TOMITA
SNOWFLAKES ARE DANCING
Original 1974 album liner notes
Quadradisc
This Compatible Stereo / 4-Channel Record
is designed for performance on stereo or discrete
quadraphonic systems, including CD-4 systems.
THE NEWEST SOUND OF DEBUSSY
Virtuoso electronic performances of Debussy’s beautiful tone paintings by TOMITA
Side A
Snowflakes Are Dancing (Children’s Corner, No. 4) (2:10)
Reverie (4:44)
Gardens In The Rain (Estampes, No. 3) (3:41)
Clair de lune (Suite Bergamasque, No. 3) (5:48)
Side B
The Engulfed Cathedral (Preludes, Book I, No. 10) (6:18)
Passepied (Suite Bergamasque, No. 4) (3:17)
The Girl With The Flaxen Hair (Preludes, Book I, No. 8) (3:25)
Golliwog’s Cakewalk (Children’s Corner, No. 6) (2:50)
Footprints In The Snow (Preludes, Book I, No. 6) (4:30)
Arranged and performed by Isao Tomita
Produced by Plasma Music, Inc.
Recorded in Japan
Component equipment used by Tomita for this album
MOOG SYNTHESIZER Quantity
914 Extended Range Fixed Filter Bank 1
904-A Voltage-Controlled Lowpass Filter 2
904-B Voltage-Controlled Lowpass Filter 1
904-C Filter Coupler 1
901 Voltage-Controlled Oscillator 1
901-A Oscillator Controller 3
901-B Oscillator 9
911 Envelope Generator 4
911-A Dual Trigger Delay 1
902 Voltage-Controlled Amplifier 5
912 Envelope Follower 1
984 Four-Channel Mixer 1
960 Sequential Controller 2
961 Interface 1
962 Sequential Switch 2
950 Keyboard Controller 1
6401 Bode Ring Modulator 1
TAPE RECORDER
Ampex MM-1100 16 tracks 1
Ampex AG-400 4 tracks (1/2”) 1
Sony TC-9040 4 tracks (1/4”) 1
Teac A-3340S 4 tracks (1/4”) 1
Teac 7030GSL 2 tracks 1
MIXER
Sony MX-16 (8-CH) 2
Sony MX-12 (6-CH) 2
ACCESSORY
AKG BX20E Echo unit 1
Eventide Clockworks “Instant phaser” 1
Binson Echorec “2” 2
Fender “Dimension IV” 1
Mellotron 1
Isao Tomita was born in Tokyo in 1932. He studied art history at Keio University in Tokyo and pursued his interest in music and electronics with private teachers. While still a student he submitted a composition called Wind Mills to the Japan Federation of Choral Organizations to be used by contestants in a choral competition, and it was accepted. This led to requests for other compositions. He wrote the theme music used by the Japanese gymnastics team in the 1956 Olympics and then turned to films and television, particularly the latter. He has written the background music for such yearlong NHK series as “The Life of the Flower” (1960), “The Heaven and the Earth” (1969), “The New Tale of Heike” (1972) and “Kaishu Katsu” (1974), and for his contribution to the industry Tomita was awarded the prestigious Television Grand Prix for 1973. He has also composed music for TV cartoon projects, including “The King of the Jungle,” which was shown on NBC under the title “White Lion”; this music was later incorporated into a tone poem, which was performed by the Japan Philharmonic. For Expo ‘70 he provided the music for the Toshiba hall, and he has been commissioned to compose the music for the Japanese government hall at the 1975 Okinawa Marine Expo.
In 1973 Tomita established Plasma Music, which is dedicated to the creation of music by electronic means. Other members of the group include Kinji Kitashoji, who specializes in rock music, and Mitsuo Miyamoto, who specializes in mood music. Among the projects being planned are a piano-synthesizer concerto; The Prince of Stars, an original piece being composed by Tomita as a fantasy based on a synthesizer, and Orchestral Prayer, for the Ohara Sanzenin Temple in Kyoto, which would utilize traditional Japanese instruments coupled with synthesizers.
Cover Art: David B. Hecht
Art Director: J.J. Stelmach
Liner Photo: Tomoki Sato
RCA
RED SEAL
TMK(S) ® Registered. Marca(s) Registrada(s). RCA Corporation
© 1974 RCA Records, New York, N.Y. Printed in U.S.A.
ARD1-0488
0698
