sound and music isn't complete without Tomita!

In Tomita's music I have found serene beauty, relaxation, landscapes of wonder, mysterious spaces, thrilling excitement, inspiration, and some fun. He creates his music with more depth, color, imagery, feeling, and thought than any other synthesized music I have ever heard.

The big box set of all 11 CDs has finally been released! The current price is expensive. But considering that a number of Tomita CDs are over $30, and all the CDs in the box (and only the box) have been remastered, it is almost a bargain! Well, almost. So here is my list, improved and updated for accuracy (April 2008)... As a person who started collecting Tomita and lots of other electronic music when I was 19 in 1979, plus the original symphony orchestra versions of the classical music that Tomita used, I hope you consider me qualified to create the following list of Tomita albums and review them as well.

Note on the 1991 Surround Sound CDs: For some reason, the rear channel sounds...Read more