O Mundo de Claudia: V. Mescherin's Ensemble of Electro-Musical Instruments

January 25, 2005

V. Mescherin's Ensemble of Electro-Musical Instruments

Why is it that kitsch appeals to me so much? I do have a weird sense of humour at times; maybe that's why I find aesthetic worthlessness amusing?

Thanks to a colleague, I found a store in Lisboa that sells cd's for 1 Euro. Among other weird, unsellable stuff was a two volume set called "Easy USSR". I had a heard a bit of it before (it was one of my colleague's acquisitions) and had found it hilarious. The cover had a nice retro graphic design style... I bought it.

Inside, the leaflet unfolds to show a chronology of V.Mescherin's life and USSR history (I think, since it's in russian). Mescherin, according to the wikipedia, was a Soviet musician who used synthesisers in the 60's, 70's and 80's and "his music could be heard virtually everywhere, in elevators, on television backgrounds; the Soviet government asked him to prepare a version of the Internationale (The former national anthem) for use in a Sputnik satellite in 1959".

Inside, a perfectly bizarre, the kitschest primitive electronic music from the 60's and 70's with terrible titles like "On the kholkoz poultry farm" or "Ethiopian joker's dance". Here's a sample from 1973's "Dancing Dwarves":

More about Mescherin here.

Posted by claudia

Comments

Electronic music shouldn't be laughed at, it's music too! There are some funny mock radio ads in a certain video game that talks about electronic and synthesised music. One advertises a electronic synthesiser and says something on the lines of 'who needs musical talent when you can get a machine to do it all for you'? I actually do like synthesised music if it's been done properly :) By the way, the chap in the picture is sitting in the classic 'must be careful not to strain, can't risk a prolapse' pose...

Posted by alkam at January 25, 2005 09:54 PM