Suzanne Ciani can lay claim to being one of the few musicians to appear on David Letterman’s original daytime program in 1980. Dubbed “America’s first female synth hero,” her recordings have garnered acclaim and Grammy nominations.
Today, Suzanne Ciani still composes and performs on her first love, the Buchla synthesizer, to which she was introduced by the instrument’s inventor while studying composition at the University of California in 1970. She joins Ross Boissoneau to discuss the albums that shaped her career:
GLENN GOULD – BACH: GOLDBERG VARIATIONS (1955): This was my absolute No. 1 record in my earlier days. When I was living near Boston, I’d go to Symphony Hall. When I first heard Glenn Gould play, I would sit on the edge of my seat. It was something to behold. He played with such precision. His sensibility was delivering music in a way that honored the music. He was channeling this music without interfering with it. His second recording in 1981 [the first version of the Goldberg Variations was released in 1955] was much slower. There are pieces that take twice as long. 1981 sold more, but my vote is for 1955. People ask me when I perform, “Aren’t you nervous?” No, it’s not about me, it’s about letting the music come through. It’s a disservice to the audience to be thinking about yourself. I learned that from Glenn Gould. Pure emotion and pure precision.
ROXY MUSIC – AVALON (1982): My childhood [favorite] was the Romantic era. My mom brought home albums by Rachmaninoff, Grieg. The sensibility of the music transported me out of myself. I stayed a romantic for a long time. This is like the perfect romantic piece. It’s a consummate studio album, impeccably engineered by Bob Clearmountain. He paid attention to the detail in the sound. Avalon still moves me.
VANGELIS – BLADE RUNNER (1982): I worked with Vangelis on The Velocity of Love [her breakthrough 1986 album]. We worked in New York in my studio, in London in his. Vangelis is larger than life. He had a high impact on me. I came from classical training. Vangelis didn’t read or write music, but he could play anything. He had such impeccable taste. He liked to do everything live in the moment, playing keys and pedals. I learned from him how to really relax in the music.
WHAT I’M LISTENING TO NOW: I’m listening to Kaitlyn Smith and Caterina Barbieri, who does live analog synthesizers. Both use non-keyboard instruments. It’s a contrapuntal medium. It’s linear, sequencers and oscillators moving with each other. You put in the keyboards, and you get harmony. Take that away and you’re working in lines. It goes right back to Bach.
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