Music Out of the Moon

Last updated
Music Out of the Moon: Music Unusual Featuring the Theremin - Themes by Harry Revel
Music Out of the Moon.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 1947
Genre
Length18:12
Label Capitol
Samuel Hoffman chronology
Music Out of the Moon: Music Unusual Featuring the Theremin - Themes by Harry Revel
(1947)
Perfume Set to Music
(1948)
Les Baxter chronology
Music Out of the Moon
(1947)
Perfume Set to Music
(1948)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Music Out of the Moon: Music Unusual Featuring the Theremin - Themes by Harry Revel (Capitol CC-47) is an album consisting of six songs on three 10-inch, 78 rpm records by bandleader Les Baxter and composer Harry Revel with theremin player Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman released on Capitol in April 1947. [4] Music Out of the Moon is considered the best-selling theremin record of all time. [1]

Contents

Music

The music was a mixture of late 1940s lounge jazz and film music underpinned by Hoffman’s otherworldly theremin playing. According to the liner notes: "Harry Revel created the basic "idea" and themes while Leslie Baxter, conductor and arranger, has given them appropriately unique tone color, using mass harmonies of human voices as well as unusual instrumental effects with woodwinds, strings and bass; some without rhythm, others with a dominant, demanding beat."

Cover

Music Out of the Moon was noteworthy for being one of the first albums to feature a full color cover – a risqué photograph by Paul Garrison of partially clothed actress Virginia Clark of the Earl Carroll Theatre, Hollywood, [5] sprawled across a bed – which made it stand out in an era of monochrome album packaging.

Reissues

Music Out of the Moon was reissued by Capitol in 1950 on one 10-inch, 33⅓ rpm disc (Capitol H-2000). [6]

In 1954, Music Out of the Moon was combined with Music for Peace of Mind -- a six-song 1950 collaboration between Billy May, Revel and Hoffman -- on one 12-inch, 33⅓ rpm disc (Capitol T390). [7]

In 1999, Basta reissued Music Out of the Moon on a CD called Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman and the Theremin, which also included Perfume Set to Music (1948) and Music for Peace of Mind (1950). [8] In 2004, Rev-Ola issued the same three albums on a CD called Waves in the Ether: The Magical World of the Theremin. [2]

Played in space by Neil Armstrong

The Hollywood producer Mickey Kapp compiled a cassette tape of tracks from the album for astronaut Neil Armstrong, who brought the tape on the Apollo 11 Moon mission in 1969. [9] [10] He played it from the Apollo spacecraft on a Sony TC-50 during the flight back from the Moon when it was about 150,000 nautical miles (280,000 km) from Earth, and explained, "That's an old favorite of mine, about – It's an album made about 20 years ago, called Music Out of the Moon." [11] (NASA audio recording) The record appears in First Man , the 2018 biopic of Armstrong directed by Damien Chazelle.

Track listing (CC-47)

Track listing and sides
TrackSong title
A.Lunar Rhapsody
BMoon Moods
C.Lunette
D.Celestial Nocturne
E.Mist O’ The Moon
F.Radar Blues

Track recordings online:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo 11</span> First crewed Moon landing

Apollo 11 was the American spaceflight that first landed humans on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on July 20, 1969, at 20:17 UTC, and Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon's surface six hours and 39 minutes later, on July 21 at 02:56 UTC. Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later, and they spent about two and a quarter hours together exploring the site they had named Tranquility Base upon landing. Armstrong and Aldrin collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of lunar material to bring back to Earth as pilot Michael Collins flew the Command Module Columbia in lunar orbit, and were on the Moon's surface for 21 hours, 36 minutes before lifting off to rejoin Columbia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Armstrong</span> American astronaut, lunar explorer (1930–2012)

Neil Alden Armstrong was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who in 1969 became the first person to walk on the Moon. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzz Aldrin</span> American astronaut and lunar explorer (born 1930)

Buzz Aldrin is an American former astronaut, engineer and fighter pilot. He made three spacewalks as pilot of the 1966 Gemini 12 mission. He was the Lunar Module Eagle pilot on the 1969 Apollo 11 mission and became the second person to walk on the Moon after mission commander Neil Armstrong.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mare Tranquillitatis</span> Lunar mare

Mare Tranquillitatis is a lunar mare that sits within the Tranquillitatis basin on the Moon. It is the first location on another celestial body to be visited by humans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gene Cernan</span> American astronaut and lunar explorer (1934–2017)

Eugene Andrew Cernan was an American astronaut, naval aviator, electrical engineer, aeronautical engineer, and fighter pilot. During the Apollo 17 mission, Cernan became the eleventh human being to walk on the Moon. As he re-entered the Apollo Lunar Module after Harrison Schmitt on their third and final lunar excursion, he remains the most recent person to walk on the Moon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Baxter</span> American composer and conductor (1922–1996)

Leslie Thompson Baxter was an American musician, composer and conductor. After working as an arranger and composer for swing bands, he developed his own style of easy listening music, known as exotica and scored over 250 radio, television and motion pictures numbers.

<i>Destination Moon</i> (film) 1950 film by Irving Pichel

Destination Moon is a 1950 American Technicolor science fiction film, independently produced by George Pal and directed by Irving Pichel, that stars John Archer, Warner Anderson, Tom Powers, and Dick Wesson. The film was distributed in the United States and the United Kingdom by Eagle-Lion Classics.

Harry Revel was a British-born American composer, mostly of musical theatre, working with various lyricists, notably Mack Gordon. He is also seen as a pioneer of "space age pop".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lunar plaque</span> Commemorative plaques attached to the United States Apollo Lunar Modules

Lunar plaques are stainless steel commemorative plaques measuring 9 by 7+58 inches attached to the ladders on the descent stages of the United States Apollo Lunar Modules flown on lunar landing missions Apollo 11 through Apollo 17, to be left permanently on the lunar surface. The plaques were originally suggested and designed by NASA's head of technical services Jack Kinzler, who oversaw their production.

<i>For All Mankind</i> (film) 1989 documentary film by Al Reinert

For All Mankind is a 1989 documentary film made of original footage from NASA's Apollo program, which successfully prepared and landed the first humans on the Moon from 1968 to 1972. It was directed by Al Reinert, with music by Brian Eno. The film, consisting of footage from Apollo 7 through Apollo 17, was assembled to depict what seems like a single trip to the Moon, highlighting the beauty and otherworldliness of the images by only using audio from the interviews Reinert conducted with Apollo crew members.

<i>Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D</i> 2005 American film

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D is a 2005 IMAX 3D documentary film about the first humans on the Moon, the twelve astronauts in the Apollo program.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo 11 in popular culture</span> Cultural aspects of the first manned Moon landing

Apollo 11 was the first human spaceflight to land on the Moon. The 1969 mission's wide effect on popular culture has resulted in numerous portrayals of Apollo 11 and its crew, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Woolley</span> Musical artist

Bruce Martin Woolley is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He wrote songs with artists such as the Buggles and Grace Jones, including "Video Killed the Radio Star" and "Slave to the Rhythm", and co-founded the Radio Science Orchestra.

<i>First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong</i> Official biography of Neil Armstrong

First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong is the official biography of Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who became the first human to walk on the Moon, on July 20, 1969. The book was written by James R. Hansen and was first published in 2005 by Simon & Schuster. The book describes Armstrong's involvement in the United States space program, and details his personal life and upbringing.

Samuel J. Hoffman was a notable thereminist.

<i>Nat King Cole at the Piano</i> 1950 studio album by Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole at the Piano is the first studio album by jazz pianist Nat King Cole, released by Capitol in 1950.

<i>First Man</i> (film) 2018 American biographical drama film by Damien Chazelle

First Man is a 2018 American biographical drama film directed by Damien Chazelle from a screenplay by Josh Singer, based on the 2005 book of the same name by James R. Hansen. The film stars Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, alongside Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Christopher Abbott, and Ciarán Hinds, and follows the years leading up to the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in 1969.

<i>First Man</i> (soundtrack) 2018 soundtrack album by Justin Hurwitz

First Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2018 film First Man, directed by Damien Chazelle. The musical score was composed by Chazelle's usual collaborator and Harvard University classmate, Justin Hurwitz. The score uses electronic, orchestral and vintage sounds. In addition to a 94-piece orchestra, an electronic theremin, a moog synthesiser and several other instruments were used, fused with vintage sound-altering machines during the audio mix. The soundtrack released by Back Lot Music on October 12, 2018, received positive reviews from critics, who praised it for its balance of softer melodic passages and powerful themes. Hurwitz's score received several awards and nominations, including the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Ankeny, Jason. "Les Baxter: Music Out of the Moon". All Music Guide. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Unterberger, Richie. "Samuel J. Hoffman: Music out of the Moon". All Music Guide. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  3. Adinolfi, Francesco (April 25, 2008). "The Laboratory of Dr. Les Baxter". In Pinkus, Karen (ed.). Mondo Exotica - Sounds, Visions, Obsessions of the Cocktail Generation. Durham: Duke University Press. p. 53.
  4. The Billboard Music Popularity Charts: Advance Record Releases. Billboard. 19 April 1947. p. 32. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  5. Inside album cover: "Cover posed by Virginia Clark of Earl Carroll's Theatre, Hollywood. Photography by Paul Garrison."
  6. "Harry Revel & Leslie Baxter* & Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman – Music Out Of The Moon: Music Unusual Featuring The Theremin". Discogs.
  7. "Harry Revel & Leslie Baxter* & Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman – Music Out Of The Moon / Peace Of Mind". Discogs.
  8. "Dr. Samuel J. Hoffman and the Theremin". All Music Guide. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  9. Wagener, Leon (2004). One Giant Leap: Neil Armstrong's Stellar American Journey. New York: Forge. p. 206. ISBN   978-0-3128-7592-3.
  10. Hansen, James (2005). First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong . New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 423–4. ISBN   978-0-7432-5631-5.
  11. Jones, Eric M., ed. (1995). "Television and Food Demonstrations". Apollo 11 Lunar Surface Journal. NASA. Retrieved October 24, 2018.