brianEno

Histories

The sources listed below are histories of ambient and electronic music, to provide a backdrop or context Eno's career, and demonstrate that there is a tradition in which Eno works. These works show us that, while Eno is a pioneer in electronic music, especially as he has bridged the academic and popular worlds, he has many forebears and colleagues.

Prendergast, Mark. The Ambient Century: From Mahler to Trance – the Evolution of Sound in the Electronic Age. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2000.
ML1380
.P746
This comprehensive look at ambient music as its own genre has a Forword by… drum roll please…Brian Eno, naturally. Its index entry for Eno has 23 subheadings, and even lists Brian’s brother Roger, who is a pianist. This book is a giant, and doesn’t forget that the ideas and feeling of ambient music grew out of the work of classical composers like Satie, Debussy, and Mahler. A bonus for those who are completely new to the genre is a listing of 100 essential albums. These types of listing are of course always very subjective, but in this case the variety is stunning, including the aforementioned Eno, Satie, and Debussy, but also wordsmiths like Bob Dylan, U2, and Peter Gabriel, who are often left out of the mix when ambient music is considered mostly instrumental.

Shapiro, Peter, ed. Modulations: a History of Electronic Music, Throbbing Words on Sound. New York: Caipirinha Productions, 2000.
ML1380
.M63
A stylish, almost coffee-table stylish, tome of articles covering the development of electronic music through the 20th century. The medium matches the message: electronic music is often conceived of visually, and it is here that you’ll find an interesting contextual setting for the works of Eno, who’s referenced throughout the book but particularly in the chapter “Ambient” (p. 156-167). Other related topics, which give one the idea that ambient music does not stand on its own, include “Krautrock,” “Disco,” “Post Punk,” “Hip Hop,” and Techno.” What’s valuable here is the context that has shaped, and been shaped by, Eno’s work.

Mackay, Andy. Electronic Music: the Instruments, the Music, and the Musicians. Minneapolis: Control Data Publishing, 1981.
ML1092
.M2
The title of Andy Mackay’s brief work sums up this book, which provides a good, short introduction to electronic music. What makes this book perhaps more related to Brian Eno than it might otherwise be is that Mackay was Eno’s bandmate in Roxy Music, and as a performer in the world of avant-garde rock has a unique perspective on the use of electronics in music. A short glossary and good index help the beginner navigate the terms and ideas presented by electronic music.

Holmes, Thom. Electronic and Experimental Music, Second Edition. New York: Routledge, 2002.
ML1380
.H646
Holmes’s book is a valuable resource for not only the history of electronic music, in all its forms and character (such as ambient), but also is something of a how-to guide, explaining down to the electronic circuitry how much of electronic music is made. This is a work for those who know the music and may want to begin making it themselves.

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